Maine and NB Canada

Left: Rockport ME

Right: This photo belongs to previous post.....obviously Hershey PA!

June 30, 2009. The Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, is easy to find and hard to forget. Crossing into Canada at Calais, Maine, past the Chocolate Factory, changing some money (Canada is now a bit of a bargain at $.85 to the $1.00, a 15% bonus for us), visiting the Tourist Center, we learned the tides comings and goings, and bounced (the roads aren't all that good) our way through St. John and along the coast, up to Moncton and down to Hopewell Rocks, in time to see the tide at its highest. The Bay is a huge funnel, with the narrow neck being what they call the Chocolate River. When the tide comes in it all fills up and when it empties it is possible to walk on the ocean floor...or at least the Bay floor. Which we did the next day. Spruce trees grow on top of formations of earth that look like flower pots, so when the tide is out the pots are exposed fully and arches below help give a visual landmark to the ebb and flow. Overnight in the Fundy National Park, in the rain, but beautiful. The experience of being on the floor of mud below what was 30 feet of water yesterday is pretty astonishing. Lots of rock, chocolate mud, tiny snail critters, seaweed, a mild drizzle, and it feels pretty far away from Northern California.
Ever heard of Poutine??? Turns out it is a pile of french fries with gravy and cheese. Passed that one by. Eating lots of seafood. I think I had my last white meal yesterday, of fish and chips (substitute baked potato for french fries) with sour cream, tartar sauce and coleslaw. Haddock is delicious, fish chowder wonderful, lobster rolls terrific. All white. Back to broccoli and salads for me. I anticipate seeing again the things I had become used to: saltbox architecture (no eaves), water everywhere, huge lakes, green marsh to the edge of lakes and bays and oceans, ride-on mowers, turnpikes, thunderclouds and rain, the Atlantic on the wrong side of the car, lots of woods, metal stars on homes, electric candles in windows, shrink wrapped boats in dry dock, church spires, American flags everywhere, on RVs, cemeteries, lining highways, in small towns, along promenades on ocean fronts.
When we were still in New Hampshire, we left in 85 degree (wet) weather, and went to Rockland, Rockport and Camden ME, each one delightful, cool, foggy, 59 degrees and wet. Went through Buckport and over a new bridge of a design I had never seen...looked somewhat like a Calatrava, but with a single center suspension support strung between two towers, with one lane on each side. One tower was the Penobscot Observatory at the site of Fort Knox, where the Brits defeated the US Navy in the war of independence. Through Rockport-Camden ME was a two mile drive of gorgeous homes and a farm of Belted Galloway cows (black with white belts). End of June in downeast Maine impressions: Still blooming, dogwood, peonies, lacecap hydrangeas covering a building, huge copper beeches, impatiens, petunias, hostas. Windjammers (schooners) in the 'haabaa', multiple small towns,...Red barns, garage sales, quarries, cemeteries. Shops advertising Antiques, Books, and Wine.
A couple of days ago we went to Freeport ME where the old barn of the LL Bean outlet we visited 30 years ago has been transformed into an upscale building for their sports gear, and a brand spanking' new square block of shops, including Brooks Brothers, J Crew, Body and Bath...well, you get the idea. Shirts for both of us in BB (one I've been seeking for two years). Every place was dog friendly and Lucy got lots of attention and treats. Acadia National Park provided a loop road, foggy, but a chance to see this magnificient park (green) and stop by a beach inlet (it wasn't raining!). Bar Harbor is charming and provided shop with a raincoat for Lucy. We drove even further down east to Dennysville through Cherryfield, the 'blueberry capital of the world.' A few huge old Victorian homes, one with a model train in the backyard with a man riding on it. Route 1 was the worst road, except for occasional re-paved stretches.
Decided against going to Nova Scotia and/or Ontario at this point. Found a delightful little campground on the shores of a small lake near the border and although it was misty there was no real rain until early a.mm. Back through rural roads to Maine, crossing just beyond McAdam, NB. The US Customs boarded us and looked in the closets, cupboards and refrigerator, confiscating citrus which we had bought in Maine. No matter, if it has been in Canada it can't come back in; goodbye lemon and lime. Going to Bangor, we left the I95 for Route 2, another worst road except for stretches of new paving and some construction; the snow must really do a job here each winter. Small towns with delightful old Victorians; lots of pride of ownership here, things very well kept on the whole. Towns such as Newport, Palmyra, Skowhegan, Norridgewock along the Kennebec River.....Farmington, Wilton, Dixfield with a huge crane unloading logs from trucks and stacking them for processing. Lots of wood up here in these woods. Small grassy campsite had everything we needed, including another Navion like Betsy with a dog named Ruby (Llhasapoo) who romped with Lucy for a while.
We're off to Vermont today, and probably going to Niagra Falls...More later.