Showing posts with label lobster roll. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lobster roll. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

LOBSTER ROLL AND BAR HARBOR, MAINE

 

September 27, 2022

Enchanted Princess/Bar Harbor, Maine

70s, cloudy, fog, some sun

 As we took the tender/water shuttle to Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island at 9 a.m. this morning, it was low tide, and we could see many lobster traps “buoys” on the way in. I wore my jacket, sweater, and turtleneck expecting it to be quite cool, but the weather turned out to be just right today.  The town of 5,000 was like a lot of other resorts, Estes Park, Corning, Skagkway, and more--quaint, lots of shops, restaurants, ice cream, and bakeries.  

TK planned a tour that was just perfect with Acadia National Park Tours (www.acadiatours.com). The van was clean and the driver/tour guide, Ron, was very congenial and knowledgeable. He was the kind of person who just pulls you in with his stories and information. For example, he told us about Martha Stewart and Dick Wolf, who both have homes here. He also mentioned that there are 2000 islands that are part of the state of Maine.

near where we were picked up by the van


where we secured our pre-paid tickets

view of Main Street and the ocean

Our first stop on the tour

Cadillac Mountain is the highest point on the eastern seaboard It is 1,527 ft. high. As my stomach started to get just a little queasy I remembered my visit to Estes Park--this mountain was easier on my stomach.

At the summit

TK found wild Maine blueberries!

Along the road--very foggy. If not foggy, one can see the ocean from here

The Great Meadow

The Wild Gardens of Acadia
These gardens were a nice surprise. The Wild Gardens of Acadia in Acadia National Park, Maine were created and is maintained by a group of volunteers. The gardens reflect the typical habitats that are found on Moount Desert Island. More than 300 native species are labeled in nine different display areas.
Coniferous woods area

Pond area

Meadow area

New England asters

Mountain area

TK

Thunder Hole
According to Ron, Thunder Hole is a carved out inlet along the rocky eastern shoreline of Mount Desert Island. When a storm or the turning tide forces waves into this narrow channel, the air escapes with a thunderous reverberation that is both deafening and thrilling. We did not hear the thunder.

Testa Bar & Grill
TK did his homework and researched where the best lobster rolls were--others concurred, but said they are good most places. We chose Testa

Testa Bar & Grill

TK

Janie at Testa
Ironically, Randy and Coleen were at Testa on June 26, 2004! 
This is Randy's photo! The big lobster is no longer there.


My delicious lobster roll and my favorite fries


Close up of Janie's lobster roll!

TK opted for lobster roll, homemade chips, and chowder

Blueberry pie!
Total cost: $102 + $20 tip USD--lobster isn't cheap

Obviously we lingered in many shops before we ate, but now it was time to return to our ship. We were quite surprised to see the longest line we have ever seen queuing up for a tender--at least 500 people. Many people were not happy happy. I do not know what caused this situation, the tide, the lobster pots all along the "path," the lobster boats, to the ship, the fog, lack of planning, who knows. We waited over an hour. Finally two tenders came and we were able to board, but many were still left behind to wait for another tender.

On our way back to the ship-there were lots of lobster boats !

It took almost 3 hours to upload the photos in this post--Internet has become very slow.  It worked out because we were too full to go to dinner and I spent some of the time writing and uploading photos while listening to live music in the atrium.  Now it is time to prepare for tomorrow at St. John and we turn the clock forward an hour!












































Monday, September 26, 2022

LOBSTER ROLL AND BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS!

 Monday, September 26, 2022

Enchanted Princess/Boston Harbor, Massachusetts

70s, sunshine—warm

 Last night after dinner, we went to the Princess Theater for Rock Opera.   The stage setting was terrific and the performers were outstanding.  Cruise ship shows have always been good, but now the shows have reached a new level with extraordinary lighting effects, multiple level stages that move up and down, and sophisticated sound systems. We had good seats near the front. The two songs I liked the best were Aerosmith/Stephen Tyler’s “Dream On.”  The vocalist was very good and I am sure this is not an easy song. I was so hoping that he would reach the high note like Tyler, but he did not.  The other song was “Sounds of Silence.”  I was hoping it would be done like Disturbed did it, but no. Their version was a little like Disturbed, but not quite.  I am so pleased that TK feels like going to the shows again!

Today we reached Boston Harbor at 10 a.m. Our only plan was to Uber to Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. We have been to Boston many times so this plan suited us well.  From the port TK ordered an Uber and off we rode.

TK and Faneuil Hall

Faneuil Hall was a large market building that served as a meeting place for the Patriots on the eve of the American Revolution. The Stamp Act, the Boston Massacre, the tea crisis, and other grievances with the British were all held at Faneuil Hall between 1764 and 1775.  

 




Today it is part of Boston National Historical Park and oh how it bustles!  There were lots of people strolling through the many shops and food stops inside and out of Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. Any kind of food was available, seafood, Mexican, Asian, Greek, pizza, vegan and organic, gelato, pastry, and so much more.  Street musicians played-whether guitar or violin-outside to please the crowds. 

Quincy Market
The following are not the best photos, but they should give you an idea of how busy Quincy Market is and how crowded!







 After a short walk to the harbor, we returned to Quincy Market, found a table (there were very few tables), and TK was off to find his Boston lobster roll.  This time he got a lobster roll, a small bowl of chowder, and a soda for $35.  He said this lobster roll was about the same as yesterday. Instead of mayonnaise it had butter drizzled on it.

TK's lobster roll 

While he ate, I ran off and found spanakopita for me ($10).  The spanakopita was delicious, creamy, without overdoing the spinach. I do like phyllo!

not Janie's Spanakopita

 Even though the Enchanted Princess does not depart till 7:30 p.m. tonight, we got an Uber and returned to the ship.  It was a very nice day in Boston.  

Dinner tonight with Sergei. Sergei was our server last night, too, and he is not very gregarious, but he is sure efficient.  Tomorrow I will take a photo of the dining room. It is quite formal, white tabelcloths, and for every course the tableware is changed to suit what one is eating. TK has had latte or cappucino every evening--he has the coffee package as well as the soda package.

TK tried to get a Princess tour for St. John's after dinner, but the tours are sold out!  This is a lesson we are learning for our cruise in November in the Meditteranean. We have made arrangements for Barcelona, Toulon, Kotor (Montenegro), Genoa, Rome, Pompeii, Florence, and Gibraltar, but not yet for Dubrovnik (Croatia), Corfu (Greece), Sicily, Corsica, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spain), so we need to take care of that as soon as we return home.  

As we learned today, not all areas we would like to visit are within walking distance of the port!   Some of our plans for the Mediterranean are private tours, but it takes a lot to arrange those. I have arranged the one in Rome (with Rome in Limo) because I wanted to see the Catacombs, visit early Christian sites, and have lunch, but when you do that you have to find others (who you have never met) who want to do the same thing. Fortunately, two other couples were interested and now we are set in Rome. I really want to do a Game of Thrones tour on Dubrovnik, but I need to gear my brain up for arranging that one.  We use the Cruise Critic site's roll call for our ship and date to find those like-minded people. 

Tonight's show was a comedian, Carlos Oscar. He was funny but a little on the edge with some jokes.

TK's Takes: The Starbucks was out of Boston souvenir mugs. Taking the Uber was easy-about $15 each way and the cars were very nice. The Toyota Highlander had the rearview mirror camera, first we have seen.  Lots of pigeons and the seagulls were three times the size of the pigeons. "About the biggest I have ever seen."