Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Just Coasting

Otherwise known as vacation, part 2. We left PEI Wednesday morning and drove about 4 hours into New Brunswick. We were not too excited about getting back in the car but the drive was positively lovely. My husband says taking a car trip with me is like riding in King Tut's tomb. I must have all my 'stuff' around me. I need it all y'all. It's the books that tell me what we're seeing (or missing as Mr. Leadfoot zips by the little brown signs), my phone of course because as sure as I don't have it right next to me daughter1 and/or 2 will call and I'll annoy hubs trying to dig it out of my purse (or the black hole as he likes to call it). Then of course there are the twizzlers (which need no explanation, duh), maps, as in my twenty pages of google maps just in case the sat nav leads us astray. And the Atlas that is approximately 3 feet tall because I have midlife eyesight these days and because the google maps and the sat nav might both be wrong. And sat nav is gps in case you're not up on what the Brits call it.

Anyway....as we meandered along the coast we saw not one but two bald eagles overhead. My husband really wanted to see a moose on this trip and we saw alot of signs telling us to watch out! because apparently they are way bigger than our car but...sigh...not a moose in sight.

Enroute to the adorable village of St. Andrews by the Sea we stopped in a town called St. John to see what is known as The Reversing Falls. These are caused by the enormous rise and fall of the tides in the Bay of Fundy, which are the highest in the world. Basically the low tide leaving the bay runs into the new high tide coming into the bay and this combination makes a higher wave coming in so it is like a reverse fall. And it is crazy. And you can take a wild boat ride right through the middle of it all.
After we peeled ourselves away we headed on to the very quaint little village of St. Andrews by the Sea. Even the name is cute. We stayed in a pretty little inn and oh yeah, we had another lobster roll lunch sitting next to the sea. Ho hum.

I did sort of wonder how I would ever go back to a sandwich lunch??? Blech.

Thursday morning we were up and on the road again, headed to Bar Harbor Maine. Before arriving in Bar Harbor we made a short stop to see the island of St. Croix which is located in the middle of the St. Croix river and is viewed from the park across the water.
The island forms part of the international boundary between Canada and Maine. A French settlement was established here with Champlain playing a part in that and it was one of the first efforts by France at establishing a year round colony in the territory known as Acadie. You didn't know this was going to be fun and educational did you?


Still coasting....Let me just say that I always wondered about people who talked endlessly about vacationing in Maine every summer. I mean the water never really gets warm and the air doesn't really get HOT but, after two days in Bar Harbor I totally get it. It is just so utterly beautiful. The Acadia National Park is situated around Bar Harbor and there are breathtaking views and stunning scenery everywhere you look. Oh, and seafood. I don't think I mentioned the lob-stah. Fab-u-lous! We walked out on Sandy Beach in Acadia and there was indeed a real live person swimming. And yes indeed the water temperature was 54 degrees. I was in a fleece.

On this trip I was reminded once again of why I don't like visiting places filled with steep rocky ledges with my husband. Or 'the mountain goat' as he is sometimes called. He just loves to get as close to the very edge of nothing-ness as he possibly can.

And sometimes in response to my hyperventilating he'll say something reassuring like,' Don't worry....there's a big rock ledge just below." Super. So you won't plummet directly into the churning sea....your fall will be broken by a rocky ledge. Thank you. I feel much better now. Friends who know him well visited the Grand Canyon and the first thing they told us when they returned home was they were glad he wasn't with them. Not that they don't love him but they didn't think their hearts could stand the drama. It's not just me y'all.

Will this post ever end? Yes. Shortly. Bar Harbor...you should go there.

And hike the park.
And watch the birds.
And eat the seafood.
And stand above the water.


And relax.

Believe it or not I've got more. I think I will save the last day for its very own post because we may have semi-stalked a former President and our efforts did not go un-rewarded. In fact I suspect the Secret Service is reading this post as I type. I will post that on Thursday because tomorrow I'm going to participate in Linda's random meme...she posted the questions for it on her blog today so go here if you feel the need to blog your own randomness tomorrow. And if you check back here on Thursday you might just read a little something about a certain #41.

6 comments:

  1. Oh thank you , thank you for posting about your vacation ... I feel as if I am sorta traveling with you and I love new places.. I have never been to Canada nor New England states so I love your post. a waiting Thursday's..
    Elsie <><

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  2. You all look so relaxed and just enjoying your time together. You are right, how will you ever not have lobster any more???

    Thank you so much for sharing these pictures with all of us and can't wait to hear you next installment.

    Love and Hugs ~ Kat

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  3. Girl, you just crack me up. You remind me so much of me!! Oh my gosh.
    Well, I'll add Bar Harbor to my extremely long list of places to go.
    My goodness . . . am I ever going to get to the East coast? And when I do, it's going to take me 3 or 4 years to see everything i want to see!!!!!
    Good grief.

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  4. Joyce, it all just looks beautiful!

    Two places I really want to go....Italy & Maine. :)

    I have a blogging friend who is going to Italy in a few days and I've
    heard so much about it from you and seen your pictures. I told her I'm super envious!

    Then lately I've been thinking about our vacation next summer and would really like to go to Maine. I heard from two people about those lobster rolls.

    I would love to travel with you and your husband. Hey....you could start a traveling club. Seriously.....;) Y'all know how to make the most of a vacation. And, I'm the same way with my stash in the front and in my lap while riding in the car. I always have my phone very near and my camera ready. You just never know what you might miss. And my purse.....not even going there. I did finally down-size my ginormous ??? billfold. :)
    I look forward to reading the next post.

    Also, I read that you're doing the Scripture memorization.....Beth's challenge......does that mean you could possibly go to the get-together in Houston in Jan.? My friend Sherry and I already have a hotel room....you could stay with us.

    There will be a lot of blogging friends there. :)

    Sorry so long and hope it makes sense. I was trying to type and talk to my daughter on the phone at the same time.

    Have a great Wednesday!

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  5. Joyce,

    I love your posts! So glad you got to eat all that lob-stah! LOL I wish I liked seafood. I just don't, but my sweet hubby does. Don't think that will keep me away from Bar Harbor, though. You have talked me into it. Not that it took much convincing. There is so much in the U.S. that we want to see. Living in England and traveling truly makes me appreciate what is back home and what we have not explored. Believe me it's a LOT!

    I enjoyed all the pictures and felt like I was on a tour with you.

    Sending hugs your way,
    Carol

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  6. I visited Bar Harbor many years ago with girlfriends and loved it! Lobster for every meal. Hikes in Acadia. Grand! Did you have any square pie? Yummy! Glad you had a great trip. Your post makes me wanna go back.

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