Sunday, September 25, 2016.
With The Maniacs In Bar Harbor.
We walked around Boston so widely yesterday that we stayed on the ship most of the day. Another reason: the weather has changed. The warmth of the previous day is split apart by much colder temps and winds. Meanwhile, the bay locked itself up in unusual arrays of shallow rocks that make Bar Harbor a difficult port to visit for those who don't know where the hazards are.
All I remember about Bar Harbor from previous cruises is that it is not really set up for visitors. Last time, the highlight of the day was finding an L.L. Bean outlet store, but with nothing in my size. We also scored a bottle of Moxie, the soft drink of New England, especially in Maine.
Lynn (my sister, in case you're just joining us) has as one of her goals trying a lobster roll. It's an unusual and very good local specialty, made in what looks like an oversize hot dog bun. The lobster meat is made into sort of salad with celery and the dressings. We surely could have found a vendor for a lobster roll here and elsewhere, but we never did.
Back on the ship, Lynn and I have a light lunch from the buffet. Best items: small Reuben sandwiches and Indian-spiced lentils. I notice that breakfast, lunch and dinner, the buffet always has some variation of bread pudding available.
In late afternoon, I send out my daily newsletter to the Eat Clubbers, to alert them that we will be taking a group picture later this afternoon. Almost all the Eat Clubbers show up for the shoot--a rarity. I take the position I always do: I stretch out on the floor while holding a martini glass up for a toast. The peeps (as we affectionately call our fellow travelers) line up on the atrium stairs or nearby.
After that, Princess throws a cocktail party for the Eat Club in one of the larger ballrooms. Drinks, drinks, and more drinks, interspersed by hundreds of little appetizers.
But while all this goes on, I miss an appointment. The people running the talent show asked all eight of the finalists to show up to have photos taken. I clean forgot about that, and fear that I will lose my slot in the contest.
At dinner, we join the Giancolas for dinner in Sabatini's, the Italian restaurant of the Caribbean Princess. I spring for a substantial bottle of Amarone. It is magnificent with the steaks and the red-sauce dishes.
The best of the latter is manicotti, made a bit smaller than I am accustomed to ordering. It is named the tastiest item we have in our Italian dinner. Manicotti is a rolled-up core of ground beef, red sauce and cheese, wrapped with wonderfully thin pasta, which makes all the difference.
Among the four of us, we manage to dine on almost everything on the menu at Sabatini's, from which we depart with a good feeling. It costs an extra $29 per person to go there instead of the free main dining rooms and buffets. Easily worth it. The menu covers almost every major flavor group in Italian cooking, and the service personnel joke around with us pleasantly. Ther only thing that troubles me is that the place isn't very busy. I wonder why.
After dinner, the Giancolas and we head back to our favorite bar and have another round. I am allowing myself more drinks than I ever have at home anymore, but I'm cutting myself off at two cocktails and a glass of wine with dinner.
It sounds as if everything's going perfectly, doesn't it? But occupying my mind most of the day every day are worries about Tuesday's freelance tour of Nova Scotia.
