Back from an east coast trip

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So I am back from my 20 days driving with the girlfriend through Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont. A different route from last time in March, Maine exposing us to Mount Desert Island and the gorgeous Acadia National Park. We spent six days on the island, with many of those hours shopping or strolling in Bar Harbor's many shops and cafes and restaurants. The star of course was the park proper, an immaculate fairy-tale of a park, verdant with vivid greens and blues, breathtaking views from the mountain and the surrounds.

Jordan Pond, with "The Bubbles"
Provincetown and Cape Cod, well, we saw more of the same as last time, only under a much warmer sun. The water remained chilling however and my swims were brief, shoulder-shakingly, teeth-chatteringly cold. We managed to see Yarmouth and Wood's Hole but mistakingly assumed we could just drive to the ferry dock to go to Martha's Vineyard (apparently one has to take a shuttle from Yarmouth) so instead we visited the aquarium and the WHOI Science Exhibit Center. Our stay in Cape Cod was cut short a day by Hurricane Earl, the beach-side motel resort being evacuated due to fears of flooding.

Taking refuge inland, we still saw plenty of wind and rain in Cambridge, as I had to navigate to the Sheraton Commander hotel, our only lodging option on a
Friday night of a Labour Day weekend, booked minutes before we arrived. It was our most expensive but also yards nicer sleep, the bed a luxurious heap of threads and soft pillows and billowy sheets. I would have given a greater resistance than normal against getting out of bed in the morning but I was anxious to see Cambridge, which we'd missed doing last time we were in Boston. The town and much of Harvard's grounds can be walked in a day, which is what we did, taking many photos. Speaking of which, we took over 2000 photos combined over the whole trip but I've yet to get through uploading them to flickr. Soon enough, soon enough.
Atop Cadillac Mountain

I haven't much else to add. Vermont was warmer and greener, and my likening Burlington to a more scenic Guelph still applies: a quiet university town with lots of greenery and concentrated niches of culture, Burlington having the advantage of mountains and Lake Champlain. Distance from friends and family aside, I could see myself living there... although I do love Toronto so.

So I am back, and, a week after my return I think I am finally all here. Of course, much of that return has gone into the recent acquisition of StarCraft 2, but I'll save that talk for another day.

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