A Morning in Bah Hahba, Maine

By Geek Goddess on June 10, 2014 • ( 0 )

Bar Harbor waterfront

Last month I took a week’s vacation on a trip (College of Curiosity field trips) that visited some areas that, while not as glamorous as Istanbul or Paris, were places that I had never seen before. After spending a day in Boston, I sailed around the coast of Maine and up the St. Lawrence Seaway, ending in Montreal. Our first stop was in Bar Harbor, Maine.

Small hotels facing the waterfront

You can’t really get a feel for anyplace in a few hours. It’s a small town, with around 5,000 full-time residents, in a beautiful setting that makes it a popular attraction. For a century, it’s been the playground of the super-elite: the Rockefellers, Astors, and Morgans all had palatial summer homes here, presidents golf, and media celebrities own homes or hang out here in the summer. Activities that are popular include hiking, climbing, water sports, sailing, and whale watching and other nature tours. Some cross-country bicycling routes start or end at Bar Harbor.

They carried a nice selection on local history

My friends and I strolled to a tiny local farmer’s market, which had assorted cheeses, fresh herbs, hand spun wool, and other local goodies for sale. A few brave souls tried the “famous” lobster ice cream at Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium (meh), or stopped at a pub. We eventually met up at Stewman’s Lobster Pound on the scenic (but cold!) patio along the waterfront.

My friend Adam was quite happy to have his first lobster of the week. Unfortunately, the waitress should have given ME a bib as well, as I got to wear lobster bits after his enthusiastic attack.

Lobster, lobster and crab cakes, haddock, and local beers, were all very good, but I must admit I fell in love with the blueberry mojito. Blueberries are a local produce, and many dishes feature them in abundance, and blueberry items are ubiquitous in the markets and shops. But oh, that mojito. I confess I drank TWO of them with my lunch! Fortunately, we were all walking that day!