Home - Bar Harbor Trip

 Breakfast and Checking Out done.  We wanted to do a quick stop at Eagle Lake.  It’s lovely, with the carriage road (no cars). No Class 2 or Class 3 E-bikes either. I have no clue what that means.  Although I thought I might do some fishing, the lake is way too shallow near the shoreline.  We did a nice 3 mile walk, before heading home.  

Blueberry mojito 

Lunch in Belfast, ME after going over a bridge with a 400ft high observation tower.  Deja vu, we checked our blog at lunch and found that we climbed that tower in June of 2015 on our way to Nova Scotia.

The trip was great, Acadia National Park has changed, adapting to more visitors and to new climate issues.  It’s still a great place to visit and not too crowded.  Bar Harbor was very crowded.  Lots of touristy type stores, some nice bars.  We had a good time, but probably won’t be back.

Bar Harbor Inn - Bar Harbor, ME

 

Taking a short nap zzzz

Breakfast places in Bar Harbor appear to be bars that open early…so back to the inn for their complimentary continental breakfast then off for a hike.  Deb had a few requirements…less than 4 miles, no more than 500’ elevation.  Next time she might throw in a difficulty parameter!  The hike that fit the bill was Acadia Mountain coming back on the Man O’War trail.  We added “scramble” to our hiking vocabulary (it’s how you get up or get down a steep granite rock face). Needless to say, our stamina batteries were drained by the end of the hike.

Back to Bar Harbor for lunch at an outdoor beer garden. I had reserved a 3:00 time slot to drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain, assuming correctly, that we would be too tired to do anything else.  Forty-three years ago, we were standing on the top of Cadillac Mountain and we for no reason, simultaneously both kicked the same rock at the same time.  Today we revisited the rock, a nice couple took our picture for posterity.  

Yesterday, we didn’t get to sit at the umbrella tables.  Today we said we were eating dinner and got an umbrella table with a view.

Tomorrow, maybe some fishing at Eagle Lake.

Mission accomplished!

Bar Harbor Inn - Bar Harbor, ME

 Several months ago, I said, we need to plan some little get away…maybe back to Lincoln, NH.  That was met with abject silence.  Two days later came, “how about Acadia National Park?”  So a plan was hatched…with no knowledge of the impending “heat dome” that was to consume the northeast!  But a plan is a plan, and we departed Portsmouth in 95 degree heat, to arrive in Bar Harbor nearly four hours later in a balmy 90 degrees.  We are staying at the ritzy Bar Harbor Inn, with a lovely view of the Harbor. 

Although it is warm, there is nice patio with umbrella tables, but if you just want a drink and lite refreshments, they request that you sit in the Adirondack chairs around the fire pit…not bad, until you realize the gas fire pit is lit and throwing out quite a bit of additional heat..ah…no thanks.

We found a nice little bar, with an overheated bartender, a beer, a blueberry mojito, and a fish taco with blueberry and pineapple salsa (way better than you would think).  Finally a stroll through Bar Harbor ending up at the pier for margaritas, oysters and dare I say, Mozzarella logs (definitely not sticks).

Peony

Back to the hotel where Deb suffered a serious food coma! 

Caribbean Trip - St John, VI

After a long day of travel, we got home at 2:00AM.

A few notes about the trip.

The weather forecasts were always totally wrong.  There was never a day that was a washout.  Everything was lush and verdant, so it has to rain sometimes.  Power was elusive. There is obviously a power problem on the island, but like everything, it just gets taken in stride.  All in all, it was a little on the pricey side, but since everything has to be shipped in, it’s not surprising.

Verdant 

We were very surprised that we had to go through customs on the way home, since it is the United States Virgin Islands.  It took about two hours of standing in line to get through.  

St John was hit hard by Hurricane Irma in 2017.  There are still remnants of the storm everywhere, and rebuilding is extremely slow.  However, there are some new places with nice shops and restaurants: Wharfside Landing and Mongoose Junction that we enjoyed. The only hotel on the island is the Westin.

The  Sunset Cruise was a real highlight of the trip, it was well done and very enjoyable.  The cruise was on a 55’ sailing catamaran and lasted about 2 hours.

Although there are lots of taxi’s (really, an open air jitney), we found that a jeep rental was pretty much a necessity. Parking is a huge problem, however.  There are a few paid lots in town, but they are expensive, and fill up quickly.  There is parking at all the beaches, but they fill up in the mornings.

We developed a pretty good routine.  We headed out for a beach or a hike by 9:00 and always found a parking spot. We came back to Cruz Bay for lunch, where parking was a challenge.  We went back to the VRBO for our afternoon siesta and a game or two of dominos before heading back to Cruz Bay for dinner.

Our VRBO, Bliss, was wonderful.  Extremely well equipped, everything we could ask for, with awesome views.  Would we go back…probably not.  It was a great trip, but since we are not big beach goers, we got to see everything we wanted to see and do everything we wanted to do.  But then again, never say never!

Bliss - Cruz Bay, St John, VI (Last Day)

 

Our first days here were a little rainy, but although the rain bursts could be severe, they didn’t last long and the sun would pop out again.  Today we learned about power…the power outages can be pretty severe, but they don’t last long.  Water in the VRBO relies on an electric pump.  Deb got up and made herself some coffee, while I took a shower.  And then POOF, no shower for her, no coffee for me.

No choice but to go into town for bacon, eggs, home fries and coffee.  By the time we got back, the power was restored and Deb got her shower. Unfortunately, the town of Cruz Bay lost power as we got ours back.

Today, we hiked to Rams Head, on the south east corner of the island.  It was a hike with a little of everything: sandy beaches, pebble beaches, mangroves, and cacti.  There were breath taking views, and 300 foot cliffs.  You know, those ones that some idiot backs up for the perfect selfie and falls over the edge.  Well, I caught myself, but not without a few scrapes. (Deb - he was not that close to the edge, thank goodness!)

It’s our final evening and we are doing a sunset cruise.  It all starts from the Westin Resort Hotel. We decided to leave a little early to check it out.  It’s nice (and apparently has its own generators).  Nuf said! The cruise was on a catamaran, complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres.  They put up the sails and we were on a lovely beam reach for close to an hour.  The clouds cleared enough for an incredible sunset.

With the power still out in Cruz Bay, we “settled” for dinner right on the shore at the resort.  

Fortunately, we had power when we returned, and we made a pact that we would both shower as soon as we got up!

Bliss - Cruz. Bay, St John, VI (Day 7)

 Another perfect day in paradise, weather wise   (Still in the 40’s at home)

Maho beach

It’s Deb’s day to pick our morning activity.  She said she was thinking about something that I probably wouldn’t like to do!  Let’s see…oh, I know…the dreaded kayaking.  It wasn’t actually what she picked,  but what she picked turned out to be completely sold out (whatever it was).  But, yes, she agreed kayaking would be awesome, thanks for suggesting it (maybe I shouldn’t have tried to guess).  Without corrective lens in her goggles, snorkeling would be pointless. However, it turns out that they rent clear acrylic kayaks, a win-win…not so fast buster…they only have doubles and Deb wants a single.  This is suppose to be our 40th anniversary get away.  You’d think, if there was ever a time for a double, this would be it. She probably just wanted the single because I’ve never gotten out of a kayak without capsizing it. Well, I didn’t completely capsize it, but it sure wasn’t very graceful!

Orchid 

Back in Cruz Bay, we finally got to the Beach Bar for lunch, margaritas and fries. I’m not sure that we’re hitting all the basic food groups.

The afternoon was naps, a pool dip, dominos and dining in.  We had bought some food for dinner, in case we didn’t want to go out, and tomorrow, our last day is going to be a sunset cruise. So we ate in.

Bliss - Cruz Bay, St John, VI (Day 6)

 Absolutely gorgeous weather today.  (Torrential rain at home).  

Waterlemon Bay

Today’s plan is to get out early enough to get a good parking spot, and walk to Waterlemon Bay.  The walk is along the shore, so there is no hill climbing, but unfortunately it did not meet the “at least 2 mile” standard that we have apparently set.  The only way to extend this hike to the proper length is climb a small hill to the Murphy Estate.  From here we can see the Narrows and Tortola, as well St Thomas.  

On the way back, we took off our shoes and stood in 6” of water while fish swam by, including a five foot shark and some turtles.  We are trying to be nonchalant about it, but it’s hard not to get just a little excited.

Orchid

Lunch is a communications problem.  The first day we were here, the property manager suggested that we go to the Beach Bar, a local tiki bar.  So today I wanted to go.  Deb thinks we are going to Mongoose Junction.  So we go there instead with the idea of going to the Beach Bar for a small dinner.  

With a lovely sunny afternoon, we finally made it to the pool for a refreshing dip, followed by a game of Dominos, that I finally won!  

 I have Googled the directions to the Beach Bar, but when we arrive it’s way more upscale than we imagined.  It’s also named Karma, it serves only sushi, and there is no way we are getting out for less than a hundred bucks.  Turns out it’s next door to the Beach Bar which is exactly what we thought it would be, a tiki bar.

Cruz Bay