Maine, Glorious Maine

Another glorious day in Maine began for us in Kennebunkport when we got up early to photograph the sunrise. We drove a short distance out on the shore road and found the perfect spot just past the George H.W. Bush compound (complete with Secret Service guardhouse and black SUVs).

Mike got beautiful shots of the sun coming up in all its shades of pink and watermelon and yellow over the ocean. The shore there is rocky and lined with truly amazing seaside mansions, many with the classic New England shingled exteriors. We did see one up the hill with a fabulous arching roofline, almost Moorish in design atop a green and white coastal home.

On the way back to town we had to stop so that Mike could capture an amazing display of Halloween ghouls in front of an inn. He got some nice pictures of the marina, too, against the backdrop of gorgeous fall foliage across the inlet.

We found a great local restaurant called Little Bit of Lunch down in Kennebunk. They serve a "little bit of breakfast," too, and we had  delicious omelets with fantastic white cheddar cheese, just the thing for us “protein-a-potamuses.”

Kennebunkport Marina

After cleaning up, we headed north again toward our next destination, Freeport and the LL Bean store. We promised ourselves that we would simply enjoy the foliage rather than stop every time we saw a beautiful tree. Thus we were able to reach Freeport within a reasonable amount of time. We stopped at a pottery shop (I know those who know our love of pottery are surprised), then made the rounds at LL Bean and left Freeport behind before any other temptations could ensnare us.

We made our way up along the outskirts of Augusta, oohing and aahing at trees, homes and the pleasures of Yankee Maine, thoroughly enjoying the drive even though the day was overcast with intermittent showers.

We turned east and found ourselves in long stretches of countryside without places to get lunch, so finally ate a late lunch at Lori’s Café on Maine’s Route 3. It was a charming little place with excellent food. The couple at the table next to ours was playing cribbage, kvetching constantly as Mike and I do when playing gin rummy. We met the owner, Lori, who makes her own bread and pies. We somehow managed to avoid the pies (such will power!). It was a good stop.

Back on the road, we made our way to Bar Harbor and checked in to the beautiful Bar Harbor Inn. Our room overlooks the water and gulls were stalking around on the grass slope below our windows until it got dark, looking for a handout. They disappeared then, perhaps to don their pajamas and sleep till morning.

Somewhere along the way we crossed the Penobscot Narrows Bridge. It is a marvel of engineering, what is called a “cable-stayed bridge.” The bridge is suspended between two very tall towers and white cables go down from towers to bridge surface in two triangular strand formations, making it look something like a sailboat (with sails of rope) crossing the gorge. If you’ve seen the Sunshine Skyway Bridge near Tampa, it looks like that, somehow lyrical in design and almost fragile-looking.

At the top of one of the towers you can see windows. These are part of the Penobscot Narrows Observatory. It is the tallest public bridge observatory in the world. We didn’t go up there, but might do it if we’re back this way.

Bar Harbor is on Mt. Desert Island adjacent to Acadia National Park. It is an awe-inspiring setting and the town itself, although clearly touristy, is charming. Because the summer season ended weeks ago, many places are closed and not so many people are here. Most, like us, have come to enjoy the quieter time of year when the trees show off their most glamorous selves, glowing with shades that defy description and have more colors than the charts at the Benjamin Moore store.

We decided to walk a short way to a restaurant in town, Galyn’s that was recommended by some folks Mike met in the bar at the Kennebunkport Inn. The recommendation was right on target. The food was very good, the service excellent (from a fellow Georgian who moved here eight years ago). We had a table in the window at the front of the restaurant where, had it not been pitch black and raining, we might have seen the water. Once again, a wonderful day covering many miles has left us happy and weary.

The photo below was shot for us by a sweet Canadian lady (who spoke mostly French) last night at sunset on the bridge between Kennebunk and Kennebunkport with my camera.  All other photos are Mike's.