Road trip to Bonita Springs II

It was Thanksgiving Day and it was a beautiful one.  The sky was absolutely the most beautiful shade of blue and dotted with little puffs of marshmallow white clouds. 

Today we are off to spend some time at the beach on Big Hickory Island.  Big Hickory is a 34-acre beach park with plenty of chairs, umbrellas, a boardwalk, covered pavilion, sea shells and picnic areas.

In past visits, we were able to take the trolley to the marina. However, this was suspended due to the health emergency. We drove up to the Hyatt Regency at the top of the hill, parked the car and walked the nature trail to the marina to catch the ferry to the island.

The ride over to the beach takes about 15 minutes. The captain of this small vessel pointed out points of interest along the way.  There have been times when playful dolphins would swim alongside the ferry which always brought smiles of delight among the passengers, but not today.

The dog water park. Fun to watch the dogs and their owners splashing in the bay.

It is a short walk to the beach from the boat landing. We were able to secure chairs quickly and settle down for a lovely day in the sun.  At one point, Sue and I decided to walk down to test the water.  It was a bit chilly when the water first washed over our feet but after a bit the temperature was just perfect. 

We stood there just chatting away for quite a while then returned to our chairs to read and watch the children playing in the sand, families frolicking in the water, small boats racing to and from the blue-green waters of the Gulf. And, much to our delight, a dolphin was spotted slowing making its way from the bay out into the Gulf. Wonderful!

Eventually, we made our way back to the boat landing for the return trip to the hotel.  It was time to prepare for our Thanksgiving feast. Over the years we have enjoyed a variety of holiday meals during our visits. We enjoyed the lovely plated Thanksgiving feast prepared at the resort, ordered fully-cooked Thanksgiving meals from Publix, and once stayed poolside and enjoyed chicken tacos from the pool bar. They were all delicious!

This year we decided to do something different. This year we were off to have Thanksgiving dinner at a Perkins restaurant.  Sue had gotten a notice that Perkins Restaurant & Bakery was offering a full Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings for a very reasonable price.  We called first to ask what was a good time to come.  They advised that sometime before 5:00 pm would be the best and we were off. 

We were so glad we called.  When we arrived the restaurant had just finished a surge of patrons and was pretty empty.  The restaurant did not expect the next surge of diners until 6:00pm.  We were able to secure a booth in the back.  We all ordered the Thanksgiving special meal. As it turned out, the restaurant ran out of several things and we had to make adjustments.  “Not to worry”, we assured our server, “we are just happy to be here to enjoy a nice holiday meal whatever that may be”.  The meal was tasty and filling.  Only three of us were able to have pumpkin pie.  Doug ordered the apple pie.  Everyone was happy.

The next day was Black Friday.  A few days earlier we learned that if Sue and I were among the first 30 people in line at Chico’s when they opened we would receive a very generous coupon.  There was a lovely cream brocade wrap with hints of blue and gray that I had spied when we were last there. It would be reduced in price that day and then with the coupon we would be purchasing this lovely wrap for $5.00. 

So, Sue and I were up early and off we went to Coconut Point Mall on our Black Friday mission.  We were actually third and fourth in line that morning.  And, yes, I purchased the cream wrap, Sue purchased a red one.  We were both very happy indeed.  Then we headed back to the resort to prepare for a relaxing day at the pool.

Over the years, we have developed a tradition of having dinner the last night at the Tarpon Bay restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The hotel is always decorated so nice during the holidays season. As we walked through the lobby of the hotel, we stopped by the hotel’s beautiful Christmas tree for some pictures.

Whenever we go there we always ask to be seated on the screened porch. The setting is lovely with a wonderful view of the lake. The restaurant specializes in wonderful variety seafood dishes. 

Tonight I was hungry for something different and ordered my favorite dish; an 8oz. Filet Mignon with Béarnaise Sauce, Parmesan Fries and Asparagus.  It was all so delicious.  I finished of my dinner with a wonderfully decadent chocolate dessert.  Coming to Tarpon Bay for dinner on our last night at Bonita Springs has become, for me, the ultimate way to end a wonderful, relaxed and restorative time at our Bonita Springs getaway.

Tomorrow we will rise early in the morning, have a light breakfast, pack the car and make our way back to our homes.  I was happy to hear that Doug and Sue enjoyed these last few days as much as we did.  Good times!

Enjoy,

Mary

Road trip to Bonita Springs

Entrance to Hyatt Resident Club – Coconut Plantation

“As each day comes to us refreshed and anew, so does my gratitude renew itself daily. The breaking of the sun over the horizon is my grateful heart dawning upon a blessèd world.” ~Terri Guillemets

I am truly grateful every day for my family, my friends, my health and all the wonderful experiences I have had over my lifetime. I am especially grateful today as Randy, I and our friends Doug and Sue make our way down U.S. 75 to spend the Thanksgiving weekend at our timeshare in Bonita Springs, Florida.  

Randy and I own a time share at the Hyatt Residence Club, Coconut Plantation.  We try to get there whenever we can sometimes alone but more often with friends.  I love it there.  The beautiful setting of this place offers me a refuge from the everyday worries of life and a time to relax and renew my spirit. 

I had called ahead and learned that the club was employing the same health protocols that we have experienced in other places we have stayed this fall.  We have a two-bedroom unit that is quite comfortable.  My favorite place to relax in our unit is the balcony that overlooks a view of lush foliage, a pond and a golf course. 

This was Doug and Sue’s first time here so after we checked in, we took them on a tour of the clubhouse, and pool area.  We learned that while the pools are open many of the fun activities in an around the clubhouse and pools had been canceled out of an abundance of caution for health and safety. 

One of the resident alligators taking a stroll to move to a new pond

While on our tour around the property we noticed a low buzzing of excitement coming from a group of people across the street.  We walked over and saw something I have never seen in all the years we have been coming here; an alligator casually walking along.  Everyone was so excited.  There were several maintenance workers on hand to keep everyone back at a safe distance as the alligator made its way to the pond at the front of the resort. “Now that was cool,” I thought to myself as we watched it slowly slide down into its new home.

View from the balcony

Typically, days spent here are simple.  Mornings are spent sitting on the balcony sipping coffee, keeping a watchful eye for the resident alligator that swims around the pond; a cormorant that spends most of its time with its wings spread wide drying out after diving in the pond for its breakfast, and enjoying the many crazy swings and exclamations by early morning golfers. 

Our days are spent sitting poolside reading a good book, enjoying a relaxed float around the lazy river or sitting under a large umbrella on the beach at Big Hickory Island. 

Our evenings are spent taking a short ride over to a large outdoor mall called Coconut Point.  The mall is a lovely place just to walk around.  As we walk, we pop in and out of the many shops that line the streets and finally stop at one of the local restaurants for a nice evening meal.

Coconut Point

After the excitement of seeing the alligator, we made our way to the unit and got settled.  We decided to drive over to the mall and choose a restaurant for dinner.  We drove around for a bit and finally got out of the car in an area of the mall that Randy and I remembered having a really nice meal a few years ago.  To our dismay the restaurant was no longer there. 

We walked a bit and came upon a restaurant called Ted’s Montana Grill and after reading the posted menu decided to stay.  The inside of the restaurant was lovely with high-back dark wood booths on one side and small tables along another wall and tables down the middle of the room.  We took a seat in a booth.  There was only one other couple in the restaurant. 

The menu was enticing for three members of the group because the restaurant offered several menu choices that included bison meat.  I was not very hungry so just ordered a salad.  Everyone was happy with their meal.  After dinner, we walked out through the back door and discovered that the restaurant had a patio area.  This area was full of happy diners enjoying not only their meals but a beautiful nighttime view of the mall. 

Our first full day at Bonita was just wonderful.  The air was warm, the sky a beautiful shade of blue and hardly a cloud to be seen.  After breakfast we dressed for a day relaxing poolside.  “Wonderful, just wonderful,” I kept thinking to myself as we listened to the burbling sound of the water falling into the pool.

Posing by the Coconut Point Christmas tree. Always beautiful!

Late that afternoon we took a long walk around the mall trying to decide where to eat dinner.  We stopped and took pictures at the large Christmas tree in the center of the mall and stopped into several stores along the way.  We finally walked back to the car for the short drive to one of our favorite restaurants.

We decided to introduce Doug and Sue to one of our very favorite restaurants in the area; Señor Tequila’s.  The food here is delicious and plentiful.  We told them about the wonderful variety of salsas they had and asked our server to bring samples of each to our table.  We had a good time trying them each one and then ordering just a little more of our favorites.  It was definitely a hard choice.

I ordered my favorite dish; a delicious chicken chalupa.  I did my best but eventually did leave a little on my plate. 

Sated, we left the restaurant and returned to the resort to enjoy an evening of quiet conversation and perhaps a bit of television before settling in for a good night’s sleep.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we are off to the beach.

Enjoy,

Mary

Road to Key West – Part III

Hemingway Home & Museum

I awoke this morning to another beautiful day in Key West. 

We dressed for the day and went down to meet our friends for breakfast.  During breakfast we discussed what our plans would be for the day.  Sue had a trolley sightseeing map.  Each one of us mentioned what we would like to do for the day, we made a plan and then we were off!

The night before, we discovered that the trolley actually stops just a few steps away from our hotel which was perfect as we were stop #7 and we wanted our first stop to be at #11.  Perfect!  Our plans would take us to the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory, the Wyland Gallery, Harry Truman’s Little White House, the Hemingway Home & Museum and ending at Mallory Square to participate in the nightly sunset celebration.

Some of the beautiful butterfly magnets I have collected.

Our first stop was at the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory  Jim and Joanne took a stroll through the conservatory while Sue and I browsed the gift shop.  We both bought beautiful tee shirts.  Since it was the start of the holiday season I also did a little Christmas shopping for two of our granddaughters.  On our cruise visits we always stop at the Key West Butterfly gift shop near the pier and, with a coupon, get a free butterfly magnet.  We made sure to get our free butterfly magnets before leaving. 

Our next stop was at the Doug’s favorite place, the Wyland Gallery.  The artwork on display in the gallery is just beautiful.  A few years ago I fell in love with a wave sculpture that was quite frankly way above my means so; no, it did not go home with me. 

This visit however, I fell in love with a piece of artwork by artist Stephen Muldoon that I just had to have.  So after a few thoughtful moments I made arrangements to have it shipped to our home.  “This will have to be my happy birthday to me, and every other holiday present to me for the year,” I thought as I happily signed the paperwork.

The Hemingway Home & Museum was a short walk from the gallery.  When we arrived a tour had already started and we would have to wait for the next tour.  We decided that we would find a place to get a bite to eat and then return.  We had passed a small restaurant just down the street and decided to see what they had to offer.  What a find!

Just one of the beautiful murals that grace the walls of the cafe.

The Moon Dog Café & Bakery was wonderful.  We would have preferred to be seated in the outdoor area but it was full.  So we settled inside, looked over the menu and ordered what turned out to be a fantastic lunch.  There was such a variety it was hard to choose.  I decided to keep it simple and ordered a petite salad and a BLAT (bacon, lettuce, and avocado and tomato sandwich on sourdough bread).  You know how everyone always says that you eat with your eyes first, well, as soon as my choices came to the table I just ate.  No camera, no pictures, just ate.  It was all yummy!

After lunch Jim and Joanne decided to go to the Harry S. Truman’s Little White House while the rest of us went back to the Hemingway Home for our tour.   We have visited the Hemingway Home before but we always enjoy seeing the many six-toed cats roaming around the grounds.  The inside of the home is filled with a great deal of Hemingway memorabilia. 

All the tour guides always give interesting little tidbits about the author’s life, the pool put in by Hemingway’s wife Pauline, the urinal from the original Sloppy Joe’s that now graces the backyard and serves as a watering spot for the cats, the office where he wrote some of his famous novels and, of course, hear the story about how the cats came to be at the home.

Our final destination for the day was to visit Mallory Square to see the sunset.   The square is on the waterfront in Key West’s historic Old Town.  The “Sunset Celebration” that is celebrated here every night is considered one of the main tourist attractions of Key West.  Randy and I traveled to Key West in 2001 and enjoyed a very festive evening at Mallory Square.  The square was filled with tourist, street performers, food carts all waiting for the sunset. Everyone then as now was filled with a sense anticipation, joy and celebration. 

By the time we arrived there was already a large group of visitors sitting along the sea wall. 

We found a spot and watched as the sun began to slowly disappear beyond the horizon.

Vinny had recommended a restaurant to us that happened to be along the route to catch the shuttle back to the hotel. We decided to stop and have dinner at that restaurant. The Two Friends Patio Restaurant was very nice.  Vinny had also given each of us coupons for either a free Pina Colada or Key Lime Pie.  Half of us ordered a drink the other half ordered the dessert.  The dinners were plentiful and delicious.

It was time for us to make our way to the shuttle and return to the hotel.  Tomorrow we board the coach for our return home.  This was such a nice trip, everyone in our group had a great time.  

Enjoy,

Mary

Road trip to Key West – Part II

Sloppy Joe’s Bar

Woke up this morning to a beautiful day and the start of two days of visiting one of my most favorite cities; Key West, Florida.  I find Key West to be wonderfully walkable, interesting, colorful and entertaining with a wonderful variety of attractions, shops and restaurants. Each time I come, I find something new to enjoy. 

Our lovely host Vinny made arrangements for us to have breakfast catered in the hotel so we were off to a good start. We enjoyed scrambled eggs, bacon, muffins, yogurt, fresh fruit, coffee and tea.  As we left the hotel, Vinny passed out tickets for a trolley tour as well as tickets to Ernest Hemingway House and Museum. 

Doug, Sue, Jim, Joanne, Randy and I talked over breakfast and agreed that today we would just hop on the trolley for a tour around the city and then take a nice walk up Duvall Street.

Safety protocols were in evidence wherever we went.  Masks were mandatory on the trollies.  If you did not have a mask, one was available.  At this point, masks had become part of our daily dress routine before going anywhere in public. 

As we rode through the city, the driver gave a colorful history of the city and pointed to the many historical buildings along the route. We have been here many times and I could not help but notice how few people were out and about.  Except for the one trip we made here many years ago by car, we usually arrive here on a cruise ship. But, alas because of the pandemic there have been no cruise ships in port since the lockdown.

First Flight Island Restaurant and Brewery – was birthplace of Pan American Airlines.

We started our tour at Mallory Square, passed the gates to Harry S. Truman’s ‘Little White House’, the historic waterfront and Mac’s Sea Garden, Kermit’s Key Lime Pie Shoppe, Sloppy Joe’s Bar, Key West Winery, Conch Train Ice Cream Parlor, Papa Hemingway’s Pilar Rum Distillery, Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, Fort East Martello Museum, Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservancy, Southernmost Point, Upper Duval Shopping, Key West Cemetery just to name a few. 

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Duval Street.

At the conclusion of the tour, we returned to Mallory Square and started our walk up Duval Street and have a bite to eat for lunch.  I love walking on Duval Street with its many shops, lovely houses and wonderful restaurants.  I must say though that today was a little different and sad for me because so many of the little stores that we have frequented in the past were either closed or empty.  I found myself silently hoping that they would return when the pandemic is over.

We decided to have lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, Caroline’s Café.  This lovely restaurant is open-air with giant umbrellas shielding everyone from the sun.  The music is good, the food is always delicious and always entertaining as crowing roosters roam freely between the tables. Once again, I ordered my favorite Rev. Joe’s Burger with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle with a side of fries.  Always a good pick!

On our way back to Mallory Square we took a little detour to see if we could find a shop for Sue to buy a hat.  While Sue and I ran in and out of a few shops Randy, Doug, Jim and Joanne sat looking out at the empty cruise pier.  It was a very sad sight indeed.  Sue was successful and purchased a lovely hat.

We decided to return to the hotel and rest a bit before returning to downtown for dinner. 

Well, this was a revelation; all those people I did not see walking around town were out in force for dinner.  The waterfront was alive with happy chatter and music as we made our way to the Conch Republic Seafood Company for a nice seafood dinner.

As has become our habit of late, we requested a booth feeling a little safer than out in a large room.  Randy and I both ordered a salad and the Coconut Shrimp with Caribbean aioli.  Both were yummy!  I also ordered an Almond Martini.  I had to laugh as the martini cost only one dollar less than my dinner.  But, oh, it was so good!

We made our way back to the shuttle stop at the Key West Waterfront Brewery.  The brewery walls are covered in a mural of whales and other sea life by American artist and conservationist Robert Wyland. The mural was quite stunning.

Tomorrow we will return to the city using the trolley to hop on and hop off at a variety of venues around the city.

Enjoy,

Mary

Road trip to Key West – Part I

On the road to Key West

Well, here we are once again getting ready for a road trip.  This road trip is just a little different than our last two.  Our first road trip was a day trip in August to Cedar Key where we enjoyed a wonderful day in the fresh air and a lovely seafood lunch.  Our second road trip in October was to Destin where we enjoyed a few days at a lovely resort with our friends Doug and Sue.

This road trip will be taking us to Key West, Florida on a motor coach with a company called Ship & Shore. This trip we will be traveling with our friends Doug, Sue, Jim and Joanne. Our friends have traveled with this company many times and sang their praises about the personal care the owners take in assuring everyone a safe and affordable trip to a wide variety of destinations.  We also learned that all the tours are personally escorted by the owner Vinnie and his wife Navy. 

Caught a glimpse of the Hard Rock ‘Guitar Hotel’ as we made our way down to Key West – The hotel rises 450′ into the sky and has 638 rooms.

As soon as I boarded the coach, I was impressed with the safety measures in effect.  Our temperatures were taken, we were required to wear a mask on the bus and we were able to practice social distancing as the coach was only half full.  There was plenty of room to spread out.  “Lovely,” I thought as I moved across the aisle from Randy and settled in for the long ride down to the keys.

We made one short stop at welcome center.  Signs of the ongoing virus fears, the building was eerily quiet.  Normally a hustling and bustling place there were no lines for restrooms or the various venues. Only one venue, Dunkin’ Donuts, had a small line. “Very strange”, I thought to myself as I made my way back to the bus.

Our next stop was in Florida City to have lunch at the Golden Corral.  I was very impressed with the safety protocols in place at the restaurant. 

Masks and social distancing was in place.  But what I was really impressed with was the way the restaurant handled guests going through the buffet.  Once we put our trays, drinks and utensils down on our table, we walked up to an employee who handed us a plate and a blue plastic glove.  The glove was to be worn on the hand that would be using the ladles in each of dishes on the buffet.  If you wanted to return to the buffet, we would put our mask back on and were given a new dish and a new blue glove.  The food was good and filling and before we knew it, it was time to board the coach again.

We left Florida City and entered the keys.  It was a beautiful ride passing long stretches of wetlands, waters that were at times turquoise green, dark green or blue, boat yards, marinas and a beautiful variety of trees.   

As we rode along, Vinnie told us the story of the Overseas Railroad started by Henry Flagler in 1905 to extend the Florida East Coast Railway from Miami to Key West.  The railway was completed in 1912 and operated until 1935 when it was partially destroyed by a hurricane. 

Now, Vinnie said, we are riding on the Overseas Highway. We learned that the highway is the southernmost part of U.S. The highway extends a total of 113 miles and has 42 overseas bridges.  Construction on the highway started in the late 1930s using some of the original foundations of the overseas railway. As Vinnie talked, I watched as we passed the remnants of the railway catching at one point the Bahia Honda Rail Bridge. 

I learned later that, “In 2009 the Overseas Highway was named an All-American Road by the National Scenic Byways program administered by the Federal Highway Administration.  The Keys highway is the only All-American Road in Florida.  It’s the highest recognition possible under the National Scenic Byways program established by the U.S. Congress in 1991”.

The day was beautiful and traffic was light so we actually arrived at our hotel an hour early.  The 24° North Hotel was very nice.  As was the case in Destin, the hotel had very good safety protocols in place.  We had a little time before heading to dinner so retreated to our room to relax a little. 

Vinnie had arranged for a catered dinner to be served in a private room in the hotel.  I especially liked that since it meant we did not have to go out for dinner.  The dinner was wonderful; there was salad, rolls, chicken, salmon, broccolini, carrots, rice and Key Lime pie for dessert.  Also available were bottles of sparkling tea and water.  

It had been a very pleasant but long day.  After dinner Randy and I returned to our room and settled down for a good’s night sleep.  Tomorrow we board a shuttle to downtown Key West. 

Enjoy,

Mary

Road trip to Destin

We are off on another road trip but this trip will be different than our day trip to Cedar Key.  This time we are traveling with our friends Doug and Sue as we make our way to the panhandle of Florida to the city of Destin, Florida.  The city of Destin was founded by fisherman Leonard Destin in 1845 and has become one of the most visited vacation spots on the Gulf Coast.

Emerald Grade at HarborWalk Village

The morning we left, the skies were blue with only a hint of wispy white clouds overhead; just a beautiful day for a long ride. When we finally arrived at our destination, I was a little taken aback at how many people we saw walking around town. It was hard to believe that there was a health emergency gripping our country.

We were really looking forward to this trip as we would be staying for a few days at the Emerald Grande at HarborWalk Village in a unit with a balcony overlooking the harbor.  As soon as we approached the reception desk we were informed about the health protocols that were in place during our stay.  Masks were to be worn whenever we were inside the resort, the unit was cleaned before we arrived and would not be cleaned again until we checked-out, if we needed anything we could call the reception desk and they would either hold it there or they would leave a bag outside our unit.  We were pleased to hear that precautions were being taken to insure a safe stay. 

I was happy that the resort had safety protocols in place during our visit but I too had taken some measures to ensure our safety. I added a new travel kit to our luggage that included a UV box to zap items that I used during the day outside the unit, extra masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and a package of alcohol wipes.

Our unit was lovely. We had a three bedroom, three bathroom unit with a large balcony overlooking the harbor.

View of the harbor from our balcony

I was in heaven! We looked around a bit then made our way down to the HarborWalk.  As we walked, we entertained a thought to find a restaurant at the harbor to enjoy a seafood dinner. We walked along and after peering into several restaurant windows that thought faded away. The restaurants were filled to capacity and although we were tempting fate by traveling away from home we were not willing to stretch fate to its limits.

We did not want to get back into the car to find a place to eat so we headed across the street in the direction of McGuire’s Irish Pub.  As we neared the restaurant there was a large crowd of people outside the pub waiting to get inside.  The crowd was enormous!

We continued our walk passed the crowd to a little pizza restaurant just next door called Vinny McGuire’s Pizza Pub.  We struck gold!  The building was empty save one couple at the bar and the restaurant in the rear was empty.  The restaurant seating consisted of booths, the lighting cast a yellow hue in the room and the walls were covered in posters and dollar bills.  “Very interesting”, I thought as I looked around.

We started with an appetizer called Boxtys.  We learned from our server that Boxtys are fried potato balls filled with creamy mashed potatoes, cheese and little bits of parsley with three dipping sauces.  They were yummy! Randy and I ordered a small pepperoni and extra cheese pizza.  Doug and Sue ordered a large three-topping pizza.  Everything was delicious

We returned to our unit and settled in on the balcony enjoying the activity down in the harbor and watching the sun set slowly below the horizon.

View from our balcony. We could really imagine that we were sitting on a cruise ship balcony. Nice!

The next day we woke up to overcast skies and choppy waters; Hurricane Delta was in the Gulf. There had been several storms in the Gulf region over the summer months turning the otherwise emerald greens waters to a mucky brown.

With no plan to stay but out of curiosity, we decided to take the pontoon boat over to the Emerald Grande’s private island. When we returned we took another stroll around the boardwalk and then around the resort.

The Boardwalk is a fun place with retail shops, restaurants, attractions, food trucks and access to many, many fun tour boats. There was a pirate boat that shot off a canon each time it left the harbor, a group of boats filled with tourist singing and having a grand time. But what I found very funny were the floating Tiki bars that plied the waters of the harbor and beyond. After our walk we returned to the unit and spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing on the balcony.

Floating Tiki bars. Very funny!

Like Vinny’s, the lighting in the pub had a yellow cast and the walls and ceiling were covered in dollar bills.

Today was Randy’s birthday so he got to choose where he wanted to go for dinner. He chose McGuire’s Irish Pub. After seeing the crowds the day before, we decided to go early. The restaurant was still busy but no crowds waiting outside and we were seated immediately.

Everything we ordered was delicious! Our meal started with an amazing dark brown bread dripping in melted butter and bowls of wonderful Senate Bean Soup. I love pub food so I ordered the Shepherd’s Pie.

The next two days we spent relaxing on the balcony reading, playing trivia games, playing games on our Ipads, watching all the activity in and around the harbor, taking a ride around the town, enjoying two very nice dinners at Miller’s Ale House and just enjoying each others company. We are very much cruise enthusiasts so sitting on the balcony and looking out at the Gulf and hearing the activity below gave us all a lovely, albeit a fleeting feeling like we were on a cruise. 

By the end of our lovely few days at the Emerald Grande I was so relaxed. Destin is truly a beautiful place to visit and I look forward to returning again sometime in the future.

Enjoy,

Mary

Road trip to Cedar Key

What a year! We started 2020 like so many hearing mixed messages about the growing threat of a virus that was starting to make its way around the world.  At the very beginning of the year we continued with a few short trips and then ventured over to the other side of world for what we hoped would be an amazing trip to the South Pacific. 

Our starting point was visiting a friend in Perth, Australia. From there, we planned on taking a trip to Bali, Indonesia and finally a cruise around the South Pacific.  Well, as you can imagine, that did not happen.  By March the virus had begun its stranglehold on the world causing many countries to start closing their borders.

We all agreed not to go to Bali for fear that we would not be able to get back into Australia.  Then we learned that our cruise had been canceled and immediately made arrangements to return to the U.S.  As I mentioned in the blog I wrote about our stay in Australia, as we settled in for the flight home we learned that we were on the last American Airlines plane out of Australia before their lockdown.  We were so glad we were on our way home.

As soon as we arrived home we settled in for a two-week self-confinement.  Once out from total confinement we found ourselves with lots of time on our hands.  For the last several years we had been on a roller coaster ride of traveling that left little time to catch up on all manner of things so we launched into dusting off our to-do list and set to work.

Every closet and drawer was cleaned out and reorganized, every room was given a thorough going over, we had a new driveway done, we had our kitchen countertops sanded and polished to a nice new shine, we had roller drawers installed in all the kitchen and bathroom cabinets and, I finally got caught up on posting

I woke up one day in August, looked at Randy and said, “Traveling to and from my grocery store, pharmacy and local restaurants for take-out has lost its luster. Let’s take a road trip”. 

After a little discussion we decided to take a trip to a little, quaint community among the many keys on the Gulf Coast of Florida called Cedar Key.  

With mask and hand sanitizer in hand, we were off.  It just felt so good to be away from the community for the day.  The ride was quiet and uneventful under a partly cloudy sky. 

We arrived in this small village, found a parking place by a little park.  There were a few people sitting here and there around the park just enjoying being outside.  As we walked along we saw a couple of families on the beach enjoying the water.  We walked along the small street looking for an outside restaurant to perhaps get some Gulf seafood.  We came across a restaurant that looked interesting and made a note to return to grab a bite to eat.

We passed a few hotels, shops, restaurants, and a boat ramp and eventually found ourselves walking out onto the fishing pier.  The view from the pier was lovely.  The Gulf was somewhat choppy but there were a few people in boats out in the gulf enjoying the day. 

We stood on the pier enjoying for quite a while taking in the and enjoying the view.  We made our way back to Duncan’s on the Gulf for lunch.  There is an upstairs and downstairs.  We decided to stay downstairs because that is where the open deck seating was located.  “Perfect”, I thought.

We took out seats on the deck with a wonderful view and a gentle, cool breeze.  I cannot express fully how wonderful it was to be, once again, in a restaurant. Oh my, I was a happy woman. 

We learned that Duncan’s is known for its, “Traditional South Florida’ fresh Seafood cooking”.  So, we both ordered the fried Gulf shrimp basket.  What a treat.  The shrimp were wonderfully tender, the tail shells had been removed and the coating light and tasty and the fries were really good too.  It felt so good to sit out in the fresh air, eat a delicious meal and watch the people on the fishing pier reel in their catches.  Watching the fishermen and women made for fun entertainment.  One fisherman brought in a long bundle of seaweed.  I thought that was too funny!

We lingered a little while after we finished our lunch and then it was time to make the return trip home.  Today was a very nice indeed!

Enjoy,

Mary

Here, there and everywhere – December Part IV

Costa Maya, Mexico

The last few days of our Christmas cruise aboard the Rhapsody of the seas was highlighted by a great deal of relaxation, enjoying a lovely afternoon in Costa Maya, Mexico and yet another delicious meal with an officer.

In the early morning hours of arriving at our next port-of-call, Costa Maya, Mexico we encountered turbulent seas.  I awoke and stepped out onto the balcony to watch a scene that can only be described as dangerous to the gentlemen trying to tie up the ship.

I watched as time after time, the ropes were lifted from the water with attempts to secure them to the dock only to see them fall away or snap off.  The turbulent water was making it very difficult.  I started to wonder if we would actually be able to dock this day. 

Docked along side of us was the Liberty of the seas

After numerous times, the ropes were finally secured, however, the ship was rocking quite a bit because of high winds.  Fortunately, another Royal ship arrived and blocked the wind from battering our ship and all was well. 

I love visiting Costa Maya.  Over the years we spent quite a bit of time exploring the port area and watched it develop into a major destination of fun, good food, entertainment and, of course, shopping.

In 2012 we had a wonderful time visiting the Kohunlich Mayan ruins. 

However, our favorite activity is to catch one of the tourist vehicles to Mahahual Beach. This lovely beach area is lined with restaurants , bars and shops with access to swimming, snorkeling and other water activities and is only a short distance from the cruise port. 

After a quick breakfast, we made our way along the pier, around the cruise port and and purchased our tickets for the ride to the beach.  These funny looking sculptures are perched near the ticket office.  They are really quite interesting and colorful.

It is only a short distance to the beach.  We are dropped off quite a way up the beach which is great as it gives a nice opportunity to walk along stopping here and there to see what is new in the shops. 

In the end we always end up at the same place, the Krazy Lobster.  This lovely restaurant is right on the beach with tables and chairs under cooling palm trees.  We ordered a bucket of beer and lunch and settled in for a wonderful afternoon of soft breezes through the palms and lively music.

Our last day on board we enjoyed a lovely “Diamond Plus Meal with an Officer” in the dining room.  I really enjoy this lunch as it gives us an opportunity to share some time with some of the wonderful men and women on board who work so hard to make our vacation a memorable one.

We were excited to be seated today with our very nice loyalty ambassador, Peter Ngene.  Peter is always gracious and eager to help and is quite funny. I ordered the Beef Fillet Wellington with creamy mashed potatoes, buttered broccoli, carrots and Béarnaise sauce.  It was all delicious!

This last week had been festive and just plain wonderful.  I am so glad we decided to spend the Christmas holiday on the Rhapsody.  We spent the rest of the day just walking around the ship looking at all the decorations once again.

After we finished packing, we spent a quiet evening on the balcony.  As we sat quietly in the dark, we talked quietly about our week and agreed that we would definitely have to do this again in the future.

Enjoy,

Mary

Here, there and everywhere – December Part III

“Christmas Eve ought to be a very joyful evening to us in all its associations, in all the truths which it naturally brings to the soul…. A man’s soul is to be as the heavens were on the night when the shepherds looked up and saw them full of angels as well as stars”. ~Henry Ward Beecher (1813–1887)

I woke up this Christmas Eve morning excited that for the next two days we would celebrating my very favorite holiday of the year; Christmas. 

I stepped out onto the balcony to see the sea the color of dark blue and a sky filled with dark clouds.  But I took heart because the forecast for the day would be bright blue skies and sparkling royal blue waters. 

We absolutely had nothing on our agenda today except to take a nice walk around the ship enjoying all the festive decorations.  Over the last few years we have noticed more and more that passengers are decorating their cabin doors with everything from twinkling lights, Christmas stockings, Santa hats, wreaths and more. 

We made our way to the Diamond Lounge for a simple breakfast of fruit, pastries and coffee.  Then we were on our way.  Our first stop was in the Centrum to admire the Christmas tree and the beautiful garland covering all the railings. 

Then we were off to one of my favorite rooms on the ship at Christmas time; the Edelweiss dining room where the railings and trees are all decked out in beautiful green garland covered with gold and silver ornaments. 

We stopped by the gingerbread display once again to admire the gingerbread church and the beautiful crèche just below. A nice reminder of what the holiday is all about. Then it was back to the cabin to enjoy the beautiful view from our balcony.

The quiet of our afternoon was only broken once when a plate of cheese and crackers was delivered courtesy of the Crown & Anchor Society. A very nice and welcomed afternoon snack.

It seemed as though time just drifted by and suddenly it was time to prepare for the evening.  We joined others in the Diamond Lounge for cocktails and then on to dinner.  Tonight’s menu included one of my very favorite choices. I just love the carved filet of beef tenderloins with Morel-crimini mushroom sauce, creamy mashed potatoes and asparagus.

We returned to our cabin for an evening of excited anticipation about what Christmas morning held for us both.

“Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas”. ~Calvin Coolidge, 1927

We woke up on Christmas morning to a glorious day!  The sky was blue, the waters calm and the air filled with a gentle breeze. 

First things first, set the stage for an at home Christmas morning.  First, turn on the television to the channel featuring a beautiful crackling fire.  While I was setting the stage, Randy ran up to the Diamond Lounge for fetch cups of hot café lattes for us both.  We donned our Santa hats and proceeded to open the lovely green and red packages under our Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

What fun!  We had a great time opening and admiring our Christmas gifts.  After all the packages were open we looked at each other and said, “Of course, the best Christmas gift of all is that we are together”. 

We then made our way to the Diamond Lounge to wish Alan a very Merry Christmas and present him with our gift. Alan surprised us with a gift bag of little candies from his country.  “How wonderful”, I thought as we hugged and wished each other Merry Christmas.

We then made our way back to the cabin because today we dock at Cozumel, Mexico.  So not only are we celebrating Christmas at sea but we will be enjoying lunch at one of our favorite restaurants in Cozumel, Ernesto’s Fajita Factory.

We discovered Ernesto’s Fajita Factory several years ago and have enjoyed returning many times since when visiting Cozumel.  As always we enjoyed bottles of ice cold SOL beer, shared our favorite combination plate called Plato Mexicano, fresh salsa and chips and topped it off with a slice of their version of a Key Lime pie. Everything was delicious!

We returned to our cabin and discovered a lovely box of Belgian chocolates had been placed under our little Charlie Brown Christmas tree.  What a nice surprise from the Crown & Anchor Society. 

Our evening was extra special with a delicious holiday meal of roasted turkey and all the fixings and a delicious miniature Yule log for dessert.  While enjoying our dessert the wait staff gathered on the stairs and sang a medley of holiday favorites. Lovely, just lovely.

We returned to our cabin for an evening by the fire and enjoy the memories of this beautiful day in quiet thoughtfulness. 

Tomorrow we arrive at our next port-of-call, Costa Maya, Mexico.

Enjoy,

Mary

Here, there and everywhere – December Part II

I woke up seeing light streaming through the balcony door and realized that I had slept through the sunrise.  Not only did I miss the sunrise but I also realized that I had slept nine hours.  “What a great night’s sleep”, I thought to myself.

A few minutes after waking, a gentle knock broke the quiet. Our continental breakfast had arrived. Our lite breakfast included of a lovely plate of fresh fruit, a tasty plate of fresh pastries and orange juice from room service.  Randy made a quick run up to the concierge lounge and brought back cups of café lattes.

We proceeded out to our wonderful balcony under a cloud filled sky and slight chilly breeze.  By the time we finished our breakfast the sun’s rays had melted away the clouds promising a lovely, sunny day.

Today we dock in Key West, Florida.  Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida and the southernmost city in the contiguous United States.  Key West is 4 miles long and 1 mile wide and lies at the southernmost end of U.S. 1. Key West has a population of 24,171. 

We were not going to reach our port until 2:00pm so we dressed and took a leisurely walk around the promenade deck, stopped in the shops to see what was new and then stopped to admire a beautiful Gingerbread Christmas Village display. We had seen the village on the first day but today we stopped and looked at all the different designs employed the various chef’s to create this lovely display. The village was really quite festive looking and, I am sure, deliciously inviting for some of the younger passengers on board.

Photo taken in 2017 visiting Key West with our friends Doug and Sue!

The time had finally arrived for us to prepare for our short visit to the city.  We boarded the shuttle into town and, once again, were given a wonderful and colorful history of the city.  We have been here several times over the last several years and have always enjoyed walking around town.  During other visits we have visited the southernmost point, Duval Street, Sloppy Joes, Caroline’s and Ernest Hemingway’s Home and Museum and enjoyed it all. 

Historic St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Duval Street

Today however, we had two missions to accomplish; one to find a gift for our wonderful diamond concierge, Alan and after dark to walk down Duval Street to the see the city lit up a decorated for the holidays.

We accomplished the first after popping into several shops along Duval Street.  As we walked around I found myself a little disappointed because while on our visit here in 2017 the town was festooned with decorations everywhere. This visit there were not many decorations at all save the wreaths around the lampposts. 

After we finished our shopping we decided to walk back to catch the shuttle and return to the ship.  As we were walking along, we spotted the sign for the Hog’s Breath Saloon and decided to stop in for a cold beer.  The bar and restaurant were very full.  After waiting for a few minutes we managed to grab two stools at the bar and settled in.  The atmosphere was lively, the bartender was very funny and best of all, the beer was very cold.

We returned to our cabin to find two lovely surprises. One was a bottle of Cabernet from the Hotel Director and the other was a lovely plate of chocolate covered strawberries from the Crown & Anchor Society. “Well“, I thought, “I know where we are going to have happy hour this afternoon“.

We sat on the balcony and enjoyed our private happy hour and then made preparations for dinner and the rest of our evening. Dinner was wonderful as always. After dinner we made our way to the Diamond Lounge to say, “Hello” to Alan and enjoy an after dinner cocktail.

We returned to the cabin and watched as the ship slowly pushed away from the pier and started its journey to our next port-of-call, Cozumel, Mexico.

Enjoy,

Mary