Tag Archives: Royal Caribbean

January 13, 2020 · 5:35 am

Fall Foliage Cruise — Into Bar Harbor, Maine


Intersection of Main at Cottage, Bar Harbor

Photographically speaking, the seaside town of Bar Harbor, Maine is one of my favorite subjects regardless of the time of year. Throw in some fall foliage and the attraction is multiplied. Bar Harbor is located on Mount Desert Island, which at 108 square miles/280 square kilometers is Maine’s largest.

Bar Harbor fall foliage

Today we’ll look mostly at the sights along Main Street in Bar Harbor, and over this week through next, we’ll explore the fall colors, the charms of Cottage Street, stroll along the marina along the Mt. Desert Narrows, and enjoy the best lobster roll of our trip at Paddy’s Irish Pub & Restaurant.

Picturesque Stewman’s Lobster Pound, Bar Harbor

Because of the shallow waters off Bar Harbor, this was a tender port. So, Adventure of the Seas anchored in Frenchman Bay beyond Bar Island and Sheep Porcupine Island.

Tendering in to Bar Harbor

This was not our first trip into Bar Harbor (see: Bah Hahbah — It’s in Maine and Maine Street, Bar Harbor). On our previous excursion here we hit Testa’s Restaurant on the first day of lobster season. And while Testa’s was a huge hit with us, we tried a different lunch on this trip which you’ll see next week.

Testa’s Restaurant, Bar Harbor

So, let’s now explore the sights along Main Street, Bar Harbor:

Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor, Maine

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January 10, 2020 · 5:35 am

Fun Photo Friday — Sydney, Nova Scotia Favorites


Reflecting on Adventure of the Seas

Time for a Fun Photo Friday of Sydney favorites, beginning with these two murals on the wall of ‘The Hat’ (Highland Arts Theatre):

The Return of the Cape Breton Liberation Army (mural outside the Highland Arts Theatre)

Hearts of Steel (mural outside the Highland Arts Theatre)

An image better capturing the dramatic scene depicted by the Merchant Mariners Memorial:

Merchant Mariners Memorial

Some sights along Sydney Harbor:

Reel Tough

Blues and Yellows

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January 8, 2020 · 5:35 am

Fall Foliage Cruise — Lunch at the Old Triangle Irish Ale House


Everything’s just ducky on the Waterfront Boardwalk

After walking the Sydney Waterfront Boardwalk, Ursula and I headed north a short way before crossing to Charlotte Street via Townsend Street. We were getting a bit peckish, and I recalled seeing from the boardwalk an Irish Alehouse, so that’s where we headed. But before we do a lunch review, have you ever considered snapping a shot of the local license plates? It can be a fun addition to your photo library for any trip.

Nova Scotia license plate

A brief stroll northward on Charlotte Street was all we needed to find our chosen lunch spot, the Sydney branch of The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse:

The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse

A quick check of the ale offerings sealed the deal when I found one of my favorites, which I had discovered in Dublin a year before this trip. Thus, we sat down for lunch, and I ordered a Smithwick’s Irish red ale. For the uninitiated (of which I was one in 2018), the ‘h’ and ‘w’ are silent, resulting in an order of, “Smittick’s.”

Smithwick’s (pronounced ‘Smitticks’) Irish Red

The meal was a definite winner. Ursula proclaimed the seafood chowder served with Irish soda bread a hit, and after tasting it I had to agree with that review:

Seafood Chowder

I opted for the more mundane, but even that was far from disappointing. Below is Old Triangle’s version of fish & chips, Killybegs Style Fish, which is a beer-battered haddock:

Killybegs Style Fish & Chips

Rain was threatening, and after lunch we decided to head back to the ship. Along the way we came across some interesting street murals, including these outside ‘The Hat’ (Highland Arts Theatre):

The ‘Hat’ (Highland Arts Theatre) murals

You’ll see a bit more on those on Fun Photo Friday. Farther north is this colorful Allan Ryan mural at 270 Charlotte Street:

Mural at 270 Charlotte Street

By the time you reach Dorchester Street it’s almost time to turn west back toward the port. But not before capturing an image of an interesting copper-domed sandstone building at the corner of Dorchester and Charlotte. This once housed the Sydney branch of the Bank of Montreal. It was designed by architect Sir Andrew Taylor, and built in 1899:

Bank of Montreal; sandstone structure from 1899

 

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