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Last Updated: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:30:00 GMT

Friday, 25 July 2008

Hello from Bar Harbor, ME

I'm here for 2 weeks for the Jackson Lab mammalian genetics class, almost done w/ the first week, we do have lectures tomorrow (Saturday), boo! I'm here w/ another postdoc from my program. So far the class is not really for us, it's mostly MDs and mostly genetics people which I am not. Today's lectures were actually the best for me to follow, more background and clinical relevance versus the specific, too-detailed work from the presenters' own labs that I have no basis to really understand.

I thought I would like Bar Harbor but I can't say I'm very thrilled w/ it. My hotel is a disaster, the Bar Harbor Regency. The website makes it look all resorty when it is nothing like that. The staff is bad, I witnessed the crow old lady bartender that spends half her year in Florida yelling at the young kid waiters and watched them cower from her, later only to have the young waitresses come tell the crow what the boys were saying to fuel the drama. This bartender was yelling and giving attitude to customers that were ordering from her as well. Wireless isn't working, cell phone service only outside, rooms moldy, smelly, more bad service for what I think is a discounted rate for the conference of about $160 per night. I should have stayed in a nice bed n breakfast for the same rate.

Businesses in town aren't much better. A bunch of reject kids it seems doing these service jobs crappily. The kid that made our smoothies I hope was high and not just dumb. We got fudge at a place that we had to return because it was so dry and brittle and the guy tried to tell us it was okay. I had to return my crab-stuffed haddock another day because it was cold in the middle and the sauce tasted 'funny' in one area. That woman was nice about it though.

Yesterday was a good day here in that respect. I found out Aunt Margaret died yesterday morning. She was 85 and living in a rehab place, awful quality of life, she had told my Aunt last week she wanted to jump out the window, so it's good she died, it was just bad because she was awake and had a heart attack and was DNR so the nurses just watched her die. Doesn't sound pleasant. Also, my dad's dog has renal insufficiency and it's pretty serious and I called the vet to talk to him and told my dad he should move his dog to an emergency clinic but he didn't want to insult the doctor basically by removing his dog. Hope Bailey doesn't die because of this.

Anyway all that is crappy news but then last night we went back to Acadia and I ran on the Ocean Trail. It was so awesome, along the ocean, sometimes on crazy rocks and through the best scenery. Trail running is a better workout than regular running and I never do it, especially on such awesome trails. After that we ate at the Jordan Pond Restaurant. Best service and food I've had so far. Only $25 for popover, soup or salad, entree, and dessert. Food was all good, totally recommend. If I could run on those trails and eat there a lot maybe I could live here and work at Jackson. Good biking here too, road and mountain. I'd just stay away from the little town probably and potentially go more crazy.

Posted: Jul 25, 2008 13:54

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Category: /travel

Nina wrote at 2008-07-27 10:12:

Hi, Heather, hope your dad's dog is okay. Miss hanging out with you!

rj wrote at 2008-07-31 21:38:

mainers dont even like being in bar harbor in the summer. its a whole organism on its own. its larger than us... our little state cant handle it. millions of people visit in a series of weekends depending on weather. a city of 10,000 becomes 100,000... the logistics of summer communities such as this are complicated and generally create a huge demand for eastern european, russian, latin american helpers of all sorts... mdi bursts at the seams.

the locals detest putting up with it. and they also love it at the same time.

the regency wasnt so bad, BUT they should put locks on their doors and maybe have some dehumidifiers. (and fix their issues with key cards)

heather martian wrote at 2008-07-31 22:06:

well i'd have to say there doesn't seem to be that many people here, i thought it would be more crowded. the bar harbor regency is a disaster, i don't think rj has the best perspective, he wasn't here that long and didn't have to deal w/ the staff really.

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