Endings and Beginnings

After a delightful ferry ride across the Bay of Fundy we meandered our way through New Brunswick toward Woodstock.

We found a sweet diner open for lunch and consulted the map about where to cross back over into the US, looking for parts of Maine we hadn't seen yet.

In all our travels we have spent a fair amount of time on US 2.  Especially from Minnesota to Washington ... so we decided to cross over and look for the beginning of that Highway.  (After you've been on the road together for six weeks it's the little things that seem like such fun.)

So we sailed right through the modern, space-age, Homeland-Security-enabled, camera-ridden Customs Megaplex near Houlton, Maine and before we got on I-95 we noticed a sharp turn to the left and lo and behold .... it was the beginning of US Highway 2!

And what else was there?  Why, an abandoned Customs House! With not a fence, or a prohibitive sign in sight.  So, Joe pulled up (over my objections) and got out to inspect.

It was beyond fascinating ... into creepy, crazy and confounding.  I mean, why did they just leave it?  And, to be honest, it looks like they left in a hurry.

 There are documents on the counter, books on the shelves and even toilet paper on the roller in the bathroom!

I mean, why didn't they take their stuff?  Or at least throw it away?

Shattered glass covers every surface, and the peeling paint gives the whole building an air of organic movement... almost like it is sloughing off a skin that no longer fits.

I wonder what it will turn out to be.

 The brochures in the bag are dated 1982.  They look almost new.  Nothing was blowing around or on the ground.

They are full of helpful tips for coming through Customs.  (I left our copy in the car, so I'll have to add those in a future edit)

And who exactly are they thanking down there on the ground behind the weeds?  Beats me!

All in all it was a good stop.  Perfect for the endings (of Canadian Maritime adventures) and beginnings (terra nuovo in Maine and beyond) of this part of our trip.  Joe was hoping for a stamp of some sort on his Passport, but the picture will have to do for now.

And it's always nice to know just where the Highway (or Sidwalk) ends.  Don't you think?

Rocky Beaches

The rocks fascinate me.  I keep picking them up, putting them in the car, as if somehow I'll bring home some kind of essence of the Bay.  These pictures are from Nova Scotia - most of them from up in Cape Breton, and the Cabot Trail.

 We had some fabulous weather.  Overcast and misty, the roar of the waves against the rocks, temperature hovering around 50 degrees.  We've been listening to a brilliant reading of Moby Dick and the weather brought the sea and salt and wind right into our bodies. As an aside,  I haven't seen a whale on this trip - it's a little early this far north.  (Truth be told I haven't seen a Puffin or a Moose either - not a big wildlife trip).

Looking back down the Cabot Trail

Up close and personal with the rocks

And then we would get a day, like this.  Where the colors were too vivid to be real.

We would just sit in awe and soak it in.

Everywhere we go we've met the nicest people (of course, this is Canada!) and had delicious food.

People here are proud of their province and love to talk about its history and its unique character.  They love their Anne of Green Gables on PEI; and they love their lobster fishermen wherever you are!

 Many of the small communities are vibrant and busy, filled with young families who work hard at providing clean B & B accommodations as well as good restaurants.  You can't imagine how nice it is to get so completely away from chain everything!

 

We have had a marvelous time here ... we're coming back.  And next time we WILL take that ferry to Newfoundland!

O Canada!

We got to The Reversing Falls right at High Tide.  Not as thrilling as Niagra, but amazing nonetheless.

The poppies in the late afternoon sun were simply gorgeous.

If there is a Martello Tower around, we will find it. 

Bay of Fundy tides are, indeed, amazing!  Here we are at Low Tide.

Just wanted you to see that I am wearing my WINTER clothes up here!

The Inn at Bay Fortune - an absolute must if you're ever on PEI!

East Point Lighthouse ... and the spot to go to when looking for ghostly pirate ships on the night of a Full Moon!

The north shore of East Point, PEI.

After our trip to the Fisheries Museum I can tell you exactly how these work!

Thinking about my three girls!!  Wish you were here!

New England Loveliness

We had a delightful time driving through New England...and gorgeous weather for the most part!  Flowers in bloom everywhere, and sun glittering on lakes.  Weather cool and breezy.  From Connecticut through Massachusetts and on into Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. 

New Hampshire was interesting - we stopped at Franklin Pierce's homestead, and also the Capitol in Concord.  (Sat in on a hearing on retirement pensions - which I enjoyed!) and then we took the Mt. Washington Auto Road. 

Holy Cow people!  That is SOME ROAD! 

They give you an audio CD to listen to as you drive up.  I'm glad of
that.  It kept my mind busy on the history rather than constructing gruesome scenes of my
impending doom!

The "Tip Top House" is the original hotel at the top of the mountain - and quite an interesting stay that must have been! 

 

We had a bit of haze at the top, but if we stayed long enough it was going to change.  Unfortunately it was going to change to thunderstorms and high winds, so we decided to drive back down. 

 

And on to Maine!

We stayed at the Norumbega Inn - which looks like a castle and was a place I'd always wanted to stay.  We were the only ones there, and it really felt like we were royal! Well, not exactly - since I shlepped all the bags in and out.  But still ... it was a wonderful spot with beautiful, peaceful views.

We have stayed in Camden before, and enjoyed seeing what has changed and what has remained the same.  Fortunately, Young's Lobster Pound in Belfast, ME has remained the same!!

We had some terrific lobster and wonderful clams and a lot of fun with my sister and her husband .... eating with our fingers and dribbling butter down our chins.

What could be better?

The next night we ate at their very lovely B& B - The Hawthorne Inn - and also had lobster.  But they cracked it and made it much easier and fancier.  Still delicious though!

We missed some of our old Camden buddies ... but thoroughly enjoyed the trip down memory lane!  

Then - on to Canada!

Vermont

It's June 5th and we're in Brattleboro, VT.   It's amazing to get here while the Lupines are blooming.  I've only ever seen pictures of them.   They are extraordinary.  And, while I can't tell you the science of it, I sure do find it easier to breathe in Vermont.  All the trees?  The hybrid vehicles? The politics?  Who knows, but I love it!

 Even though its a Sunday, there is plenty of activity. 

We're actually here to visit some friends that Joe had during his days at Yale.  It's quite fun to sit around visiting with people who you knew back in the day, to share stories of 40 years of lives lived so differently, and yet find there is so much in common.

I wasn't around back in those days.  (In point of fact, when Joe was at Yale I was enrolled at Blessed Sacrament school in about the 3rd Grade.)  But, I like his friends. 

We'll be here for a few days.  We're staying at an old, downtown, art deco hotel called The Latchis. It is really a neat place and easy to get around the village.
A shout out to my knitting friends -- there are a number of great yarn shops here!!  Do you want anything??  Looks like all kinds of neat, organic and home made yarns.  I'm shopping tomorrow!

I can look out of my window across Main Street and there is a very hip tattoo parlor.  Cute young kids (with their hair dyed all kinds of bright colors) are playing around the little stoop.  I mean young - like 8.  I could get used to this town.

Tomorrow we're also going to go driving around looking at (and snapping pictures of) Covered Bridges.

I will be snacking on Maple Candy.

And we will be stocking up on Maple Syrup.

I plan to support the economy here in Vermont in any way I can.

I also hope to get up to Montpelier (Yo Tia!) but it may not happen this go 'round.  Perhaps when we come back down from Nova Scotia.

On Tuesday we head across the Connecticut River into New Hampshire (surely Sarah Palin's bus trip will have moved on by now, right?) and then to Maine on Wednesday.