We've been in Florida for a week now and although everyone says it has been very cold we don't agree. However, we have had to wear our heavier gear and have not been sitting outdoors for 3 meals a day as we usually do in Hawaii in November.
Tonight we had a first. Dinner at the famous Cracker Barrel restaurants spread throughout Florida, down home style food, no booze!! After complaining his catfish was tough to eat, Ted was informed he had been served chicken tenders instead! All servings here are mammoth, so the server proceeded to provide a complete duplicate of his meal, which he virtually polished off again! This time it was fish and blackened - he declared it a success.
Soon I'll figure out how to upload my photos on the ipad so for now it's just words...maybe not.
En route from Miami airport we stopped off in Naples for lunch on the bayou with friends Jackie & Ian from Oakridge, a good way to wind down to the laid back style around the Gulf coast.
We spent a lovely week in Fort Myers (FM) with cousins Margaret and Brent, great hosts, who trundled us all over the place, claiming they were enjoying it all too! They found it's much busier in February than April, actually hitting a beach jam for an hour one day. We attended the annual Edison Light Parade and nearly lost our eardrums with the deafening military and band entries, but a fun event for sure.
We checked out the local restaurants and shopping, I replaced my lost sunglasses with 2 pairs of prescription ones for about $200, and we visited an Outlet mall already.
Off south toward the Keys, we had some lovely walks in the magnificent Big Cypress and Everglades parks, havens for wildlife and beautiful birds. A highlight - mother anhinga feerding her 4 chicks which I captured on video. Loads of sleepy gators, haven't eaten any yet.
Tonight we had a first. Dinner at the famous Cracker Barrel restaurants spread throughout Florida, down home style food, no booze!! After complaining his catfish was tough to eat, Ted was informed he had been served chicken tenders instead! All servings here are mammoth, so the server proceeded to provide a complete duplicate of his meal, which he virtually polished off again! This time it was fish and blackened - he declared it a success.
En route to Florida City, just north of the Florida Keys, we stopped off at a great harbour restaurant and fish market, where I finally got into the freshest stone crab claws and soft shell crabs, delicious! Last night it was an oslaught on my cholesterol level with she-crab soup - again delicious. The grouper and mahimahi are usualy fresh here, but lots of other local fish and giant shrimps too.
Today a return to our diving alma mater, John Pennekamp National Reef Preserve. We enjoyed the visitor centre and aquarium displays, strolling the short nature walks, and trying to remember where we camped 40 years ago when we took our first diving course here. Weather and winds did not oblige today so all boat trips were cancelled. We are here for 2 more days and hope to take a snorkel trip out to the reef if we can.
We will also spend a day in the Everglades National park and hope to see the magnificent roseate spoonbills, which are local birds here.
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