2022--Fort Lauderdale
Day One--Monday, January, 24, 2022 (Preamble)
I’m tired. I seem to start an awful lot of my letters and blogs this way anymore. It’s stress from work, plain and simple. I have had three years of extra work, labor shortages, and odd things to deal with and it has really started to affect my ability to recuperate. But, on the plus side, I am getting better. This past Friday night my neck and shoulders were so tight it was painful. Saturday, still very tight, but the headache that came with this, was mostly gone. Sunday, headache gone, and just very tight across my shoulders. This morning, just a little tightness, and fatigue. It did not help that both Friday and Saturday, when I am supposed to be on vacation, I put in 1 ½ hours logged into work, to finish up some things. This is as bad as it has ever been, and I am running out of steam.
I don’t know about the quality of sleep I have been getting. If I get nine hours in the sack, I will be up a couple of times, relieving my bladder, and wake up Ok. But, by afternoon, I am dragging again. If I don’t get nine hours, and I usually don’t, I am tired to one degree or another all day. So, the hope for this trip is that I am able to completely disconnect from work, relax, and recharge.
Now that the whining is out of the way, time to talk about the trip. This one is special. Pam and Jayme, plus Sally and Chuck are going. We have been talking about a family trip since the fall of 2020. It was originally going to be a cruise, but COVID took care of that. Instead of the restrictions getting better, for the cruises, they started bad, got worse, and then have not improved. We aren’t going on a cruise again, until we feel we can enjoy one.
Which gets us to this trip. With cruises to Alaska and the Caribbean off the table, I suggested Ft Lauderdale. If we went in January we could steal back a week from winter, and enjoy a new area together. I thought about suggesting Orlando, but this trip was going to be expensive as it was, and putting Disney and or Universal Studios in was going to make it onerous, not to mention hectic. My last trip, to Las Vegas in August was hectic enough. This trip needs to be relaxing. We are planning several activities, but there should be time to just sit around and watch the world go by. Ordinarily, that would bother me. I like to go someplace and see everything. This time, I just want to relax.
So, right now, we are sitting at DIA waiting for our plane to arrive, so we can board. So, far, everything is on schedule, but Southwest had been hit hard by COVID, their own planning shortcomings, and labor issues unrelated to the pandemic. They have cancelled thousands of flights since the holidays. We were worried that ours was going to be on that list. So far, we are OK. I don’t think I will really start to relax, until we get our rental car. It is supposed to be a big Ford Expedition. I am worried they are going to shrug their shoulders and say sorry we don’t have a big enough vehicle. It is always something..
I don’t know about the quality of sleep I have been getting. If I get nine hours in the sack, I will be up a couple of times, relieving my bladder, and wake up Ok. But, by afternoon, I am dragging again. If I don’t get nine hours, and I usually don’t, I am tired to one degree or another all day. So, the hope for this trip is that I am able to completely disconnect from work, relax, and recharge.
Now that the whining is out of the way, time to talk about the trip. This one is special. Pam and Jayme, plus Sally and Chuck are going. We have been talking about a family trip since the fall of 2020. It was originally going to be a cruise, but COVID took care of that. Instead of the restrictions getting better, for the cruises, they started bad, got worse, and then have not improved. We aren’t going on a cruise again, until we feel we can enjoy one.
Which gets us to this trip. With cruises to Alaska and the Caribbean off the table, I suggested Ft Lauderdale. If we went in January we could steal back a week from winter, and enjoy a new area together. I thought about suggesting Orlando, but this trip was going to be expensive as it was, and putting Disney and or Universal Studios in was going to make it onerous, not to mention hectic. My last trip, to Las Vegas in August was hectic enough. This trip needs to be relaxing. We are planning several activities, but there should be time to just sit around and watch the world go by. Ordinarily, that would bother me. I like to go someplace and see everything. This time, I just want to relax.
So, right now, we are sitting at DIA waiting for our plane to arrive, so we can board. So, far, everything is on schedule, but Southwest had been hit hard by COVID, their own planning shortcomings, and labor issues unrelated to the pandemic. They have cancelled thousands of flights since the holidays. We were worried that ours was going to be on that list. So far, we are OK. I don’t think I will really start to relax, until we get our rental car. It is supposed to be a big Ford Expedition. I am worried they are going to shrug their shoulders and say sorry we don’t have a big enough vehicle. It is always something..
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9:50 PM---Same Day
So far so good. We boarded the plane about 10 minutes late. I think there were a lot of extra people who needed some extra attention, so instead of leaving at 10:35, it was more like 10:50 before we left. The flight itself was uneventful, if long. It was a bit over three hours old. Even though we had checked in at the first possible second, our boarding position had been in the mid Bs. That meant we were in the back of the plane. So, even after we landing it took forever to get off. Margo and I, and Sally and Chuck had gotten a row to ourselves. But, Pam and Jayme shared one with a lady of Indian descent. But, she had lived in Florida since she was three years old. Pam spent most of the flight picking her brain about the area. |
Our shared Balcony
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My concerns about the rental car were unfounded, mostly. We got the exact vehicle as promised. It would seat eight. It would have been tough to find room for the luggage if we there had been eight of us. Impossible? No. We would have managed. But, it would have been tight. Margo drove, but the GPS, my phone, and Pam’s phone each appeared to have three different ways to get to the hotel. We eventually settled on letting the GPS device I brought, get us there. But, first it needed to take us through a restricted area at Port Everglades. That was interesting. Margo had to surrender her driver’s license, drive 10 yards, turn around to the other side of the check point, and then pick her license back up. We were at Lago Mar Beach Resort about 10 minutes later.
The hotel seemed to be in an area with a residential feel to it. Definitely not a thru street and not easy to find without the GPS. But, we found it pretty easy. Check in was fine. No cash or credit card at the hotel. Everything will end up on our room account. If we had been on a cruise, it would have been the same way. I am noticing that they, the hotel, tries hard to keep you on the property. Nice beach. Pool. Nice amenities. At least half a dozen restaurants. No outside food or drink. High prices. But, no resort fee and no charge for parking. It will make a nice base, but we are going to have to watch what we spend here. But, on the other hand, we are on vacation and saving money is not at the very top of the list.
Anyway, we got checked in and we are all on the second floor of the main building. Our view is of the compound between buildings. Each of rooms has a balcony. Jayme’s and Sally’s have a tiny balcony. Margo and I have a shared, very large balcony, with four other rooms. It has lots of chairs. Not sure if it will get much use. But, it is there
The hotel seemed to be in an area with a residential feel to it. Definitely not a thru street and not easy to find without the GPS. But, we found it pretty easy. Check in was fine. No cash or credit card at the hotel. Everything will end up on our room account. If we had been on a cruise, it would have been the same way. I am noticing that they, the hotel, tries hard to keep you on the property. Nice beach. Pool. Nice amenities. At least half a dozen restaurants. No outside food or drink. High prices. But, no resort fee and no charge for parking. It will make a nice base, but we are going to have to watch what we spend here. But, on the other hand, we are on vacation and saving money is not at the very top of the list.
Anyway, we got checked in and we are all on the second floor of the main building. Our view is of the compound between buildings. Each of rooms has a balcony. Jayme’s and Sally’s have a tiny balcony. Margo and I have a shared, very large balcony, with four other rooms. It has lots of chairs. Not sure if it will get much use. But, it is there
Playing with the panorama feature on the camera. The balcony is circular
We had a nice lunch at The Soda Shop. It is a combination convenience store and lunch counter. It is more upscale and trendier that that description. The six of us, it was over $100 including tip. We all hamburgers and such, and soft drinks. Not outrageous, but this is one of their cheaper options. We had a good time cutting up, or what passes for that amongst the 50-something crowd we occupy. But, it was nice to laugh.
We found the resident bar and had several $12 cocktails. Chuck and Sally bought drinks. Jayme and Pam bought dinner. We need to make sure that we take care of breakfast in the morning. More laughs over drinks. By the end of the night, I was finally feeling that I was on vacation. Now, I just need to enjoy the next three days.
We found the resident bar and had several $12 cocktails. Chuck and Sally bought drinks. Jayme and Pam bought dinner. We need to make sure that we take care of breakfast in the morning. More laughs over drinks. By the end of the night, I was finally feeling that I was on vacation. Now, I just need to enjoy the next three days.
Day Two--Tuesday, January 25, 2022
Today was going to be in our day in the Everglades. I say was, because, Yea, it has already happened. But, first we had to get to there. I was worried that I was not going to sleep well. I was worried Margo was not going to sleep well. We slept pretty well. Margo was stuffed up and snored most of the night. But, she slept for eight hours, in the bed, which for her has been rare. I still had some trouble with my neck and shoulders, but I still had restful sleep. My alarm was set for 7:00 and I was up at 6:30. Margo’s alarm went off right after I had decided to get up, if she didn’t when her alarm signaled the start of her day. She shut it off and was snoring again in seconds.
She was up in ten minutes anyway. I went through my normal morning routine, feeling pretty well. My neck was still a bit stiff, as I did fight the pillows a bit. But, the shower all but removed that. It had great water pressure. If the water could have gotten a little hotter, I think that would have erased the last soreness and tension. Progress.
Jayme, Pam, Sally and Chuck all met at our door before 8:00. I had kind of decided that we should try the hotel’s breakfast buffet, because I wanted to eliminate the unknowns of leaving the hotel grounds. We had over an hour drive to get to Coopertown, and I had no real idea what to expect with traffic. Everyone thought the buffet was a good idea, so that is what we did. The food was OK. Nothing special. It was not bad, but just not really good either. Still, we had a good time talking and laughing, and the calories set us up for the rest of the day.
She was up in ten minutes anyway. I went through my normal morning routine, feeling pretty well. My neck was still a bit stiff, as I did fight the pillows a bit. But, the shower all but removed that. It had great water pressure. If the water could have gotten a little hotter, I think that would have erased the last soreness and tension. Progress.
Jayme, Pam, Sally and Chuck all met at our door before 8:00. I had kind of decided that we should try the hotel’s breakfast buffet, because I wanted to eliminate the unknowns of leaving the hotel grounds. We had over an hour drive to get to Coopertown, and I had no real idea what to expect with traffic. Everyone thought the buffet was a good idea, so that is what we did. The food was OK. Nothing special. It was not bad, but just not really good either. Still, we had a good time talking and laughing, and the calories set us up for the rest of the day.
Sunrise from the balcony
We were on our way by about 9 AM. Coopertown is home of Coopertown Airboats. They bill themselves as the original airboat tour company, in business since 1945. They had good reviews and also offered a private tour, that was longer and more off the beaten path. That was for us. We would be out longer, and it would just be us.
Traffic was fine. A few slow parts, but mostly just the length. I had a longer route planned the Google Maps fastest route so, I could avoid toll rolls. I learned a long time ago, that paying tolls is usually worth the price. But, I have been burned by getting a toll using a rental car. I think I paid a $50 penalty for the rental car company to pay the $2 toll for me. So, the drive was a little long for me. Everyone else treated this like it was just part of the adventure. I was thankful for that, because it did help to short the drive, listening to the friendly banter.
We got there at about 10:15 and I figured that we had a 45 minute wait. Nope they checked us in, told us they were gassing the boat up and we would be leaving soon. We all went to the very pungent restrooms, checked out the gift shop and we by 10:40 we were in the airboat with Kevin, our pilot and guide.
But, on the way to the airboat we saw a very pretty bird, a Purple Gallinule. I never got a great picture, I will have to see if one of the others did, but this one was special. Evidently this particular bird had been adopted by the Coopertown people. They would feed it various things that the National Parks Service would not approve of, and was not afraid of people.
Pam was 15 feet behind the group, and all of a sudden this bird flew up and landed on her shoulder. She was thrilled and yelled for Jayme to come take her picture. I was a lot closer, so I had my phone out and was just bringing it up, when she yelled “Owwww!” Evidently Little Peckerhead, Pam’s name for said bird, was not the most patient creature in the area, and when Pam failed to give him a treat, he pecked her head to encourage her along. I snapped a picture, but I don’t think the bird was even still there. This made for a reliving of the incident each time we saw another one of this species all day.
Traffic was fine. A few slow parts, but mostly just the length. I had a longer route planned the Google Maps fastest route so, I could avoid toll rolls. I learned a long time ago, that paying tolls is usually worth the price. But, I have been burned by getting a toll using a rental car. I think I paid a $50 penalty for the rental car company to pay the $2 toll for me. So, the drive was a little long for me. Everyone else treated this like it was just part of the adventure. I was thankful for that, because it did help to short the drive, listening to the friendly banter.
We got there at about 10:15 and I figured that we had a 45 minute wait. Nope they checked us in, told us they were gassing the boat up and we would be leaving soon. We all went to the very pungent restrooms, checked out the gift shop and we by 10:40 we were in the airboat with Kevin, our pilot and guide.
But, on the way to the airboat we saw a very pretty bird, a Purple Gallinule. I never got a great picture, I will have to see if one of the others did, but this one was special. Evidently this particular bird had been adopted by the Coopertown people. They would feed it various things that the National Parks Service would not approve of, and was not afraid of people.
Pam was 15 feet behind the group, and all of a sudden this bird flew up and landed on her shoulder. She was thrilled and yelled for Jayme to come take her picture. I was a lot closer, so I had my phone out and was just bringing it up, when she yelled “Owwww!” Evidently Little Peckerhead, Pam’s name for said bird, was not the most patient creature in the area, and when Pam failed to give him a treat, he pecked her head to encourage her along. I snapped a picture, but I don’t think the bird was even still there. This made for a reliving of the incident each time we saw another one of this species all day.
First View of Coopertown and the Everglades
Pam and the Little Peckerhead
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Sally getting a mug shot of "Little Peckerhead"
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Kevin turned out to be a Miami native who worked at Coppertown for the last 3 ½ years. As promised, we were the only ones on the boat, with Jayme getting the co-pilot’s seat. Margo, me, and Pam in front of him, and Chuck and Sally with front seats.
To me, it looked like there were groomed trails for the airboats to follow. When I asked, Kevin said that these were canals that were dredged out by the Army Corp of Engineers, in the 20’s. But, we did not necessarily follow the canals or channels. There times when he just motored over top of grass that was 12”-18”, seemingly without a concern. I don’t want to say I was constantly worried about hitting a rock or sunken log, but every time we went over area that had grass about the waterline, it crossed my mind. Riding in the airboat was not unlike riding in any other boat. It was much louder as there was a Chevy V-8 behind us, with unmuffled headers. We were given ear protection to wear, so that was not so bad. We were all sitting on benches, which were elevated above the waterline, so it was unlike a canoe. But we were not super high, so it did not feel like an boat you might ski behind. There were not waves, so it was a smooth ride, with the wind and sun in your face, and an unfettered view in front of you. We made a stop so he could tell us about hardwood hammocks, which were essentially little islands, and give us the opportunity to ask questions. I asked about the draft of the boat, and he said that once we got going he would need, what I thought he said was a quarter inch of water. I think he said, as this was deeper |
Kevin, our Captain, Pilot, and Guide
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Our Airboat, docked at Duck Club
Co-pilot Jayme making sure an alligator did not sneak up on us.
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draft boat, it would float in about 10 inches of water, or something like that.
He told us it was currently the dry season, but they had gotten a lot of rain. So much so, that a lot of the migratory birds were choosing shallow waters in places like Big Cypress to visit, as it was easier to get food. But, on the plus side, he said that with so much water, he would really have to do something stupid to get us stuck somewhere. Our second stop was at The Duck Club, an old, 1950s era, hunting cabin, build out in the middle of nowhere, for members of the hunting lodge to have a place to spend the night after bagging their limit of ducks. It was constructed on a hammock, and doesn’t look very inviting right now. But, in its heyday, it must have been something, with a pair of bathrooms, bedrooms, gas stove, a refrigerator, and plenty of room in general. It is thought that President Eisenhower visited, although I am not sure if he was president at the time. We got to look around for about 15 minutes and then it was time to head back. |
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One of the things that kind of surprised me about this whole Everglades trip, is that there were no bugs to speak of. I have heard that in the summer the mosquitos are as bad as you can imagine, and make life miserable. I think I swatted away one flying insect the whole day.
The Duck Club. More impressive when you consider it is out in the middle of nowhere and over 60 years old
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On the way back we finally got to see an alligator. Kevin knew the most likely spots and kept an eye out for them. They are not green. They are black, and they look like someone pitched an old tire into the water. They do not appear to breathe, and they don’t move. At least the ones we saw, did not. But, they were alive, and just trying to soak up some heat. January is the cold time of the year for them, so catching some sun was important.
There were spots like this that were just so pretty.
Our first alligator-It looked like an old tire
Kevin and a 4 year old. We could not touch him. National Park rules or something
We made our mandatory visit to the gift shop and spend 20-30 minutes in their very small animal park. It has a couple of turtles and three or four alligators. The alligators were all pretty large, but none of them were moving. Several TripAdvisor reviewers accused Coopertown of using stone alligators. I will say this, they did look like stone, until something moved. Usually not much, an eye opens, or a leg shifts, you could not see them breathe, but they were alive. But, that was enough for us. We had time to go to the national park, so that was our next task. |
Kevin told us about several invasive species in the Everglades, notably the Burmese Python. Irresponsible pet owners, wanting to rid themselves of an animal who will keep growing and become nearly impossible to house and expensive to feed, would take their snake out to the Everglades and release it. That practice might have started the population, but in 1992, Hurricane Andrew destroyed a Python breeding facility and released a bunch of snakes, in that one area, all at once. That probably gave them the permanent population they now have. Females can kick out 100 eggs per year.
The Everglade is a perfect spot for them. They have no natural enemies. There used to be plenty of food, and the climate was like home. They thrived and have now nearly wiped out the rabbits, raccoons, opossum, bobcats and rats in the area. They eat birds and even deer. There is practically an open season on them in Florida, as they try to eradicate the menace. We had a good time on this tour and learned a lot. After we got back We had lunch at their little restaurant. Pam ordered up some gator nuggets and we all tried some. No one really seemed to be impressed. I thought they were rubbery and tasted like tough, gamey, chicken. Pam said she would eat them again. 
Gator Nuggets
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This guy was at Coopertown, but not in a cage. He just crawls up out of the canal. They have some plastic fencing to discourage him from coming up further. If he does they get a broomstick and shoo him away. I would trade snow for this.
In the car we discussed the prior adventure. Chuck, who was being stoic about most everything, said he was enjoying all of this, stating that the airboat had been “pretty cool”. I think that was the consensus for all of us.
It took us about 15 minutes to drive from Coopertown to the Shark Valley Visitor’s center in Everglades National Park. I had originally planned to take a tram tour out to the observation tower they have out in the middle of nowhere, but when I went to book an early one, they were full. I checked the day before we left and there were several afternoon slots open, so I though we had a chance.
We arrived, using Pam’s National Parks pass to save us $30, and I went straight to the ticket counter to see if they had anything available on the next tram. They were selling tickets for the 3 PM tram, and it was just after 2 PM. The person selling tickets had spots for us, so I bought six tickets, and told everyone we had about an hour to kill. That proved pretty easy to do, in that they had two small gift shops and several displays.
We all stowed our purchases and waited for our tram. I am not sure the tram was full, but it was covered with the sides open, so it would be easy to take pictures from either side. As we had only seen two alligators, and not a lot of other wildlife, we hoped to see much more. Pam, Jayme, and Sally had all expressed preference of what they wanted to see or see again.
It took us about 15 minutes to drive from Coopertown to the Shark Valley Visitor’s center in Everglades National Park. I had originally planned to take a tram tour out to the observation tower they have out in the middle of nowhere, but when I went to book an early one, they were full. I checked the day before we left and there were several afternoon slots open, so I though we had a chance.
We arrived, using Pam’s National Parks pass to save us $30, and I went straight to the ticket counter to see if they had anything available on the next tram. They were selling tickets for the 3 PM tram, and it was just after 2 PM. The person selling tickets had spots for us, so I bought six tickets, and told everyone we had about an hour to kill. That proved pretty easy to do, in that they had two small gift shops and several displays.
We all stowed our purchases and waited for our tram. I am not sure the tram was full, but it was covered with the sides open, so it would be easy to take pictures from either side. As we had only seen two alligators, and not a lot of other wildlife, we hoped to see much more. Pam, Jayme, and Sally had all expressed preference of what they wanted to see or see again.
On the Tram ride. This was the first we saw, but they would become commonplace
We had seen the two alligators, White Egrets and Great Blue Herons on the airboat ride, but all of these would become almost common place on the trip out to the Observation Tower and on the way back. We saw a few red shouldered hawks, several more of the purple gallinules, and we were told to keep our eye out for a crocodile, which had been spotted in the area.
Shark Valley Observation Tower
Photo courtesy of National Park Service/ A Martinez
We arrived at the tower and it had a long circular inclined ramp to get to the top. It was much easier than dealing with stairs. But, Margo was tired and did not want to go. She sent the rest of us and stayed in the tram and enjoyed what was down in the area, or more likely nodded off for a few minutes.
The view was pretty good. The Everglades is pretty flat. I think our airboat captain told this area had an elevation of 11 inches. One of the islands might be four feet. You could see from horizon to horizon. I took a few pictures. Looking down, over the railings we saw several large alligators sunning themselves. When we got back on the tram someone said they had seen the crocodile, but none of the animals we saw had the pointy nose and teeth visible when the mouth is closed, like croc has. So, I don’t know where they saw it.
The view was pretty good. The Everglades is pretty flat. I think our airboat captain told this area had an elevation of 11 inches. One of the islands might be four feet. You could see from horizon to horizon. I took a few pictures. Looking down, over the railings we saw several large alligators sunning themselves. When we got back on the tram someone said they had seen the crocodile, but none of the animals we saw had the pointy nose and teeth visible when the mouth is closed, like croc has. So, I don’t know where they saw it.
Really beautiful
That is not prairie. It is all wetlands, with a few hardwood hammocks. You could drive an airboat on any of the brown you see
The trip back had our guide tell us a story about a python eating a hibernating alligator whole. When the alligator woke up, it ripped its way out of the snake. There is supposed to be a YouTube video of the aftermath. I haven’t looked for it. She, Amanda, also told us to google the story of Gypsy the Python. She said this story is why python ownership is now illegal in Florida. We did and a baby died in this story. I think I will skip it, same as she did.
When we finally got back and got in the car it was dinner time. But, we spent the next half hour talking about the day. We had all enjoyed both trips into the Everglades. We stopped on the way out of the park and collected our national park sign picture.
We had dinner at Cracker Barrel, in Pembroke Pines. I suggest the restaurant about three miles past the exit, so we turned around. It was worth it. We all like the comfort food that they serve. We got back to the hotel at about 9 PM. We had drinks outside this time. The little rain that we got did not ruin our fun. I ended up writing until about 11 PM and then off to bed.
When we finally got back and got in the car it was dinner time. But, we spent the next half hour talking about the day. We had all enjoyed both trips into the Everglades. We stopped on the way out of the park and collected our national park sign picture.
We had dinner at Cracker Barrel, in Pembroke Pines. I suggest the restaurant about three miles past the exit, so we turned around. It was worth it. We all like the comfort food that they serve. We got back to the hotel at about 9 PM. We had drinks outside this time. The little rain that we got did not ruin our fun. I ended up writing until about 11 PM and then off to bed.
Last look before heading back to the tram
Day Three--Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Lago Mar Beach Resort
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Margo and I were up at 7 AM, because we had told the other to meet at the room at 8:15. They are all early risers and would be there early. I suggested that we try a place called Joes’ Café a short driver from the hotel. The hotel breakfast is kind of expensive for what you get, and I thought the food just OK.
We found the place easily enough and it seemed to be filled with locals. I thought the food was better than the hotel, but Jayme though the potatoes were burnt, and inedible. Oh, well. We tried. Everyone is still having a good time. There are plenty of jokes and catching up, and “did you hear about” or “have you heard from” going on. It was really nice to just sit an relax. We were on a schedule, but it was not tight. We were not in a rush. We left Joe’s to go ride Segways this morning. Our tour was scheduled for 11 AM and were arrived 50 minutes early. Our guide, Solomon, showed up about ten minutes later and started getting set up. I had worried that there might be as many as 20 people on the tour, but I was told it was just us. Good deal. We were looking forward to this, and it would be like a private tour without the extra cost. |
Margo and I have ridden Segways eight other times. Jayme and Pam, once prior, and Chuck and Sally were brand new to the experience. Riding a Segway is fun. It can be tiring, hard on the feet and knees, but it is a hoot. You always get basic instruction before you go out in the world, but these machines are not hard to master. You get the hang of them in minutes. Literally the hardest thing about them is getting on or off. Solomon gave us explicit instructions that he was to help us with those two tasks. So, I was expecting no problems on this tour.
We were slated for an hour, which for me is enough, without a break. We rode along the New River and the Rio Vista area. Rio Vista is the second oldest neighborhood in Ft Lauderdale, and homes range from the poverty stricken two million dollar places to those approaching 30 million.
We were slated for an hour, which for me is enough, without a break. We rode along the New River and the Rio Vista area. Rio Vista is the second oldest neighborhood in Ft Lauderdale, and homes range from the poverty stricken two million dollar places to those approaching 30 million.
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One of the first places we stopped was a Huizenga Plaza. It was named for Wayne Huizenga, the billionaire founder of AutoNation, Blockbuster, and Waste Management. He also owned the Miami Dolphins, Florida Marlins, and Florida Panthers. We would hear Mr. Huizenga’s story on every tour we took over the next several days, seeing homes he or a relative had purchased.
We saw a lot of nice houses and cars. The Huizenga name kept coming up, with one mansion being given to Mr. Huizenga’s niece, who then had it made to resemble something that might be from Harry Potter, had HP lived in southern Florida. It did not look gaudy, just different. It oozed money, though, as did most of the houses. We saw some impressive trees, like a pair of African Mahogany and a Gumbo Limbo tree. That one is also called the Tourist Tree, because it has peeling, red bark. Ha. Ha.
We saw a lot of nice houses and cars. The Huizenga name kept coming up, with one mansion being given to Mr. Huizenga’s niece, who then had it made to resemble something that might be from Harry Potter, had HP lived in southern Florida. It did not look gaudy, just different. It oozed money, though, as did most of the houses. We saw some impressive trees, like a pair of African Mahogany and a Gumbo Limbo tree. That one is also called the Tourist Tree, because it has peeling, red bark. Ha. Ha.
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The hour went fast and soon we were back at the Hoch Heritage Center where we started. We all needed a bathroom break, so we walked a couple of blocks to a bar called Fat Cats. It had a biker bar feel to it, but only had two other people in it. We went to the bathroom, and decided to order a round. The girls immediately went for the foo-foo drinks. The bartender, who was very nice, did have a touristy menu with those kinds of drinks, but said it did not get a lot us use. Jayme and I had Bud lights. But, like I said the bartender was really nice. He looked like he could handle his normal crowd, but bent over backwards to make us feel welcome.
After quenching our thirst, we did not have anything on our agenda until late afternoon, so I suggested we go back to the hotel and check out the beach. I had no intention of getting in the water, but the thought of sitting in a lounger in the warm sunshine did sound appealing.
We all went up to our rooms to change as we saw fit, and then we would meet back on the beach. Margo and I were the last ones down. Chuck and Sally had commandeered one of the $32 per day loungers and umbrellas that Lago Mar rents. They also provide free loungers, but no umbrellas. Jayme and Pam were off to the side with free loungers, and Margo and I did the same.
We had also grabbed towels. I thought I might use mine as a pillow, but it made an effective sun visor, and I was soon nodding off, while listening on and off to the conversations about me. It really was nice, not to have a care in the world for a few moments, and the biggest worry was how to keep the sun from giving you a headache.
We were out there for about an hour, when someone suggested ice cream. The Soda Shop was nearby, so that is what we did. We ate inside and finished most of our treats, then we went outside to sit in the shade and people watch. Sally and Chuck went to their room to shower. Pam and Margo found the Resort Shop. Jayme and I got comfortable and did nothing. It was nice, and I did not feel like moving from that spot. But, we had to. We left about 5 PM for 6 PM dinner cruise.
After quenching our thirst, we did not have anything on our agenda until late afternoon, so I suggested we go back to the hotel and check out the beach. I had no intention of getting in the water, but the thought of sitting in a lounger in the warm sunshine did sound appealing.
We all went up to our rooms to change as we saw fit, and then we would meet back on the beach. Margo and I were the last ones down. Chuck and Sally had commandeered one of the $32 per day loungers and umbrellas that Lago Mar rents. They also provide free loungers, but no umbrellas. Jayme and Pam were off to the side with free loungers, and Margo and I did the same.
We had also grabbed towels. I thought I might use mine as a pillow, but it made an effective sun visor, and I was soon nodding off, while listening on and off to the conversations about me. It really was nice, not to have a care in the world for a few moments, and the biggest worry was how to keep the sun from giving you a headache.
We were out there for about an hour, when someone suggested ice cream. The Soda Shop was nearby, so that is what we did. We ate inside and finished most of our treats, then we went outside to sit in the shade and people watch. Sally and Chuck went to their room to shower. Pam and Margo found the Resort Shop. Jayme and I got comfortable and did nothing. It was nice, and I did not feel like moving from that spot. But, we had to. We left about 5 PM for 6 PM dinner cruise.
We arrived at the correct place at about 5:10 PM and a rude employee told us our cruise was cancelled, because they did not have enough cruisers to make it worth their effort. Pam had gone up to check us in, while Margo took my picture in front of the boat. When I was called up, this lady starts telling me it is not her fault that they had been trying to call me since 3 PM. OK. I get it, but no one was in her face or yelling at her. I did not understand while she was being accusatory and rude. No “I’m sorry”. “You gave us the wrong number and we could not contact you.” OK. I get it a mistake was made somewhere. No one was even asking why they had not contacted us. We were disappointed, but it wasn’t the end of the world. If we had to pick one thing to be unavailable, this might have been third on the list for me. I cared, but I wasn’t heart broke. We just decided to go get dinner. We were all hungry.
We were supposed to be on this ship
The original plan was to go to the Hard Rock Resort and eat at one of their many restaurants. Pam was reading the menus to the various places there. She was searching for seafood, plus something the rest of us would enjoy. Sally is allergic to shrimp, so avoids even having them cooked with her food. Everything there ended up being too foo-foo, expensive, or not appealing. Someone suggested a steakhouse and Pam or Jayme found a Longhorn not far from where we were.
It was a good thing, as the highways were a mess. We were bogged down to zero miles per hour, and then move a car length or two. Margo was doing great managing that land yacht by Ford, but I don’t do well in traffic. It grates on me, so I was happy to get off at the next exit.
Longhorn ended up being a great idea. We all loved the food. Jayme got a Triple Chocolate Cheesecake for dessert, after I promised to eat some of it. It was really good. I had a couple of bites. I will definitely leave room for dessert should I visit another Longhorn.
We were back at the hotel by about 8 PM. We had our, now usual evening cocktail. The girls had mostly fallen in love with Blue Hawaiians, Jayme had his standard Bud Light, Chuck doesn’t drink (good for him), and I was having an Orange Dreamsicle or a Strawberry Daiquiri. We were in our rooms by 9 PM. Chuck and Sally had been taking beach walks, if the weather permitted. It was nice and quiet that time of the night, so I am sure it was peaceful and relaxing. Margo and I were in bed by 10:30. Rock on.
It was a good thing, as the highways were a mess. We were bogged down to zero miles per hour, and then move a car length or two. Margo was doing great managing that land yacht by Ford, but I don’t do well in traffic. It grates on me, so I was happy to get off at the next exit.
Longhorn ended up being a great idea. We all loved the food. Jayme got a Triple Chocolate Cheesecake for dessert, after I promised to eat some of it. It was really good. I had a couple of bites. I will definitely leave room for dessert should I visit another Longhorn.
We were back at the hotel by about 8 PM. We had our, now usual evening cocktail. The girls had mostly fallen in love with Blue Hawaiians, Jayme had his standard Bud Light, Chuck doesn’t drink (good for him), and I was having an Orange Dreamsicle or a Strawberry Daiquiri. We were in our rooms by 9 PM. Chuck and Sally had been taking beach walks, if the weather permitted. It was nice and quiet that time of the night, so I am sure it was peaceful and relaxing. Margo and I were in bed by 10:30. Rock on.
Day Four--Thursday, January 27, 2022
We slept in until 7:30 AM. We all met at 8:30 and headed downstairs (we are all on the 2nd floor) and had the breakfast buffet. Everyone wanted to try for a helicopter ride, so after breakfast I made a phone call, was told reservations needed to be made online, and releases filled out. So, I did. We had three trips reserved, 3:30, 4:00, & 4:30 PM. With that now on the agenda, we had nothing else planned for the day. Sally wanted to find some souvenirs for the kids back home, Pam & Jayme always want something for Emeree, and we needed to get something for Jess and Pete. I really did not know where to go for the T-shirt type souvenirs we usually go for, but I thought we might give Las Olas Blvd a shot, even though I had heard it was upscale stuff.
Jayme had picked up a brochure for the Water Taxi, which made stops on Las Olas, so it sounded like a kill two birds with one stone kind of plan. I found a parking garage, Riverside Hotel, and off we went. It was about ten minutes away, so we were parking that big white beast not long after we crawled in.
Jayme had picked up a brochure for the Water Taxi, which made stops on Las Olas, so it sounded like a kill two birds with one stone kind of plan. I found a parking garage, Riverside Hotel, and off we went. It was about ten minutes away, so we were parking that big white beast not long after we crawled in.
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The Riverside was right at the very first stop for the water taxi. A training taxi showed up almost as soon as we got there, and we were told two things. First, a real water taxi would be along shortly. Second, it would best to have your tickets in advance, and you could do that on their website. So, I took care of that, and soon had six scannable barcodes for us.
Shortly, ended up being about fifteen minutes, but we all got on, grabbed a seat, and were treated to the humor of Captain Bob. Captain Bob was the tour guide, a bonus, as we really only expected to get from Point A to Point B. Captain Bob spent our entire trip telling us about the mansions and yachts which lined the shoreline of the New River. Captain Bob was pretty funny, mixing in a lot of humor telling us about all of the money spent on these homes and boats, and an occasional story.
We saw one of British billionaire, Joe Lewis’s mega yachts, the Aviva III, a paltry 250 ft long ship. Apparently Mr. Lewis is spending is time on the Aviva VI, which is 75 feet longer, and has a full size tennis court, with is kept level by gyroscopes. I found out this guy is a tax exile, meaning he left Great Britain to make his home in another, more tax friendly, locale. In his case the Bahamas. Sounds like a win-win. I read that the ship we saw houses his impressive art collection. So, it is a glorified storage ship. What money will buy. I must confess, that even has a capitalist it was a bit disconcerting to see all of this display of wealth. I can see how liberals can get their underwear in a bunch seeing all of this wealth concentrated in a small number of people. There is no good remedy.
Shortly, ended up being about fifteen minutes, but we all got on, grabbed a seat, and were treated to the humor of Captain Bob. Captain Bob was the tour guide, a bonus, as we really only expected to get from Point A to Point B. Captain Bob spent our entire trip telling us about the mansions and yachts which lined the shoreline of the New River. Captain Bob was pretty funny, mixing in a lot of humor telling us about all of the money spent on these homes and boats, and an occasional story.
We saw one of British billionaire, Joe Lewis’s mega yachts, the Aviva III, a paltry 250 ft long ship. Apparently Mr. Lewis is spending is time on the Aviva VI, which is 75 feet longer, and has a full size tennis court, with is kept level by gyroscopes. I found out this guy is a tax exile, meaning he left Great Britain to make his home in another, more tax friendly, locale. In his case the Bahamas. Sounds like a win-win. I read that the ship we saw houses his impressive art collection. So, it is a glorified storage ship. What money will buy. I must confess, that even has a capitalist it was a bit disconcerting to see all of this display of wealth. I can see how liberals can get their underwear in a bunch seeing all of this wealth concentrated in a small number of people. There is no good remedy.
Wayne Huizenga's place. This picture does not do it justice.
We saw Wayne Huizenga’s compound. I think it had four homes on it. Not sure if the family still has it, since he passed about 5 years ago. But, going back to the wealth, he built three hugely successful companies, which added value to other people’s lives. All of the money is the incentive and the reward for this. Enough. But, you really had to see these homes and boats. There were so many and one more lavish than the next. It was downright overwhelming.
We got off at Stop #6. I think he said there were 14. I think we all would have liked to take the full loop. The taxi was relaxing, informative, funny, and there was lots to see. We found a bathroom and then made our way to a place called Waves. This looked to be a standard t-shirt shop, but it wasn’t. It was a scam shop, like I had heard about in Key West.
What they do is set out their shirts, pre-printed with a design, and a prominent sign with the price. You pick one or two out, take them up to pay, and then all of a sudden the cost of the design, which is already on the shirt, is extra. The signs have no fine print. When Margo asked how much extra the design was, the lady turned her back on her, put Margo’s shirt into the t-shirt press, to presumably set the design, and not answer the question.
I had walked up just before Margo asked about the design price, and I could tell by her tone she was aggravated. Then when she did not get answer to the question about the price, I told her “Put it all on the counter, and walk away”. There was another couple that was standing beside her who had heard the whole thing transpire. The lady said, “You picked up on that too, when she asked the price?” I hate people.
There is no reason for this to happen. Charge what you want and the market will determine if you are charging too much. But, to try to deceive people by quoting one price (on the sign) and trying to charge another is fraud. They are counting on people to just pay up, when someone complains, with the “But, I already printed this for you”. Nope. Margo told me that lady at the counter had said that the shirt she brought up was “just an example”. That the price is for a “blank shirt, and the design is extra”. Amazing that they had row after row, all with the same price, and not one of the signs said anything about the design being extra. If you are reading this, Don’t buy from Waves. You can find the same designs out on Hollywood Beach. More on that later.
Margo was plenty pissed, nearly in tears, coming out of there. She just wanted a couple of t-shirts, and to be put through that had her past her limit. And you know, she likely would have paid the price for what she wanted, if they had been upfront about it. Now they will never know.
There was a Haagen Daz nearby, so we all stopped for some ice cream. I don’t remember what anyone had, except Chuck, who had a strawberry milkshake. I take that back, Sally had chocolate ice cream with caramel sauce. It looked yummy.
It was getting towards 1 PM, and without knowing how fast the water taxi would arrive or how long it would take to get back, we headed back to Stop #6, without any souvenirs, but more focused on our helicopter ride, instead of t-shirts.
It took close to half an hour to get a boat. The first one that showed up was going the wrong direction. The one after that did not have enough room. We kind of cut in line on the third one that showed up, but only because he pulled up right in front of us, instead of further up the dock where the people who had been there longer were standing. I felt a little bad for not insisting that they get on first, but we had $1000 in helicopter reservations waiting, and I did not want to put them at risk.
Our boat back, was the same one that had dropped us off. Captain Bob recognized us and welcomed us back. He told some of the same jokes, but pointed out some different mansions and yachts, than on the trip to #6. On this trip I actually took a few pictures. I hope the others took some, otherwise this blog is not going to be illustrated very well.
We got off at Stop #6. I think he said there were 14. I think we all would have liked to take the full loop. The taxi was relaxing, informative, funny, and there was lots to see. We found a bathroom and then made our way to a place called Waves. This looked to be a standard t-shirt shop, but it wasn’t. It was a scam shop, like I had heard about in Key West.
What they do is set out their shirts, pre-printed with a design, and a prominent sign with the price. You pick one or two out, take them up to pay, and then all of a sudden the cost of the design, which is already on the shirt, is extra. The signs have no fine print. When Margo asked how much extra the design was, the lady turned her back on her, put Margo’s shirt into the t-shirt press, to presumably set the design, and not answer the question.
I had walked up just before Margo asked about the design price, and I could tell by her tone she was aggravated. Then when she did not get answer to the question about the price, I told her “Put it all on the counter, and walk away”. There was another couple that was standing beside her who had heard the whole thing transpire. The lady said, “You picked up on that too, when she asked the price?” I hate people.
There is no reason for this to happen. Charge what you want and the market will determine if you are charging too much. But, to try to deceive people by quoting one price (on the sign) and trying to charge another is fraud. They are counting on people to just pay up, when someone complains, with the “But, I already printed this for you”. Nope. Margo told me that lady at the counter had said that the shirt she brought up was “just an example”. That the price is for a “blank shirt, and the design is extra”. Amazing that they had row after row, all with the same price, and not one of the signs said anything about the design being extra. If you are reading this, Don’t buy from Waves. You can find the same designs out on Hollywood Beach. More on that later.
Margo was plenty pissed, nearly in tears, coming out of there. She just wanted a couple of t-shirts, and to be put through that had her past her limit. And you know, she likely would have paid the price for what she wanted, if they had been upfront about it. Now they will never know.
There was a Haagen Daz nearby, so we all stopped for some ice cream. I don’t remember what anyone had, except Chuck, who had a strawberry milkshake. I take that back, Sally had chocolate ice cream with caramel sauce. It looked yummy.
It was getting towards 1 PM, and without knowing how fast the water taxi would arrive or how long it would take to get back, we headed back to Stop #6, without any souvenirs, but more focused on our helicopter ride, instead of t-shirts.
It took close to half an hour to get a boat. The first one that showed up was going the wrong direction. The one after that did not have enough room. We kind of cut in line on the third one that showed up, but only because he pulled up right in front of us, instead of further up the dock where the people who had been there longer were standing. I felt a little bad for not insisting that they get on first, but we had $1000 in helicopter reservations waiting, and I did not want to put them at risk.
Our boat back, was the same one that had dropped us off. Captain Bob recognized us and welcomed us back. He told some of the same jokes, but pointed out some different mansions and yachts, than on the trip to #6. On this trip I actually took a few pictures. I hope the others took some, otherwise this blog is not going to be illustrated very well.
To my delight after stopping at stop #5, we skipped 2, 3, and 4. Somehow we had become an express taxi. That was alright with us, as we had helicopters to catch. We made it back to Stop #1, I tipped the Captain Bob a 5-spot (Jayme had done the same on the way out), and went to find the Expedition. It was right were we left it, and we were soon on our way to Executive Airport, home of Keen Fly.
We were early. Our first flight wasn’t until 3:30 and we arrived at 2:50. Keen Fly looked to be a two person, husband and wife, operation. She taking care of the customers and he doing the flying. Per the directions we were given, we parked in a particular lot, and made a phone call. She said she would come around a pick us up. I thought that was going to be a bit of trick with us being a group of six. She arrived in a golf cart that could take 3 of us.
She wanted us to be in the airport waiting area, out of the way. But, instead we basically walked around the corner to their garage, where they kept a couple of helicopters. The pilot got one of them set up on a combination jack and cart, and wheeled it out of the garage and onto the road which ran along side. It was kind of interesting to see this side of the business. It made it more human and less awe inspiring. It reminded you that these were also just machines and not magical conveyances which could fly. For some reason, having that perspective was refreshing.
Anyway, Pam, Sally and Chuck got into the golf cart, the helicopter was hooked to the golf cart, and they all went to the end of the road for their 20 minute trip around Fort Lauderdale. About this time a young couple, in their 20s, shows up at the locked gate, that we just came through. The time was about 2:55, and the guy tells me that they have a 3 PM appointment, and are just getting here because their Uber had a flat. His girlfriend did not look happy, and he says that she has to pee, bad. I tried to open the gate to let them in, but you needed a key. I explained the situation on our side of the fence and that the lady would be back in just a few minutes.
That happened. She, I didn’t catch her name, was back after getting Sally, Chuck, and Pam in the helicopter. She had planned to pick us up and take us to the waiting area, but not she had to deal with these two, one of which needed to pee. So she pointed the girl to the restrooms, had us get in the golf cart, told the guy to wait for her to come back, and then took us to the end of the road to watch our family head off in the wild blue yonder.
We were early. Our first flight wasn’t until 3:30 and we arrived at 2:50. Keen Fly looked to be a two person, husband and wife, operation. She taking care of the customers and he doing the flying. Per the directions we were given, we parked in a particular lot, and made a phone call. She said she would come around a pick us up. I thought that was going to be a bit of trick with us being a group of six. She arrived in a golf cart that could take 3 of us.
She wanted us to be in the airport waiting area, out of the way. But, instead we basically walked around the corner to their garage, where they kept a couple of helicopters. The pilot got one of them set up on a combination jack and cart, and wheeled it out of the garage and onto the road which ran along side. It was kind of interesting to see this side of the business. It made it more human and less awe inspiring. It reminded you that these were also just machines and not magical conveyances which could fly. For some reason, having that perspective was refreshing.
Anyway, Pam, Sally and Chuck got into the golf cart, the helicopter was hooked to the golf cart, and they all went to the end of the road for their 20 minute trip around Fort Lauderdale. About this time a young couple, in their 20s, shows up at the locked gate, that we just came through. The time was about 2:55, and the guy tells me that they have a 3 PM appointment, and are just getting here because their Uber had a flat. His girlfriend did not look happy, and he says that she has to pee, bad. I tried to open the gate to let them in, but you needed a key. I explained the situation on our side of the fence and that the lady would be back in just a few minutes.
That happened. She, I didn’t catch her name, was back after getting Sally, Chuck, and Pam in the helicopter. She had planned to pick us up and take us to the waiting area, but not she had to deal with these two, one of which needed to pee. So she pointed the girl to the restrooms, had us get in the golf cart, told the guy to wait for her to come back, and then took us to the end of the road to watch our family head off in the wild blue yonder.
Our Helicopter
Margo got video of them taking off. I don’t know what I got. I snapped a few pictures and tried video, but I think I screwed it up. I should have brought my digital camera. It might be clumsier, but I know how to work it. Sometimes I can even take a half decent picture.
Anyway, they took off, and were quickly out of easy viewing range. We were directed back to the gold cart, and were whisked off to the lobby of the terminal of the airport. We were dropped off, and told she would be back in a few minutes with the other couple. Sally, Chuck, and Pam’s flight would only be 20 minutes, so this young lady had quite a bit of running around to do, to keep us all safe and happy. But, in just a few minutes she was back, and with her the young couple. The girl looked to be in a better mood, but not nearly as much as an empty bladder should have produced. We were directed back to the golf cart, so we could witness the safe return of our brethren.
We saw them come in and land. Chuck was in the front seat, looking as stoic, as when we road the airboat. There were a few quick words exchanged and Chuck made it known that he had liked the ride. Sally and Pam were chattering as soon as they were on terra firma, so we knew they were good.
Anyway, they took off, and were quickly out of easy viewing range. We were directed back to the gold cart, and were whisked off to the lobby of the terminal of the airport. We were dropped off, and told she would be back in a few minutes with the other couple. Sally, Chuck, and Pam’s flight would only be 20 minutes, so this young lady had quite a bit of running around to do, to keep us all safe and happy. But, in just a few minutes she was back, and with her the young couple. The girl looked to be in a better mood, but not nearly as much as an empty bladder should have produced. We were directed back to the golf cart, so we could witness the safe return of our brethren.
We saw them come in and land. Chuck was in the front seat, looking as stoic, as when we road the airboat. There were a few quick words exchanged and Chuck made it known that he had liked the ride. Sally and Pam were chattering as soon as they were on terra firma, so we knew they were good.
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Executive Airport
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Jayme copiloting. Still looking to make sure an alligator doesn't sneak up on us.
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We loaded Jayme up front, and Margo and I were in the back seats. About five minutes after Group One had touched down, Group Two was airborne. Margo and I have ridden helicopters five other times, twice in the Grand Canyon, around Mt Rushmore, over Niagara Falls, and around Key West. It does not get old. The lift off on this one caught me by surprise. It almost leaped into the air, and then we were above the airport.
The pilot’s first priority is to fly the plane, following FAA directions, and in the manner local regulations dictate. Letting us know about the country-side is secondary. Our pilot did a fair job of pointing out things, but he was also constantly talking to the tower. I was hoping to see our hotel, but I don’t think we got far enough south. We did get to see the aerial view of some of those Water Taxi mansions. I got a decent shot of the one at 5 Harborage Isle Dr, which is owned by a hedge fund manager named Donald Sussman. He bought it for 27.5 million and the renovated it, because he did not like the Mediterranean feel. As Captain Bob had put it, the buying billionaire did not want to get the other billionaire’s coodies. Even at 20 minutes this trip went quick and we were soon back at the airport telling each other stories of what we saw. Pam, Sally and Chuck had seen some sharks in the ocean. I had not seen anything in the sea, except boats. Chuck told about having to get use to turns with no real inertia pushing you to the side. He thought it a bit eerie, but got used to is quickly. Everyone else was using the word “Cool”. Accurate, to be sure. |
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The big white mansion on the point is owned by hedge fund manager Donald Sussman
Fort Lauderdale Beach and a lot of expensive condomiums
East Oakland Park Blvd crossing the Intracoastal Waterway
Margo wanted to feed the slot machines. The Hard Rock and Gulfstream were both in my GPS. I thought that the Hard Rock would be much cooler to see, as the hotel is shaped like a guitar and they put on a nightly light show. Pam had been the biggest proponent of the Gulfstream, which featured horse racing, but thought we could do that next time. We were on our way to the Hard Rock a minute later.
The drive down saw traffic, even at 4 PM, it started to really slow down. I was cursing under my breath most of the time. But, the traffic turned out to be as a result of an accident, and as soon as we cleared that, speeds picked right up.
The GPS took right to the front sign. We elected to valet, as none of felt like doing any extra walking, nor did we feel like fighting a parking garage. It was $20 to park, and Jayme had a $20 shoved into my hand before I could even object. Sally, Pam, and Jayme each fought this whole trip to be first in line to pay for whatever. That was nice of them, but we need to split this up. Jayme and Pam are always way too generous.
We were all hungry and we found the Food Court before we were able to locate the Café inside the casino. In hindsight, I wish we had eaten at the Hard Rock Café. I thought the food at the Food Court sucked. I ate at Sbarro’s. Margo had Chinese food. I didn’t really pay much attention to what the others had, and I didn’t hear any complaints from them, so maybe it was just mine.
We all went our separate ways with me promising to tell everyone where and when to meet for the hotel light show. But, first I had to figure it out. That took me about 45 minutes between their website and walking around to find the entrance to the hotel pool area. This resort is huge. As big as anything on the Las Vegas strip. It would have fit right in. I ended up giving them about 20 minutes notice where to meet.
The drive down saw traffic, even at 4 PM, it started to really slow down. I was cursing under my breath most of the time. But, the traffic turned out to be as a result of an accident, and as soon as we cleared that, speeds picked right up.
The GPS took right to the front sign. We elected to valet, as none of felt like doing any extra walking, nor did we feel like fighting a parking garage. It was $20 to park, and Jayme had a $20 shoved into my hand before I could even object. Sally, Pam, and Jayme each fought this whole trip to be first in line to pay for whatever. That was nice of them, but we need to split this up. Jayme and Pam are always way too generous.
We were all hungry and we found the Food Court before we were able to locate the Café inside the casino. In hindsight, I wish we had eaten at the Hard Rock Café. I thought the food at the Food Court sucked. I ate at Sbarro’s. Margo had Chinese food. I didn’t really pay much attention to what the others had, and I didn’t hear any complaints from them, so maybe it was just mine.
We all went our separate ways with me promising to tell everyone where and when to meet for the hotel light show. But, first I had to figure it out. That took me about 45 minutes between their website and walking around to find the entrance to the hotel pool area. This resort is huge. As big as anything on the Las Vegas strip. It would have fit right in. I ended up giving them about 20 minutes notice where to meet.
Hard Rock Hotel and lagoon
After some waiting for Sally and Margo, who were each having issues we made our way to the far side of the lagoon overlooked by the Hard Rock Hotel. I mention the hotel is shaped like a guitar, but only the body of the guitar. There was no neck extending to the heavens, but there were six powerful lights shining up to about 20,000 ft, acting as the strings.
The hotel was already lit up and changing colors when we found spots to sit. I don’t recall who, but someone asked me if this was the show. It was not. It was just the Hard Rock getting their money out of what they spent for the lights. The show itself started promptly at 7 PM and lasted for about ten minutes. The show was pretty cool (that word, again), with Margo and Jayme recording parts of it. I really liked the light show, but the music was too new for me. It was hardly Hard Rock. But, when you looked at the displays inside, it was mostly contemporary stuff; Rhianna, Black Eyed Peas, etc. It was not what I would call hard rock. Anyway.
The hotel was already lit up and changing colors when we found spots to sit. I don’t recall who, but someone asked me if this was the show. It was not. It was just the Hard Rock getting their money out of what they spent for the lights. The show itself started promptly at 7 PM and lasted for about ten minutes. The show was pretty cool (that word, again), with Margo and Jayme recording parts of it. I really liked the light show, but the music was too new for me. It was hardly Hard Rock. But, when you looked at the displays inside, it was mostly contemporary stuff; Rhianna, Black Eyed Peas, etc. It was not what I would call hard rock. Anyway.
Margo gambled until about 9 PM. The others, including me, gave up at least an hour earlier. This was Margo’s part of the vacation, so even giving her a 9 PM deadline was a little harsh. Jayme usually like to hit the slots, but he went through $100 pretty quick and read the tea leaves. Sally and Chuck are not huge gamblers and quit after their defined limits. Pam did the same, and is not much of a slot player, either. I am getting so I hate casinos. I was actually up about $50, but this casino was smokey and I hated even being in the building.
We got back to the hotel around 9:45. Pam’s back was bothering her, so she went to the room. She was walking tenderly most of the trip, and had complained earlier of a sharp pain in one knee. These are the results of accidents with the mules over the years, but the reasons are kind of academic. Pain is just in pain. When you hurt, nothing is fun.
The rest of us had our last nightcap of the trip. I think I asked the question about favorite parts of the trip. Everyone had a hard time choosing one, but with an airboat ride, a helicopter ride, and an hour on a Segway, this was not surprising. Basically, everyone enjoyed everything. I lamented that Darrin and Kris were not here to enjoy it, but there was nothing to be done about that. Then it was off to our room and off to start packing or go to bed and worry about it in the morning. We did not have an early flight.
We got back to the hotel around 9:45. Pam’s back was bothering her, so she went to the room. She was walking tenderly most of the trip, and had complained earlier of a sharp pain in one knee. These are the results of accidents with the mules over the years, but the reasons are kind of academic. Pain is just in pain. When you hurt, nothing is fun.
The rest of us had our last nightcap of the trip. I think I asked the question about favorite parts of the trip. Everyone had a hard time choosing one, but with an airboat ride, a helicopter ride, and an hour on a Segway, this was not surprising. Basically, everyone enjoyed everything. I lamented that Darrin and Kris were not here to enjoy it, but there was nothing to be done about that. Then it was off to our room and off to start packing or go to bed and worry about it in the morning. We did not have an early flight.
Day Five--Friday, January 28, 2022
Travel day home. The worst day of vacation. But, at least we had a 4:55 PM flight. It was supposed to be a 5:25 PM flight, but Southwest changed the time on us. By the time we checked in, we had a boarding assignment in the lower Bs. We would likely not be together, and possibly not even sitting with our spouses. But, at least they had not cancelled the flight. We had joked all week about it not be a catastrophe if they did cancel our return flight, but the Ft Lauderdale weather was set to changed. We had seen mostly mid-70s weather the whole time. Saturday was going to be in the 40s. Brrrrr.
We met a 8:30 and went downstairs for breakfast. Margo and I had been up early, her before me, and she was nearly 100% packed by the time we went down to eat. She is a master at packing and organizing. We each have our strengths in the vacation process, and she owns the luggage. I am just the pack mule, and after my hip surgery, a half lame one at that, but we still make it work.
The meal was good and then it was time for “What are we going to do?. I hate that question, so my vacations are usually very type A. They are scheduled minute by minute, with contingencies in case something goes wrong. Weather, cancellations, illness, what have you. But, this vacation, I purposely under scheduled. It was to be a relaxing vacation. I give myself a B+ or maybe an A- on this one. I needed a better knowledge base of what was around us, where the shopping was, and maybe a couple of more contingencies. But, we still had lots of fun.
We checked out, with me asking everyone to get two copies of their bills. One for me, as it was my credit card, and one for them. More than one of them made sure to remind me to get two copies. I told the lady behind the counter that they were easily amused
We met a 8:30 and went downstairs for breakfast. Margo and I had been up early, her before me, and she was nearly 100% packed by the time we went down to eat. She is a master at packing and organizing. We each have our strengths in the vacation process, and she owns the luggage. I am just the pack mule, and after my hip surgery, a half lame one at that, but we still make it work.
The meal was good and then it was time for “What are we going to do?. I hate that question, so my vacations are usually very type A. They are scheduled minute by minute, with contingencies in case something goes wrong. Weather, cancellations, illness, what have you. But, this vacation, I purposely under scheduled. It was to be a relaxing vacation. I give myself a B+ or maybe an A- on this one. I needed a better knowledge base of what was around us, where the shopping was, and maybe a couple of more contingencies. But, we still had lots of fun.
We checked out, with me asking everyone to get two copies of their bills. One for me, as it was my credit card, and one for them. More than one of them made sure to remind me to get two copies. I told the lady behind the counter that they were easily amused
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The answer to “Now What?”, ended up being Hollywood Beach Boardwalk. When we were having our meal at Coopertown, when what seemed like last week, our waitress was telling us about the boardwalk and how it was a good place to shop, and eat. I had only paid scant attention, but either Jayme, Pam, or Sally had listened with both ears, and one of them suggested it. I certainly had no better idea, so I found a parking garage and set the GPS. About 30 minutes later we pulled in.
I really wish I had known about this place earlier, but if I had we would have missed the Water Taxi, maybe. This place was at least a mile, likely more of shops and restaurants. A bout every third one was a place to get ice cream. The place the we made our start at was near the Margaritaville Resort. Those are popping up everywhere we go.
This one had a water flow attraction so you could surf. None of us were dressed for it, or dumb enough to try at our age. But, there were a few kids who were. It did look like fun, but when they wiped out, the water speed was enough to sweep them up and over the hump. That part looked less than fun. We watched some of that and toured their gift shop. Nothing that we could live without, especially at the prices they were asking.
We walked a bit now the beach admiring the scenery, both tropical and human, taking in the smells of the restaurants and walking into shops as something grabbed our eye. Everyone eventually found the t-shirts or whatever they were looking for. They were also selling shirts that did not have the iron ons, on them. But, they were up front about the pricing, $19.99, iron on, included. What was so hard about that?
We had ice cream at a place called Rita’s. They are chain, and I remember them fondly from Pennsylvania eight years ago. It turned out to be the wrong call, as the girl behind the counter screwed up Jayme’s order. He is very particular about his food. He likes what he likes and nothing else. He got an Oreo concrete, which was not on his Like List. He ate it to not be wasteful, but was not happy about it.
I really wish I had known about this place earlier, but if I had we would have missed the Water Taxi, maybe. This place was at least a mile, likely more of shops and restaurants. A bout every third one was a place to get ice cream. The place the we made our start at was near the Margaritaville Resort. Those are popping up everywhere we go.
This one had a water flow attraction so you could surf. None of us were dressed for it, or dumb enough to try at our age. But, there were a few kids who were. It did look like fun, but when they wiped out, the water speed was enough to sweep them up and over the hump. That part looked less than fun. We watched some of that and toured their gift shop. Nothing that we could live without, especially at the prices they were asking.
We walked a bit now the beach admiring the scenery, both tropical and human, taking in the smells of the restaurants and walking into shops as something grabbed our eye. Everyone eventually found the t-shirts or whatever they were looking for. They were also selling shirts that did not have the iron ons, on them. But, they were up front about the pricing, $19.99, iron on, included. What was so hard about that?
We had ice cream at a place called Rita’s. They are chain, and I remember them fondly from Pennsylvania eight years ago. It turned out to be the wrong call, as the girl behind the counter screwed up Jayme’s order. He is very particular about his food. He likes what he likes and nothing else. He got an Oreo concrete, which was not on his Like List. He ate it to not be wasteful, but was not happy about it.
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We took a few pictures on the boardwalk, realizing this was the last gasp of our fun times, and we were all too soon in the Expedition and heading to the airport.
The Last Picture
Of Hollywood Beach, from parking garage
We got gas at a Sunoco, with Pam paying for it before I was barely out of the car. We turned it in, without incident, checked our bags, and made our way to security. We found our gate, made a dinner out of Hudson News sandwiches, and waited for our plane.
We lamented our terrible boarding slots, so Margo and I decided to spring for upgrades for all of us, so we would board first. They only had four slots left. We were told, by the gate agent to save a couple of seats, and say your partner was in the rest room. It was a little uncomfortable, but worked. Jayme would have none of us paying and gave me $100 for his and Pam’s upgrade.
The flight was going to be an hour longer, headwinds I think. Pam did her best to convince me that it was because we had to fly uphill on the way back. You know, sea level to a mile high, but I was not buying. The trip ended up being even longer than that. We sat on the tarmac for half an hour, engines off, because the Ft Lauderdale Air Traffic Control tower was understaffed, and our flight was being handed off to Miami. We needed a new flight plan or something, and that took some time.
We had heard reports of snow back home for most of our trip. We were all thankful for our good timing, but now we would be rejoining our regularly scheduled program, already in progress. The cold wind, leaking through the jet way did the trip, when we got off the plane four hours later.
Truthfully, with all of the things that I had going on back home, this whole trip snuck up on me, and I felt ill prepared to actually enjoy it. I had a lot of fun and don’t regret any of it. But, it did not have the historic feel it should have. Maybe that is a good thing. Historic is usually stressful, and that was what I had been trying to avoid this whole trip.
We lamented our terrible boarding slots, so Margo and I decided to spring for upgrades for all of us, so we would board first. They only had four slots left. We were told, by the gate agent to save a couple of seats, and say your partner was in the rest room. It was a little uncomfortable, but worked. Jayme would have none of us paying and gave me $100 for his and Pam’s upgrade.
The flight was going to be an hour longer, headwinds I think. Pam did her best to convince me that it was because we had to fly uphill on the way back. You know, sea level to a mile high, but I was not buying. The trip ended up being even longer than that. We sat on the tarmac for half an hour, engines off, because the Ft Lauderdale Air Traffic Control tower was understaffed, and our flight was being handed off to Miami. We needed a new flight plan or something, and that took some time.
We had heard reports of snow back home for most of our trip. We were all thankful for our good timing, but now we would be rejoining our regularly scheduled program, already in progress. The cold wind, leaking through the jet way did the trip, when we got off the plane four hours later.
Truthfully, with all of the things that I had going on back home, this whole trip snuck up on me, and I felt ill prepared to actually enjoy it. I had a lot of fun and don’t regret any of it. But, it did not have the historic feel it should have. Maybe that is a good thing. Historic is usually stressful, and that was what I had been trying to avoid this whole trip.