A Maine Event, Part 4

Lunch on the terrace at Bar Harbor Inn, Maine

A visit to Mount Desert Island requires that a significant amount of time be spent in Bar Harbor, the town on the east side of the island. Originally called "Eden," it befits its name. The town is a lovely little place with lots of touristy shops containing everything from art to trinkets to hiking gear. The main shopping streets, Main Street and Cottage Street, are situated like a big "L" rather than a grid. The town slopes down to a lovely harbor named Frenchman's Bay. 

Overlooking the bay is the grand Bar Harbor Inn, providing an outdoor terrace restaurant, marked by the yellow umbrellas, and the indoor Reading Room Restaurant, overlooking the bay through the big windows above the terrace restaurant.  The food, as mentioned before, is delicious at both restaurants.

Down in front of the hotel is the Margaret Todd, a schooner which bears tourists and wedding parties off on a sail a couple of times a day.  We didn't take a cruise, but we got lots of nice pictures of her.

There are several piers from which lobstermen (is that the right word? "Lobsterpeople"?) leave for their night's work, kayaking tours noodle about and then depart, and harbor tours and ferries leave. Sitting by the water and watching all the comings and goings is a lovely pastime.

The town has its own set of quirks, including this entryway to the Diner Taxi Restaurant. We didn't eat there, but were intrigued by the perspective down a little alleyway to the diner.

On Independence Day we arrived too late in town to find parking quickly--we underestimated the crowds attending the event--and thus caught only the tail end of the July 4 parade. But people seemed to be in fine fettle, the shops were open, and a fair was fairing at the park with--among other activities and booths--Rotary members serving up a 20-something dollar lobster feed for lunch. Being a Rotarian and a vegetarian, I was at a bit of a quandary, and ended up bypassing the event for edible fare more to my tastes.

One thing that struck me as I walked around the town of Bar Harbor was that it must be the most dog-friendly town in the city. There were dogs everywhere, typically on leashes, but getting underfoot, making their way between people on crowded sidewalks, and generally irritating me, a "cat person." Store owners provided water bowls out by their doors for dogs, and there was even a store solely selling various "stuff for dogs," most of it quite unnecessary in my opinion. I wondered, Do dog owners have a tour book that tells them which towns are dedicated to their pets? Are there towns that invite dog owners to bring their pooches along with them? Someone seemed to have put out the word on this one!

The town of Bar Harbor, canines notwithstanding, was indeed a lovely place full of beautiful buildings and interesting things to look at. Our vacation wouldn't have been nearly as enjoyable without our visits there.