Tag Archive | Acadia
July 17, 2019  

“1A Relics”, Ellsworth (Maine), On The Way To Acadia — Veritable Aladdin’s Treasure Trove Of Delights.

by Anura Guruge

Click images to ENLARGE.

Attribution WILL be enforced.

1A Relics Ellsworth Maine Anura Guruge

The Incredible Bathrooms!

Treasures Outside

Their Facebook page. Click image to visit.

What an incredible, enchanting, mesmerizing delight — a feast for all your senses — just outside of Ellsworth (Maine), on Route 1a, the GATEWAY to Acadia.

We saw the building in June 2017, the first time we went to Acadia via Bangor (and Route 1a) rather than the longer (and maybe the more scenic) Route 1.

In 2017 it was empty. We thought that that was a great shame.

In June 2018 as we drove by we saw activity and stopped. They said they were going to be opening next week! We were excited.

This June we stopped. And aren’t we glad we did.

What a place. Creativity and imagination run riot. And a treasure trove of wonderful STUFF. Not badly priced either. Yes, individual consignment stalls and it all blends together into a tantalizing whole. We could have spent hours there BUT we know we will stop each and every time we go to Acadia and we go to Acadia quite a lot.

You have to stop, explore and enjoy. You will love it and memories will stay with you for a long time.

Enjoy.

Maker:S,Date:2017-9-29,Ver:6,Lens:Kan03,Act:Lar02,E-Y

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by Anura Guruge

July 12, 2019  

‘Wonder View Inn’, ‘Bar Harbor’ (Maine) — Where We Always Stay When We Go To Acadia National Park.

by Anura Guruge

Click pictures to ENLARGE.

Wonder View Inn Bar Harbor Acadia National Park Anura Guruge




Click to access my post from 4-years ago.

Click to access their Website.

A wonderful place. We wouldn’t dream of staying anywhere else (unless they are closed for the Winter, as was the case when we went up in March last year). That we have stayed there 8-times and are already planning to go should be endorsement enough. It has a palpable, upbeat but soothing atmosphere. You feel ‘on-top-of-the-world’ and it isn’t just that you are high up. That helps.

You can’t beat the location. You can be within the Park, on the famous Loop Road, in less than 2-minutes! Ditto for the Hannaford’s in Bar Harbor. Extremely friendly, obligingly and pleasant staff. We now consider many of them friends, and they us. We look forward to seeing them.

It is not the height of luxury and parts of it show its (considerable) age. But the three rooms we have stayed in have been very comfortable, more spacious than normal and commanded compelling views. And all the rooms, moreover, come with a fridge and microwave. But, you don’t have to worry about making your own breakfast. A ‘buffet’, DIY hot breakfast is included. We always start our day with that. Oh, did I mention the HEATED swimming pool that I make use of, much. Plus. this year they have upgraded their Wi-Fi (which was never that bad to begin with). So, that was an added bonus. Fast, reliable Internet.

You have to check it out. Yes, we have only stayed in the more (maybe most) expensive rooms — but they have, nonetheless, still been affordable and competitive.

Unreserved kudos. Stay in one of the refurbished rooms and you will love it.

Related Posts:
Search ‘Acadia’ & ‘Wonder View’ for many other posts.

by Anura Guruge

July 8, 2019  

“The Whale’s Tale” Gift Shop On ‘Great Cranberry Island’ (Acadia, Maine) — Cute, Delightful & Competitive.

by Anura Guruge

The Whale's Tale Gift Shop Great Cranberry Island Anura Guruge



DIRECTIONS

Pretty trivial to find once you get to Great Cranberry and you really must IF you have the time. It will enhance your trip to Acadia.

You can get to the Island by ferry both Northeast & Southwest Harbors, by private boat and if you are a better swimmer than I (and 99% folks are) by swimming across.

“The Whale Tale” is NO LONGER by the Town Docks. It has relocated further inland — but no far, not far at all, at all.

Take the main (only) drag out of the Town Docks … towards the famed Library.

Probably 1/4 miles up.

Right next to famed landmark … ‘Cranberry House‘ with “Hitty’s Cafe” & Museum.

It is right there. Right by the Museum.

So, you can’t miss it.

Delightful gift store. Some amazingly clever and cute stuff. Attractively priced. Great displays. I was v. impressed (and that takes some doing).

Nice, restored building. Full of light and airy. Very welcoming. Yes, we bought some stuff. Couldn’t resist.

Highly recommended. You have to check this place out. You will THANK me for this recommendation. SMILE.

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by Anura Guruge

July 3, 2019  

Another TOPLESS Beach In ‘Acadia’ (Maine) — On ‘Great Cranberry Island’.

by Anura Guruge

topless beach Acadia Bar Harbor Anura Guruge

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Click to access my post from 4-years ago.

Updated Map
(for FREE)

Nude beaches Acadia National Park Anura Guruge

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Cranberry Island Acadia Maine Anura Guruge

Click to ENLARGE.

DIRECTIONS

Pretty trivial to find once you get to Great Cranberry.

You can get to the Island by ferry both Northeast & Southwest Harbors, by private boat and if you are a better swimmer than I (and 99% folks are) by swimming across.

Take the main (only) drag out of the Town Docks … towards the famed Library.

Probably 1/4 miles up.

Right before you get to the other famed landmark … ‘Cranberry House‘ with “Hitty’s Cafe” & Museum.

You will see the signs to ‘Preble Cove Trail‘ on your right.

You can also find a cut-over to the Trail from outside the Museum. Not hard to find.

You will NOT see the ‘Topless Sign’ until you are about 100-yards from the beach.

Easy trail. Walk in the park.

OK, when we visited, last Friday, June 28, 2019, it was empty despite being the most beautiful day of that week — sunny and warm.

But, this was BEFORE July 4th and I have been told that the Islands don’t start to rock till after that.

Yes, as this blog testifies (and you really should do a search on ‘topless‘) I, given that I grew up in Europe, have no aversion to toplessness — male or female. No, I don’t need to see female breasts. SMILE. As I have said, more than once, “after you seen your first 10,000 they all look the same“. SMILE. Yes, I have been to HUGE topless beaches in Europe.

Funny thing this … my posts on nude/topless beaches in New Hampshire and Maine are year round favorites — on a daily basis. Always puzzles me when I see 30 hits for ‘Nude New Hampshire Beaches’ in mid-February when the temperature is below 0F and there is a foot of snow.

There is a ‘bed & breakfast’ in Acadia that SELLS (for a $1) my Acadia Nude Beach map (yes, the one above). I hear that it is quite a hit.

Well, I just wanted to share.

Talking of topless — I have been topless in my 1+ hour hikes the last few days. Feels so good.

Related posts:
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by Anura Guruge

July 2, 2019  

The Picture Of The Day (Canon EOS RP) + 6 Also-Rans — July 2, 2019.

by Anura Guruge

NO post-processing whatsoever.

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Attribution WILL be enforced.

study in black and white Anura Guruge Canon EOS RP

The also rans:






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Category ‘Six Images’.

by Anura Guruge

 

July 2, 2019  

Crew Filming Latest ‘Jeep’ Commercial Driving Around In A Mercedes Benz Van!

by Anura Guruge

The German wagon being used by the crew. You can see that they (like I did a few years ago) drove it across the sandbar when the tide was coming in or going out (i.e., when part of the sandbar was under water).

Click image to access my post from a few days ago.

Click to ENLARGE.

Click image to access my post.

This was kind of disappointing, ironic and amusing in equal measures.

I guess Jeep does not bother to impose criteria on the film crews they hire.

In the early 1980s when I worked as the Customer Support Manager for ‘ITT Data Systems (UK)‘ ‘British Leyland‘ was one of our big customers (as was ‘Ford‘). I used to have to go visit them often at their various locations — many of them manufacturing plants. A few of these plants, especially up north, would NOT allow non-Leyland cars into their main parking lot. You had to park across the road and walk over. They wanted their main parking lot Leyland only. I had no problem with that since I liked Leyland and owned Triumphs (Spitfires & a TR7) at the time. But, most often I would be driving my company car — which was often a Ford. I thought this was cute on the part of British Leyland. Some of my field support engineers thought otherwise — and, to be fair, unlike I they usually had to lug some ‘heavy’ diagnostic equipment with them (e.g., datascopes). So, they would swap company cars with a colleague, if they could, just to get around the restriction.

Maybe Jeep, now part of ‘Fiat Chrysler‘ should think about a similar policy. I am sure you could find Chrysler vans that could fit the bill.

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by Anura Guruge

July 1, 2019  

‘Mount Desert Oceanarium’, Acadia, Maine (By Bar Harbor) — CLOSED (At Least For NOW).

by Anura Guruge

Click pictures to ENLARGE.

The tarp-covered main sign on Route 3 (taken last Wednesday).

What I got when I did a Google search on “mount desert oceanarium”.

Click to access my post from 3-years ago.

David Mills — the owner.

My pictures from 3-years ago. Attribution will be enforced.

We were on the way to Stonington last Wednesday, June 26, 2019, when I saw the (dreaded) blue tarp covered sign. On the way back I stopped and pulled into the driveway. The gate was closed and padlocked.

The next morning I checked with a knowledgeable local who also happens to drive past the Oceanarium every day. He confirmed that it was indeed closed and that it had only been partially open the year before.

This is distressing.

It was a good destination especially in inclement weather — and you can’t spend 5-days in Bar Harbor over the Summer without encountering at least one of those days.

We, in 2016, had more or less a PRIVATE tour with David Mills, the owner, as the pictures above attest. He took a liking to us. That Deanna’s father had been a Maine lobsterman might have played a role.

I liked David. He and I chatted for quite a long time — and I had stopped by in September 2016 also to have a word with him.

I wanted, quite desperately, to write his life story and the history of the ‘Mount Desert Oceanarium‘. David was v. interested with the notion BUT, alas, had an issue with I (and let’s face it — who doesn’t). David is a profoundly religious, God-fearing soul. It distressed him that I was not. It was one of the first things he asked me. Where I stood with God. My answer distressed him. His line, in the end, was that he did NOT think that God would approve of a hardened heathen such as I writing David’s life story. His final words on the matter to I was: “maybe I should write it myself. I will have to see what God wants“.

I have not given up on David even if he might have on I. I am going to try and contact him.

I hope there is a way that the Oceanarium can be reopened.

Stay tuned. As far as I am concerned this is but a hiatus.

Related Posts:
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by Anura Guruge

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