Today’s drive took us further north to Maine, and after 6 hours locked in the car, I was ready to run around just about anywhere. I got my chance later in the day, but I should start at the beginning.
After heading out this morning – we seem to be checking out of our hotels at 9am on the dot – we drove toward Maine in search of breakfast. With the help of Yelp once again, I found a place called A1 Diner, which seemed to have a decent rating, and, more importantly, to be the only place around (literally). A1 Diner turned out to be a classic 50s diner in the tiny quaint town of Gardiner, Maine, and resembled a an old train car. It was very nicely maintained, and the one guy behind the counter managed to provide not only excellent but also entertaining service. The food was delicious with one exception – the guy recommended something called Ginger Beer, a local root beer alternative which was supposed to be great. It was horrifically disgusting. Other than that though, breakfast comprised of traditional American comfort food, with a delicious diner twist.
Back in the car, we headed towards Bar Harbor, a small town on the Atlantic surrounded by mountains, rocks, beaches, and boats. I skipped the part where we sat and sat in the car on the way there, partially because that meant that Dina and I were sleeping, and partially because it wasn’t particularly notable.
However, once we arrived in the ocean-side state park near Bar Harbor, Dina and I got all of our pent up energy out by walking and climbing on the rocks by the shore. That’s right, even Dina climbed up to the tallest rock. It was all very impressive.
We then drove up to Mt. Cadillac, the highest peak around, to watch the sunset. Although the sunset was beautiful, and the 369 degree view of the forests, islands, and inlets was great, it was astoundingly freezing up there on that mountain, and Dina and I ran back into the car, despite having been stuck inside it all day. Also, having been spoiled repeatedly by the breathtaking sunsets of California (and Kauai), Maine’s sunset paled slightly by comparison.
With the sun retired, I once again was charged with finding a good lobster restaurant, as Bar Harbor is known for its fresh seafood. I chose the West Street Cafe, a decent sized restaurant with a line out the door. After a short wait, we had a delicious lobster dinner, including the famous New England Clam Chowder and at least 4 full Bar Harbor lobsters. I’ve never eaten a while lobster before, but it was both delicious and exciting to consume.
We ended the day by playing the stick game (Mikado) with Oksana, Dina, and my Mom. Dina and I had big hopes of going to the jacuzzi, but since it turned out that it’s outside in the below freezing weather, the stick game turned out to be a fun alternative.
Tomorrow we drive back to Boston, and my dad and I are planning to also visit the John Adams museum in Quincy. Our trip is winding down, but for now we’re trying not to think about it.
Other highlights:
- My dad and Garik taking the second of their long nighttime walks outside in the cold. The first one was in Lake Placid, but this time they vocally resisted to the wives tagging along. Those two and their walk & talks.
- Finally getting an old version of Yelp back on my phone (I won’t get into the details, but I was trying – unsuccessfully – to do that all day). The trip is almost over and I might not need it, but it’s nice to know that I solved the problem!
