This is where our trip really shined :) We loved Bar Harbor and the park. We arrived in Bar Harbor, the town, at approx 6:30 p.m. Our hotel was a cheapy motel very close to the center of downtown. It had the basics, and that was all we needed - a bed and a shower. We were blocks from the hubub of tourist central, which was surprisingly enjoyable. We first got some dinner, and I splurged and got myself the surf & turf (after the shrimp cocktail .... yes, the same as what I had the night before, what of it?). I don't usually do that --- order the most expensive thing on the menu. But I recently had a bad lobster experience.* And then **

After the dinner, we just slowly mosied along the road, looking at the different shops filled with touristy kitcsh. But then we hit the water, and we came upon a kayak place .... the entire time up the coast, Beloved was making cmments about the kayaks strapped to everyone's cars. He wanted to do it - he wanted a kayak - he wanted to play in the water.

So, in my Zuska way, I marched us into the shop, found out the details, and signed us up for a sea kayaking tour of the harbor. Agh!! We'd never done this before!! I've seen people flip over! It looked scary!! And we were going into the sea, not a river. (okay, the harbor, but it opens up into the sea! and that's still scary.)

We got up bright and early to go kayaking, and walked out the door at 7:30 to a fierce wind. Our hats were blown off, and the buildings around us were groaning with the gusts. When we got to the harbor, we heard an announcement that the Whale Watching boat ride was cancelled due to high seas. There were itty bitty white caps on the waves in the water. I'm surprised that I didn't get more nervous than I did. I was more concerned over the fact that beloved's had was not staying on in hte wind, because he burns very easily. The sun was already bright and strong (I was expecting a morning fog or haze, but it was not to be). We went inside to find out that the tour was canceled - there was a small craft advisory, and they decided it was not safe, especially for a trip that was advertised as appropriate for beginners.

We switched our reservation to the sunset tour (winds were expected to die down), and got breakfast, showered, and went to Acadia National Park.

* Last week, I went to a funky shack type restaurant with work. Called the Barking Crab. I decided to try a lobster. I haven't eaten lobster meat at all, let alone had a whole lobster, since I was a child. So I kind of didn't know what I was doing. Once the lobster came, a friend said, "oh, Zuska, i forgot to tell you - they don't have crackers here, you have to use a rock." Excuse me? a rock? and what am I supposed to do with that rock? Why, bash the lobster, of course.
But we were sitting at a rickety table. If I bashed hard, everyone's food would fall on the floor.
I did, though. FOr the claws. Then it came time to eat the rest, and I was very surprised to find icky slimy green stuff. It was disgusting. Absolutely, positively disgusting. And my appetite was almost gone. I didn't even eat the tail meat, b/c the green stuff was touching it. I later found out that the green stuff is liver and that people eat it, and that it's used in bisque and chowders, too. I am not sure that I would have done differently if I had that knowledge at the time. I ate my coleslaw. That was it.

** I usually get irritated by the asterick method. But sometimes, you just gotta add a star.

posted by Zuska @ 4:44 PM

0 Comments: