This is Part 4 of my Summer Vacation Travelogue. Catch up on Part Three
HERE.
Monday was Hubs day to do what he wanted most. And what he wanted most was to explore history. Specifically, some Native American history.
He's been interested in learning about the history of indigenous peoples since I've known him.
So we set out for Orono Maine, to the University of Maine's Museum. They have a nice, well presented permanent collection on the Native Americans of the Maine region: the Penobscot, the Passamaquoddy, the Maliseet and the MicMac.
As a bonus over the next 3 days, there was suppose to be a full sized wigwam constructed in the art gallery space, by Native children, coordinated by former Penobscot Nation Chief and birchbark artist Barry Dana.
The local tv news report about it is located
HERE(it starts after the motorcycle store ad).
Unfortunately, when we were there they were just bringing in the materials and no one was there to build it yet so we didn't get to be a part of that experience.
I am a crafty type person, so something they had at the museum that interested me was a video/interactive presentation by Native American master basket makers. There were videos of them talking about their craft and demonstrating aspects of it.
You can view the videos online
HERE. There are also videos of woodcarvers as well.
After a good hour there we got back into the car.
Two years ago we had been up here as Hubs wanted to see the Penobscot Indian Museum over on the Penobscot Tribal lands by Old Town. The Museum was closed that time.
Since we were about 2 miles away I suggested we drive over and see if they were open. We had come 500+ miles....might as well try since we were so close, right?
Hubs gave me an argument at first but I insisted in that way only a wife can, that we go.
So he threw up his hands, figuring it would be a goose chase again.
And he was wrong!
The Museum was open and he finally got to check it out. It is housed in the old Government Indian Agent's office so it's a bit small. But you wouldn't believe the amount of items and displays they have crammed into the building! It's chalked full of photos, newspaper articles, and Penobscot items. They even have 2 full sized birch canoes on display. One is approx. 100 yrs. old and the other is over 200 yrs. old. As there was no one else visiting at the time, the museum director, Mr. James Neptune, was able to chat with us at length on many of the items on display and answer our questions. We only stayed about an hour but there was so much to see we could have been there all day and still not taken in everything. Many of the items on display had been in private collectors' hands but were donated back to the museum where they can be appreciated by many.
I really enjoyed talking with Mr. Neptune. He is an artist in many media as well as a writer and an activist....a true Renaissance man. We found many things in common to talk about and we commiserated on the eBay scene as well.lol
He even consented to posing for a photo with me in the Museum's foyer.
I take fond memories of the day with me....it was a pleasure to connect with Mr. Neptune.
Me & the Penobscot Museum Director, James Neptune, at the museum on Indian Island, The Penobscot Indian Reservation. The Island is in the Penobscot River just off shore of what is called Old Town Maine.
On Tuesday morning, Hubs and I packed up at the campground and headed out to my friend's house outside of Augusta. We made a quick stop in Waterville to check out the new Marden's store, for some discount shopping, and then a quick lunch across the Kennebec River in Winslow Maine.
While I didn't get a photo of my friend Brenda this trip, here is the one we snapped 2 yrs. ago...
And here is her backyard.....
Her property is right on the water. Dusk brings alot of skeeters(that love to dine on me!)but otherwise it's lovely and peaceful.
We spent that evening and most of the next day just sitting and visiting. There was also some drinking and eating.lol Nothing very interesting except to us.
Of course Tuesday through Thursday turned out to be 3 of those hot and muggy days that they do get in Maine.....figures, right? I'm there so it gets hot and muggy...lol Brenda doesn't have A/C at her house.
She does have an awesome spa room she built onto the house with floor to ceiling windows. Most of the day with the ceiling fan going, that room was nice and cool.
Hubs and I did wander off on Wednesday afternoon to Gardiner to check out the farmer's market at the Common in town.
The Wednesday Farmer's Market in Gardiner Maine. It was hot enough to pop corn.
I spent most of my time sitting on a park bench to the left of the red wagon on the left in the photo(with the open door). That wagon belonged to an ice cream vendor that made a luscious ginger ice cream. Mmmmm.
We bought home to Brenda's some fresh organic veggies and homemade hummus.
On Thursday Hubs and I had decided to head to the coast...Rte. 3 to Belfast, down the coast via Rte. 1 to Camden and Rockland and Wiscasset and up Rte. 27 to Gardiner and back to Brenda's place.
The weather however, did NOT consult us! We hit Belfast and after some more discount shopping at Ocean State Job Lot, we drove down the hill into Belfast by the harbor...into a thick fog that obscured any lovely ocean views we had set our hearts on seeing and photographing for you all.
So much for sightseeing along the coast and some lovely photos.....
So we just kept going and hoped that the weather would clear(which it did not). Stopped for lunch at a little joint called Nana's Kitchen outside of Rockland. Not very impressed with the food or the prices(a gussied up shack with tourist prices). We had a funny thing happen though when we were getting out of the car. Two ladies were getting into the car parked next to us with Maine plates. They saw our PA plate and asked us where we were from in PA. Turns out one of them used to live literally 2.5 miles down the road from the development where our last house was/is in PA back during the time we lived there! What a small small world it is....
So we drove through Rockland(the fog was still rolling in)and continued on. It would have been nice to hit the Wyeth Museum while there but our timing was again bad since Thursday was the first day of the yearly Lobster Festival held in Rockland. The traffic was miserable and getting worse with all those extra tourists in town for that event. We hit one of those roadside seafood sellers out on Rte. 1 for some lobsters to cart back to Brenda's for dinner.
We also stopped in Edgecomb on the way back to Brenda's and bought 3 quarts of wild Maine blueberries to take home to PA(I should have bought more!). August will find entrepreneurs along Rte. 1 in Maine selling berries, pies, seafood, you name it! The prices are ridiculously low so it's always a good idea to have a cooler in your car when you hit the coast.
This is the celebrated Red's Eats at the corner of Rte. 1 and Water St. in Wiscasset Maine. I took this from the car stopped in the summer long gridlocked Rte. 1 traffic heading into town, westbound from the bridge over the Sheepscot River. Wiscasset is a quaint little town. The woman who founded and still ran the Maine State Music Theater(then the Brunswick Music Theater)back when I worked there had her summer home here so I've been here quite a few times. I still mourn the loss of the old relic Schooner ships on the banks of the river that were still there in the 1980's.(There were various pushes back then to refurbish them before the sea reclaimed them but nothing was done and they disintergrated over time.)
The traffic traveling through Wiscasset in the summer months has boomed since then, as this is the direct route to most of the coastal points that lie east... but it's still a 2 lane road here. Between the road going through the center of town and the speed restrictions and the Red's traffic, traveling on Rte. 1 here is a nightmare in the summer.
I've eaten at Red's a few times over the years....the last time in 1998. I hear the food hasn't changed a wit since then and the lobster rolls is still most excellent.
We all dined on fresh lobster that evening. Brenda made us wear the silly bibs and use her lobster napkins, plates and wooden mallets. Hey, if it means I get to eat lobster, I'd wear clown shoes and a g-string. Of course, if I did, no one would have much of an appetite anymore.lol
Sluggy looks a hot, atrocious sweaty mess but she finally gets her lobsters. Don't we look like a couple of mental patients here?lol
We headed home bright and early Friday morning, again taking the back roads to the Interstate in VT, through MA and down into CT.
The next time we go through CT I'll need tranquilizers.
What.
A.
Nightmare.
It's been 2 years since I've been through CT and I can't believe it, but it has gotten so much worse! The people drive like lunatics....Seriously!
Hubs has to drive to Hartford for business on a regular basis.
I don't know how he does it and doesn't have an accident.
The drivers are unbelievable and you NEVER see a policeman!
We almost were in an accident too.
A car, 2 car's ahead of us got cut off by some maniac flying up the left lane....we were traveling in the center lane. He cut off that car trying to get over to the righthand lane to the exit. The car spun out, hit the concrete median, blew 2 tires and blocked the left and center lane. The guy inside looked fine(in shock but fine). The idiot who caused the accident just kept going!
So the car in front of us and Hubs sped up to catch the idiot driver's car(at least get the license plate number). We both boxed him into the emergency lane and made him stop before he got to the exit ramp. I got on the cell and called the police to report the accident since the interstate was now down to 1 travelable lane.
We couldn't stay there and keep him until the police arrived since the traffic would have smashed into us so we left after we got the plate number and I made the call.
I think I was still shaking when we arrived home hours later.
As an added bonus, at some point traveling on Friday(probably at one of the places we stopped to eat) I picked up a virus bug. I got to spend the entire night and half of the next morning puking my guts out. Seven trips to the "porcelain god", seven. I spent Saturday sleeping all day and most of Sunday too.
But I lost 5 pounds!lol
My ribs were sore for a solid week.
Not a good end to our vacation but I'd do it all over again if I could.....well, except for that puking part.
I hope you've enjoyed my little narrative on our summer vacation. 8-)
Sluggy
