Summer Vacation 2014
I felt like we got to Maine and were basically winging our vacation, even though I spent about a day planning the trip (half a day booking lodgings and another half day researching the national parks) and I've been to the same area with my family before. I even failed to acquire a guide book of any sort and my aunts who take their families to Acadia National Park weren't very helpful. Then after walking/hiking <6mi in one day, I was crippled, so it's not like my plans would have availed much anyhow. *sighs* In the end though, I had some really great moments with the child and long after I've given up on making a photobook of the trip, that'll be what matters.
We started the trip with a stop in Connecticut, to see my brand new nephew. To save time, we had dinner at the hospital - my mother occasionally goes to the hospital solely for the food - but the pickings were meager on a Friday night. I slept for a while, then kept my husband company for the last few hours of the 9 hour drive, talking his ear off about everything on my mind. I've been doing that a lot lately.
The next morning, I took the child for breakfast and got some quality time with him. We hadn't seen much of him in the week since camp and I am inutterably charmed that he worried about waking his father. Eventually he woke on his own, devoured leftover omelette, and drove us to Bar Harbor, stopping on the way for our first lobster roll of the trip. By the time we checked in and unpacked, we had time to walk around town. The child came back from camp hungry all the time, so we took him for the early bird special at the 22nd best restaurant in town, the West Street Café, where everyone had lobsters. I believe the child has had lobster before, but it was pretty funny watching his attempts to get the meat out, like when he declared the tail was too hard to eat from.
Sunday, we had breakfast at Testa's, which was a regrettable throwback to the trip's earlier mediocre food. On the plus side, it was near the north end of town and we happened to be there near low tide, so over the child's worrywart protests, we walked to the top of Bar Island, stopping on the way back to admire the mist behind the cruise ships and for another rock skipping lesson. We drove into the park and stopped at the visitor's center, where Lucky reluctantly received a Junior Ranger guide. He liked the national parks passport book better and got his first stamp. Then we drove to Gorham "Mountain" for a moderate 1.8mi hike to the top. Since we were already on the west side of the park, we drove to Thurston's Lobster's Pound. As soon as we got there, I remembered eating there about a decade ago with my folks: it was one of the best meals of the trip. The blueberry cake that came with our meals was delicious, but I'm so glad I got the strawberry rhubarb pie as well, bc the vanilla cream was incredible.
The next morning Jon went climbing with a guide, so Lucky and I went to the nature center and the beach. He's spent every summer of his life going to the Jersey shore, so he loved looking for crabs among the lowish-tide rocks, despite the reek from a few dead ones. He's also scared of heights though, so I was very surprised to see him scrambling on them. Originally we'd talked about walking several miles to the next location, but waited for the bus instead. I wanted more from our day, but as I write this, I realize he really, really needed to run around and climb things. I... can relate to that.
Between our b&b and the climbing shop was a deli where Lucky got a lump lobster roll and I got a burger. The boys napped and I rested. The child once more demanded food, so we took him Poor Boy's Gourmet, which should've been walking distance from our room. It was more gourmet Maine food: I got a (virgin) blueberry martini, Jon had lobster fra diavolo, and the child had yet another boiled lobster. Yum. Unfortunately, I couldn't make the walk back, so Jon brought the car over.
Tuesday morning, we went kayaking with National Park Sea Kayak Tours. We saw little wildlife and our guide was not very good at narrating, or even keeping the boats together, but we enjoyed it. We showered and went to Jordan Pond for an elegant lunner. I could've stayed all afternoon, just looking at the Bubbles, eating popovers, and enjoying the sunshine.
Wednesday morning, we finally met up with my aunt and uncle and their kids for brunch at Two Cats, which was delicious if carborrific, and drove to Boston. A good friend recommended a Thai place not far from our hotel and met us there and we caught up.
I had grand plans for finally doing all the touristy things I'd never done in Boston as an undergrad, but being unable to walk from Faneuil Hall to the subway without tears put the kibosh on that. We took a duck tour, which I'd always wanted to do, but was disappointing. The duck was cool and all, but I really wanted a little more history and background on the city as we drove around. Based on our conversation at the visitor's center, I think I will try to get a tour - possibly with a ranger - next time we try the Freedom Trail. We had dinner at Durgin Park, which seemed like the thing to do, and made it home.
Friday I went for a massage at Massage Therapy Works. I walked out and immediately had a twinge in my back and thought, "Oh well, it was worth a shot." Then I spent 5 hours walking around the Museum of Science with just a few sitting breaks and woke the next morning feeling bouncy, so I guess it did work.
I am so impressed with the Museum of Science: it's the best time I've had at a science museum since I went to the Ontario Science Center as a kid. (That museum was so amazing, my family planned multiple week-long road trips to Toronto where we did nothing but hang out at the museum.) Every time I come to Boston, they have interesting special exhibits: this time it was everyday math (which involved snowboarding and space simulations) and "Grossology". I LOVED the updated Hall of Life so much, my menfolk had to drag me out. (Data!) Funniest moment was when one of the explainers came by as we were discussing the prenatal exhibit and offered her help. I still maintain the 4 month baby and the 6 month baby were the wrong size.
Saturday morning we had a delightful breakfast with the Cozikins, who picked the perfect place for us to chat for 3 hours while the children played. As we were going back to our car, Lucky asked, "When are we hanging out with them again?" I couldn't agree more.
We started the trip with a stop in Connecticut, to see my brand new nephew. To save time, we had dinner at the hospital - my mother occasionally goes to the hospital solely for the food - but the pickings were meager on a Friday night. I slept for a while, then kept my husband company for the last few hours of the 9 hour drive, talking his ear off about everything on my mind. I've been doing that a lot lately.
The next morning, I took the child for breakfast and got some quality time with him. We hadn't seen much of him in the week since camp and I am inutterably charmed that he worried about waking his father. Eventually he woke on his own, devoured leftover omelette, and drove us to Bar Harbor, stopping on the way for our first lobster roll of the trip. By the time we checked in and unpacked, we had time to walk around town. The child came back from camp hungry all the time, so we took him for the early bird special at the 22nd best restaurant in town, the West Street Café, where everyone had lobsters. I believe the child has had lobster before, but it was pretty funny watching his attempts to get the meat out, like when he declared the tail was too hard to eat from.
Sunday, we had breakfast at Testa's, which was a regrettable throwback to the trip's earlier mediocre food. On the plus side, it was near the north end of town and we happened to be there near low tide, so over the child's worrywart protests, we walked to the top of Bar Island, stopping on the way back to admire the mist behind the cruise ships and for another rock skipping lesson. We drove into the park and stopped at the visitor's center, where Lucky reluctantly received a Junior Ranger guide. He liked the national parks passport book better and got his first stamp. Then we drove to Gorham "Mountain" for a moderate 1.8mi hike to the top. Since we were already on the west side of the park, we drove to Thurston's Lobster's Pound. As soon as we got there, I remembered eating there about a decade ago with my folks: it was one of the best meals of the trip. The blueberry cake that came with our meals was delicious, but I'm so glad I got the strawberry rhubarb pie as well, bc the vanilla cream was incredible.
The next morning Jon went climbing with a guide, so Lucky and I went to the nature center and the beach. He's spent every summer of his life going to the Jersey shore, so he loved looking for crabs among the lowish-tide rocks, despite the reek from a few dead ones. He's also scared of heights though, so I was very surprised to see him scrambling on them. Originally we'd talked about walking several miles to the next location, but waited for the bus instead. I wanted more from our day, but as I write this, I realize he really, really needed to run around and climb things. I... can relate to that.
Between our b&b and the climbing shop was a deli where Lucky got a lump lobster roll and I got a burger. The boys napped and I rested. The child once more demanded food, so we took him Poor Boy's Gourmet, which should've been walking distance from our room. It was more gourmet Maine food: I got a (virgin) blueberry martini, Jon had lobster fra diavolo, and the child had yet another boiled lobster. Yum. Unfortunately, I couldn't make the walk back, so Jon brought the car over.
Tuesday morning, we went kayaking with National Park Sea Kayak Tours. We saw little wildlife and our guide was not very good at narrating, or even keeping the boats together, but we enjoyed it. We showered and went to Jordan Pond for an elegant lunner. I could've stayed all afternoon, just looking at the Bubbles, eating popovers, and enjoying the sunshine.
Wednesday morning, we finally met up with my aunt and uncle and their kids for brunch at Two Cats, which was delicious if carborrific, and drove to Boston. A good friend recommended a Thai place not far from our hotel and met us there and we caught up.
I had grand plans for finally doing all the touristy things I'd never done in Boston as an undergrad, but being unable to walk from Faneuil Hall to the subway without tears put the kibosh on that. We took a duck tour, which I'd always wanted to do, but was disappointing. The duck was cool and all, but I really wanted a little more history and background on the city as we drove around. Based on our conversation at the visitor's center, I think I will try to get a tour - possibly with a ranger - next time we try the Freedom Trail. We had dinner at Durgin Park, which seemed like the thing to do, and made it home.
Friday I went for a massage at Massage Therapy Works. I walked out and immediately had a twinge in my back and thought, "Oh well, it was worth a shot." Then I spent 5 hours walking around the Museum of Science with just a few sitting breaks and woke the next morning feeling bouncy, so I guess it did work.
I am so impressed with the Museum of Science: it's the best time I've had at a science museum since I went to the Ontario Science Center as a kid. (That museum was so amazing, my family planned multiple week-long road trips to Toronto where we did nothing but hang out at the museum.) Every time I come to Boston, they have interesting special exhibits: this time it was everyday math (which involved snowboarding and space simulations) and "Grossology". I LOVED the updated Hall of Life so much, my menfolk had to drag me out. (Data!) Funniest moment was when one of the explainers came by as we were discussing the prenatal exhibit and offered her help. I still maintain the 4 month baby and the 6 month baby were the wrong size.
Saturday morning we had a delightful breakfast with the Cozikins, who picked the perfect place for us to chat for 3 hours while the children played. As we were going back to our car, Lucky asked, "When are we hanging out with them again?" I couldn't agree more.