Moody’s & Morse’s Were Great, but What’s with the Bear in a Hat?

I spent Saturday taking a tour of the Midcoast region, and found some treasures, along with one adorable oddity.

It's been years since I've traveled south of Belfast, so when my friend Heather asked me to join her for a little holiday shopping excursion, I readily agreed. We started in Waldoboro and ended up in Rockland, before heading back toward home. Along the way, we found some Christmas presents, lots of goodies, and had a delicious lunch at one of Maine's most well-known eateries.

The day started with a trip to Morse's Sauerkraut in Waldoboro. This was Heather's idea, as I had never heard of it. I can't say I'm a big fan of Sauerkraut but went along anyway. Little did I know that they carry international foods of all kinds, including my husband's favorite candy, Turkish Delight, except this stuff is actually from Turkey. Delicious! There were candies shaped like pigs everywhere. I'm not sure why.

As we drove, we came upon Moody's Diner and had to have some lunch. I've lived in Maine all my life and heard of Moody's so many times, but I'd never eaten there before.

Heather had their famous Corned Beef Reuben (since it featured Morse's sauerkraut) and I opted for the Percy Burger, with mushrooms and swiss cheese. Delicious!

Next, we headed to the Maine State Prison store in Thomaston. I hadn't been there since I was a kid and found that the quality of the work has only improved. This little rocking motorcycle sat alongside some adorable rocking horses.

While there, I had to pick up this sticker for Scott Miller, whose favorite movie is 'The Shawshank Redemption.'

Off to Rockland, where we had to stop by Harbor Park in Rockland, to see the famous lobster trap Christmas tree. It's beautiful! And the giant menorah was gleaming in the late afternoon sun.

On the way home, we couldn't resist a walk on Lincolnville Beach, where we found the largest bonfire pile I've ever seen. I have to find out when they plan to light this thing because it's going to make one incredibly warm fire.

Wait, I haven't shown you the bear, yet! We were in Waldoboro, just down the street from Moody's Diner, when we passed this bear by the side of the road. No explanation. No idea why. But he was so interesting, we turned around to take a picture.

For the record, there are some beautiful Christmas lights and displays on this route, too. If you're looking for a fun day trip, this one is pretty great.