Bangor, You’ve Changed, It’s Like I Don’t Even Know You Anymore

So far my vacation has been a whirlwind of activity, painting, Funtown and a day trip to Bangor, but the second half is going to be slower with just maybe a trip to North Conway with Lynn's cousin and her kids.

Sunday, we painted the kitchen, which was an all-day affair. We had this old wobbly loosely installed paneling behind the appliances and wanted to go back to just having the wall for when we receive my mother in-law's old kitchen cabinets because if they fit, we want wall there and not the paneling. Yes, Sunday was a day full of hard work.

On Monday we went to Funtown as a family and well, had fun! The water park lines were long, but that was to be expected due to the hot and sunny weather. Never got to try the new Mount Olympus rides but maybe next year. Justin experienced Excalibur for the first time as he was tall enough and no, I didn't go on Dragon's Descent. We spent a good eight hours at the park and ran into a few random friends which was nice as well.

Also on Monday Mom and my sister and her son, Sam drove to came to Bangor to see us for the day on Tuesday. So yesterday we went up to the Ramada in Bangor to meet them. We talked about maybe going to Bar Harbor, but in the end we went to Cascade Park on State St. for a bit to let the cousins play and to take pictures. For lunch we went to Dysarts just south of Bangor on 95. If you are driving through the Bangor area when you're hungry you must stop. They are inexpensive and the food is amazing. Until yesterday I hadn't eaten there in probably 17 years and back then when I went it was always after being out at The Bounty or Finnegan's at one or two in the morning.

After lunch we headed back to my Mom and sister's hotel room and got changed for the pool. We go to the hotel pool for a couple of hours, the boys are jumping around and having fun. I'm with Vikki as she gets stressed being held in a life jacket in the water. When this is all done, we decide to go to a playground I remember seeing while living in Bangor back in 1995 and 1996 just off of Union St. Wow, that area has grown. There is not only a playground there now, there is also a very nice pool with cool looking slides and a ballpark where right now and through the weekend, they're hosting the Senior Little League World Series!

While at the park this is where the day gets interesting. We were thinking we'd stay at the playground until dinner time then go to the mall, maybe eat at the food court and shop and check out a cool place with bounce houses and slides and stuff but Justin did something on the playground equipment and hurt his ankle. Within minutes you could see the swelling. Justin was in pain, we asked him if he wanted us to take him to the ER, he said yes, so there we were for most of the evening; the ER at Eastern Maine Medical Center.

He was checked in at about 6 pm and released at about 8pm. After the x-rays, the doctor didn't think he broke his ankle but wasn't totally sure as the x-ray sometimes can't show it all. The doctor gave him a boot cast and crutches and told Justin if it doesn't feel better in a couple of days, to see his primary care doctor. After the EMMC ER experience we got Papa John's and ate it at Mom's hotel room and then went home ourselves.

Bangor, you've changed, it's like I don't even know you anymore. Since 1996 I really hadn't spent a lot of time in Bangor. I had been up for certain things, events, meetings since but yesterday was the first time I really spent time in Bangor in a long time. I cannot believe how much Main St. has changed especially from the I-95 ramp to the Joshua Chamberlain Bridge. Stillwater near Hogan road has ballooned up into a huge shopping area and the same with Union Street out near Nicky's Drive in. EMMC is huge now. That place has exploded.