September 19, 2016 'DownEast' to Rockland

The further north we traveled in Maine, the more ROCKY the terrain appeared!(I don't have a granite kitchen counter top, but, wowzer, the granite in Maine is gorgeous!)
We walked, very cautiously, in the dense fog, to the end of this walkway, known in Rockland as the ROCKLAND BREAKWATER LIGHT. Most days, you can see the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse.

The granite 'breakwater' walk is 7/8 mile long.

Rockland Breakwater Light

No! We did not see all of these lighthouses in Maine!

Maine has 68 lighthouses, 18 or which are within a 40 mile radius of Rockland. It was fun walking (no, I didn't run) on the MARSHALL POINT Lighthouse in Port Clyde. SURELY you remember Forrest Gump concluding his long run on the lighthouse runway and saying "I think I'll turn around now!" This lighthouse is in St. George, but worth the drive from Rockland!

Run, Forrest, Run

The Owl's Head Light did not disappoint...huff, puff, huff, puff. It is a U.S. Department of Homeland Security United States Coast Guard house!

Signs of fall appeared at the top of the steps!

Regrettfully we missed visiting the FARNSWORTH ART MUSEUM. (That will be on the next trip). It would have taken me dayyyyyyys to soak up the art work in this 20,000sq ft. gallery. The highlighted site is worthy of a visit! Drool away!(as in Andrew Wythe)

Our stay in Rockland was overnight at The Lindsey Hotel. CHARM CHARM CHARM. And oh that English breakfast was scrumptious!
Speaking of scrumptious........ Lobster shacks and lobster pounds are EVERYWHERE in Maine.
The manager at the hotel suggested CLAWS .

You really don't want to know how many LOB-STAH roll I had in Maine!

Yep, we could have rocked on another day in Rockland.

September 18, 2016 It must be BATH time

USSZumwalt Bath built destroyer launched Sept7th

Yes! It was time for a hot bath....in Bath Maine.
Being at the PRYOR HOUSE B&B for 2 nights was just the place!

'Whopper' made himself at home. He was comfortable in our room!

Gwenda Metzler-Pryor was the perfect hostess. Not only did she provide gourmet breakfasts, she gave the guest an opportunity to meet/greet/and become friends! Like Byron-Pam Lake-life from Titus Alabama!(I see a trip to BAMA coming up. They talked funny, just like us!). And then there was the sweet couple from Boston. They were tour-book writers/editors, who knew CHRISTINA TREE, author of my 'go-to' detailed book on Maine..... highly recommend!(It's a small world, after all!)

There are A.L.W.A.Y.S  adventures in EVERY city/town, regardless of the size!

Bath was no exception! 

The Maine Maritime Museum provides a unique experience to tens of thousands of visitors from around the world each year! Please click on the highlighted site to see everything available! What an enormous collection of objects from art, engines, boat gear, navigational equipment, photographs, documents, manuscripts! Oh how I was mesmerized with all of the original paintings!(yes, we were allowed to take pics!)

Sailing at SML in a storm, seems a bit insignificant now!

YIKES! The dental tools have certainly improved !

Each buoy has an owner and belongs in a specific district

And THIS, my LOB-STAH lovers is why those creatures of the sea are so expensive!!!

The BATH IRON WORKS is located next to the museum. How fortunate we were to be near-by for the launching of the  USS ZUMWALT destroyer..... A BIG BOAT! (read the fascinating info in highlighted link). I'm tellin' ya...we were "reach-out and touch someone" close!!! Right there on FORT POPHAM BEACH  on the Phippsburg Peninsula!(thanks to the sweet local who gave us directions to go 'up-a-ways'.)

The fort to the left was a CIVIL WAR-era defense fortification!

Destroyer was headed to Baltimore from the Kennebec River here on Ft.Popham Beach

We dined at the famous BealeStreet Barbeque .

We dined at SPINNEY'S OCEANFRONT.

We dined at the classic (the day before they closed for the season!)PERCY'S STORE.

We stopped on the side of the road and bought fresh blueberries! (It was our lunch several days, while riding around! Seriously! Spoons, napkins...in the car!) Nothing, and I mean NOTHING compares to Maine's wild blueberries!

This is as close to DOUBLING POINT LIGHT as we could get! (Maybe next time, I'll swim over).

The light house is across the Kennebec and 'up a ways' from Bath in Danger., before you reach Popham Beach.

We saw the CHOCOLATE CHURCH (not a church). It's the community arts center. We were there at night while the actors were practicing for Gilbert and Sullivan's THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE!!

Because were in Bath for a few days, we drove through Bristol, Damariscotta, and Wiscasset. (Yes, now I know how to pronounce all of thees places!)
PERMAQUID POINT LIGHT was PICTURESQUE!. Hiking down those rock was OK.....BUT I JUST HAD TO GET THAT REFLECTION IN THE ROCK POOL!... and I used my tripod as a walking stick.

Iconic photo of Permaquid

We climbed the steps, as well, on the inside of the lighthouse!

I think we need another BATH.... to see what we missed!

Kennebunkport

September 3, 2016
Kennebunkport (north of Kittery, south of Portland)
Here are 14 great things to do KENNEBUNK .
My favorite was the Wedding Cake House
It's the most photographed house in the state of Maine!

We stopped by Walker's Point, the Bush Compound, and summer home of 41st President George H.W. Bush

They asked us to drop in for lunch.
We really hated to say 'no'....but....
We has just finished a lobster roll and clam chowder at The Landing Store.
..... and a long list of places to see!

Apologies to the Bush family..... maybe next time.

Labor Day weekend arts and crafts festival was being held in the historic downtown area, so parking was at a premium. Kennebunkport was a drive-through destination for us. Very restful, easy going, down-east community!

ONWARD AND , UPWORD.... (WELL, THAT'S DOWN EAST!)

September 4-6, 2016 Portland Maine in 66 hours

Historic Portland

If you have a plan..........
and you have the energy.........
and Google Maps.......
and a check- list of things you want to see...
You can see Portland in 66 hours....
(well, you can see a lot)
Here is SOME of what we did, and saw, and ate....

These are in no particular order, since we were flying by the seat of our pants to see as much as possible!

Portland Observatory (must see)

Becky's is a family owned restaurant on Commercial Street

LLBean Main(e) store in Freeport!

Victoria Mansion

The Famous Holy Donut Shop!

It's a good thing lobster has lots of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids because, well.... 

I've had my fair share in Portland in 66 hours!

'Two Lights' at Cape Elizabeth

McLellan House (Part of the Portland Museum of Art)

The Portland Museum of Art is also a MUST SEE. 

We were not allowed to take photographs, but boy, I took a lot of notes!

As an art student, it was fabulous to see Georgia O'Keeffe, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper, Edward Potthast, and many others, UP-CLOSE....

We enjoyed this beautiful museum!

Check out this man's BLACK DOG SALVAGE hat! A sweet couple was driving from Texas, through Roanoke, Va, and stopped here at J's Oyster in Portland Maine! Small world!

We had no problems striking up a conversation with these Texans!

Portland Head Light

66 hours.... We could have stayed another day or two in Portland Maine!

Oh yes, you need tennis shoes! No worries about getting your Fitbit steps in here in Portland! 

Only the strong survive!

Portland is similar in design to Richmond, Va.... Just bigger!
Easy to get around! One of our favorite places was the Commercial Street area!