Thursday, April 12, 2012

Bar Harbor

Three things used to come to mind when I thought of Maine...

This:

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these:
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and its romantic coastlines of these:
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But now, Maine is more. After being whisked away on the last weekend of March--for a late birthday weekend getaway to Bar Harbor, Maine--there's a little more that comes to mind when I think of The Pine Tree State.

Thanks to off-season rates, our hotel room overlooked the Atlantic. For two mornings, we awoke to the most beautiful sunrises and glittering ocean ripples. I could live here, I thought. It reminded me of a favorite Ingrid Michaelson song that goes:
"I will live my life as a lobsterman's life on an island on the blue bay. 
He will take care of me, he will smell like the sea, and close to my heart he'll always stay.
I will bear three girls all with strawberry curls
little Ella, and Nelly, and Faye.
While combing their hair, I will catch his warm stare on our island in the blue bay.
Far away, far away, I want to go far away.
To a new life on a new shoreline.
Where the water is blue and the people are new,
To another island in another life."

I wanted so badly to enjoy my first lobster experience. I gave it my best shot by grazing from Boy's dinner plate--one bite was enough for me. But fried haddock, a side of fries, and bites of Maine blueberry pie did not disappoint. Once our little boy shockingly discovered that the lobster he was staring at in the face was dad's dinner, it didn't take him long to chant, "Eat it, Dad! Go eat it! Eat it!" It is probably a good thing I am not a lobsterman's wife. 

And Acadia? Sigh. We practically owned the place as we drove through it. The drawback to experiencing Acadia during the off-season is road closings to more beautiful natural landscapes of art. That, and a carriage ride up to Cadillac Mountain--the first place in the United States to see the morning sun.



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The 5-hour car ride, and back, was worth it. My kids' practical nonchalance in the car amazes me. They take after their Dad as far as road trips are concerned.

And yes, Boy and I will be back. Next time it wouldn't be a bad idea to then skip on over to nearby Nova Scotia (once I get a passport). For a girl like me who is not a world traveler, this is big. BIG.