The Maine Coast

A final view of New Brunswick

As we left New Brunswick, I took a picture of an exit sign showing what is available at the exit.  The signs have pictures and I really don't know what they are trying to depict.  The spinning wheel probably means that there is yarn or wool available, but what does the pot with a hand under it mean?  It is a common sign that has baffled me for days! Perhaps it indicates a creamatorium.

The day we left was cloudy with flat light.  Not the best for taking pictures.  We drove through many sea coast small towns on our way to Acadia National Park.  The towns are remarkable for their old picturesque houses two feet from the narrow roads and the ever present church steeples.  The leaves in Maine were showing full spectacular color in the dull gray light.  We camped for three days in Acadia at the Sea Wall camp ground for the last three days it was open in 2010.  It was a pretty, secluded and very deserted place to camp.  We walked to the Bass Harbor Head lighthouse, but couldn't see much of the view because of the fog.

Rock erotion demonstration!

Lovely day!

We took a day trip to Bar Harbor which is obviously dependent on tourism for its income.  Almost all of the businesses were gift shops, B & Bs, restaurants and bars.  Lobster heavily influences all menus and gift themes.   We walked up and down the main streets and viewed the harbor.  I especially loved seeing an old tall ship boarding tourists for a cruise as a modern cruise ship motored out of the harbor.  We didn't go to the top of Cadillac "Mountain" (at 1528 feet tall, us Washingtonians have difficulty calling it a mountian) as it was covered in clouds and we would not be able to see the views.  The sea shore is quite rocky and beaches are limited.  We had lunch at one nearby restaurant offering free internet.  I had the most wonderful lobster bisque I could imagine.  Mike had a BLT with two very skinny pieces of bacon and a few pieces of tomato skin.  When he complained, the waitress told him that the skins are tomato too.

Birch bark canoe

                                                                   Old and new

                                                        Lobster town USA

                                                                      More birch bark canoe


When we left Acadia, we went to Camden and camped in the Camden Hills campground.  I found the campground to be delightfully beautiful.  We arrived in rain that lasted through the day, but the next day was the kind of sunny autumn day that I usually only dream of.  And!  There was an arts street fair in town.  I loved Camden.  While it is a tourist town, much like Bar Harbor, it seems to have worked a little harder to maintain its northeast charm.  We strolled through the art booths and saw some incredible local talent.  We succumbed to locally made ice cream cones and soaked in the sun in autumninal bliss.

                                                                 Tamarack/Larch changing

                                                         Light house

Friends

                                     I didn't realize that the Civil War was called the Great Rebellion.

The Thinker!

                                                     
Camden Hills also has a "mountain".  It is around 900 feet tall and does provide beautiful views of Camden and the surrounding seas.  In the park we also saw many people walking horses up to an "event" though we never quite discovered what the event was.  They did not have saddles with them, so if they rode on the trails, they did it bareback.  We left Maine with saddness and I would love to go back!  In the Spring, Summer or Fall that is.  Visit Camden!  You will love it!