Florida: From the East Coast to the West Coast

Tuesday, February 16 – Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Jim and I are travelling together again and it feels so right. Our first destination is the winter home of friends, Rick and Trish Chambers, who are located in a town called Indialantic in the metropolitan area of Melbourne on the east coast of Florida. These friends are the first of four sets of friends who have invited us to visit with them for a few days each. Each of these friends have rented very different and unique accommodations so we feel that we are going to be able to experience a broad range of what is available in the Florida rental market during the winter months. If we ever decide that we want to join the Canadian snow birds, this survey tour will come in very handy. Thanks, in advance, to all who are willing to share their homes with us.

Rick and Trish have rented a townhouse on a residential street in Indialantic. It is a two story structure with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a well equipped kitchen. There is also a lovely view of the Atlantic Ocean from the living room which is on the top floor. It is only a short walk to the beach.

While we were with Rick and Trish, we had a great opportunity to explore the surrounding metropolitan area. There are several old towns that have been gobbled up by businesses and highways that traverse the area. Rick and Trish have done a great job of searching out some of the more interesting areas to visit. We had a terrific visit to the Brevard Wildlife Sanctuary where we saw several bird species, turtles, and a few alligators. Pelicans and herons were among the largest birds and coots and plovers were among the smallest. But, by far, the prettiest was the roseate spoonbill that reminded all of us of a pale pink flamingo.

We also had the opportunity to visit the Sea Turtle Preservation Area where staff and volunteers work tirelessly to protect loggerhead sea turtles when they come up on the beach to lay their eggs. Much physical adaptation has occurred throughout the landscape to help ensure the safety of the turtles -  fencing, low watt lights, beach cleanup, road signs to name a few. One of the most interesting things about these turtles is that they lay their eggs deep in a nest and then cover the nest. Next they move to a new area and create a second nest to detract predators from the first one.

We spent some time in Cocoa Beach where the original JonJon Surf Shop is located and in Old Cocoa Beach, a charming town of older buildings and interesting shops, kind of an oasis away from the hustle and bustle of tourist Florida.

We had lunch at three different seafood restaurants, two of them overlooking the water. Once again, it was fun to watch the birds swoop and sail as they searched for their food in the water. Our favourite restaurant by far was the Seafood Atlantic, a seafood wholesaler with a small outdoor restaurant on the side. The seafood was fresh and the food was beautifully prepared. Seats on the outside deck allowed viewing of the many, many pelicans (Jim counted at least 75) ready to eat whatever was within their grasp. Happily we had a table umbrella over our heads so did not have to worry about a pelican attack!  A bonus of this location was that the Disney cruise ship was in port and clearly visible from where we were sitting.

All too soon it was time to leave Rick and Trish and turn our car to the west. We travelled across central Florida, again visiting parts of the state that had previously remained unexplored. It was surprising in parts to see the level of poverty that existed in small communities. Other areas were completely covered in orange groves with fruit that appeared quite ripe. There was also a large measure of market gardening as well as strawberries being grown. Also a surprise, we passed by several large and quite unattractive potash mines, a huge industry to be sure but one that leaves its broad scars on the landscape.

Quite suddenly the road changed in character and dimensions. A two lane road transformed into a four lane divided highway and roadside businesses and housing increasing quickly in density. We could tell our cross-state journey was soon to end as we entered a busy and noisy metropolitan area. Bradenton was not far off and with that, we would arrive at the winter accommodation of another friend, Gail Birmingham.

Gail has spent the last three winters in Florida in a beautiful community along the coastline of water that separates Bradenton from Sarasota. From Gail’s front windows one can watch the changing tide, jumping fish, swooping birds and pleasurecraft of all sizes. Lush palms shade the community and well manicured gardens and ponds create a cool, fresh environment around all the homes. Gail lives in the upper level of a two story condo building. It is a spacious home with two large bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large livingroom/diningroom and a well equipped modern kitchen. Two screened in porches complete the floor plan, one looking out over the sea and the other looking out over lawns, gardens, pond and trees. Use of a pool is included with this condo, although we have not yet had time to use it.

Not only have we had some lovely time with Gail, but on Sunday, we were able to have lunch with Lesley and Stuart Prange, also friends from home. Lesley and Stuart have also spent three winters in Bradenton but they travel with their home wrapped around them. They own a spacious and very comfortable RV which they drive to each chosen destination. For the last two years, they have settled in the same mobile home park and have enjoyed getting to know others who also have been there for many years. This park also offers recreational facilities and programs, many led by the residents themselves. It was a very clean and friendly park. We could understand fully why Lesley and Stuart enjoy it so much.

Well, today was a day of some excitement. Our plan was to spend the day with Gail and drive to Plant City to have lunch with a group of friends from Kitchener-Waterloo who are also in Florida. And, in due course, that plan did proceed. But there was a small delay to begin our day.

As we made our way down the steps to the parking lot, Vince, a neighbour said, “Someone has hit your car.” A bit stunned, we made our way to the car and, sure enough, someone had backed into our car, damaging the front bumper. Happily the car was/is still driveable and the driver of the vehicle that hit us had left her details and insurance info on a note under the windshield wiper. Even better, there was neighbour Vince with a buffer and a willingness to repair the damage to our car. He has worked on cars over many years and owns several that shine brightly in the parking spaces in front of his condo. Vince told us what we would need from an auto repair shop to enable him to do the job. So, we proceeded to Napa, spoke with a very knowledgeable woman and got a tube of filler that was tinted the bright red colour of our car. From there, we proceeded to Plant City. It’s a good thing we had planned to leave early because, with all the unanticipated delays, we arrived right at the appointed hour to meet our friends.

Lunch was a very upbeat occasion. Inge and Lew Ford and Faye and Bill Lootsma joined Gail, Jim and I for lunch at the Outback Steakhouse. We are all on holiday in Florida in various communities in different kinds of accommodation and for different lengths of time. But this was an opportunity for all of us to get together to tell stories, discuss politics (the American election process is very interesting) and to share laughter. And, we all had pretty good food as well. It was fun to see friends who share breakfast every week at home and have lunch in a totally different setting and circumstance. Conversation filled the air and we lingered at the table long after the food was gone.

When we left the restaurant, we all headed off in various directions. Jim and I took Gail to Parkesdale Strawberry Market. It is not possible to be in Plant City and not go to Parkesdale. Parkesdale is a very colourful farm market, offering many varieties of fresh fruit and vegetables, many of them in season already this year. Tasting samples of some were readily available. The tomatoes were brilliant red and vine-ripened. The oranges had just arrived from the orchards and were being washed and sorted by size in an old mechanical machine that has been used for at least 35 years. It has been there ever since I began to visit this area regularly in 1985.

But Parkesdale’s main claim to fame is the large, lush strawberries. They were ripe and abundant to purchase for use at home or to purchase to be consumed on site  … or both! Options for berries included milkshakes, just berries with or without sugar, berries with whipped topping, berries with ice cream or, the piece de resistance – strawberry shortcake. All three of us opted for strawberry shortcake (Jim even had ice cream with his) and we made our way to one of the many, many picnic tables filled with other people indulging in that same thing. There is nothing like strawberry shortcake with berries from the filed at Parkesdale! We photographed the strawberry shortcake and we also photographed "Queen Gail" sitting on the strawberry throne. We bought some berries for home and headed off in the car once more.

We spent our final day in Bradenton relaxing at ‘home’, doing laundry, writing a postcard to our grandkids, having a drink at a neighbour’s home, and going out for a wonderful dinner in a restaurant right on the water’s edge (Pier 22). While we were out (we went in Gail’s car), Vince fixed our car and we packed our bags and loaded the trunk for an early departure tomorrow morning.

On Wednesday, weather permitting, it is our plan to drive north to the Panhandle of Florida and then west to the eastern edge of Alabama, about a 9 hour drive. We will be spending the next 6 nights in Alabama with friends. We are so fortunate to have such welcoming friends in our lives.

News and thoughts from Alabama in the next chapter of this blog.

From Florida to Panama via Mexico and Brazil, Winter 2016

A Smorgasbord of Robinson Adventures             January/February/March 2016

This adventure began on January 20, 2016 when Jim flew to Manaus, Brazil to meet his brother, Bill, and sister-in-law, Sue, to go on an agricultural tour in Brazil. They toured many different and extremely large agricultural complexes as well as a day trip on the Amazon and a day at Iguazu Falls.

After Bill and Sue headed back home, Jim remained in Brazil and travelled to various places including Rio de Janeiro, Brazilia, Curitiba and Manaus. He managed to meet the former mayor of Curitiba who provided a scarce ticket to a soccer game one night; he attended the opening ceremonies of Carnivale in Rio; he met up with a former student in Brazilia and was taken on a private tour of the President’s Palace; he travelled on a one day train trip, described as one of the most scenic in the world; and he took a short cruise on the mighty Amazon. What an adventure!!

I remained in Canada because I did not feel ready to begin a new adventure, having just arrived home on December 10 from our last one. I had a greater need to spend time in our home and with our grandchildren. I enjoyed my time at home and our closets have all reaped the benefit of my attention. So have our grandchildren … and our children too.

On February 9, I set out for a solo driving trip to Florida. The goal is to meet Jim in Orlando on February 15. In the intervening 6 days, I need to drive to Florida and visit several people along the way.

It was snowing when I left home. The roads were wet but very driveable. I stopped at Tim Horton’s for a coffee (of course) and set out down the highway. My first destination was Sarnia, Ontario where I took my Aunt Grace (aged 90) out for breakfast. She is the last remaining relative from that generation and it is always fun to spend time with her. She is so in tune with the world and has a great sense of humour. I thoroughly enjoyed our meeting.

The snow continued and intensified as I crossed the Bluewater Bridge into the USA. It was not even possible to see beautiful Lake Huron from the top of the bridge. But the roads continued to be wet and not slippery even if the visibility was a bit diminished at times. In a few miles, I changed directions and headed inland from the water toward Ann Arbor, Michigan. Happily, as expected, the weather was caused by lake-effect snow and conditions improved considerably after that. I stopped in Ann Arbor to have lunch with good friends, Mike and Dana Kremm. I had to remain conscious of the time since our conversations cover many topics and can go on for hours. I finally said farewell with just enough daylight left to reach Dayton, Ohio that night.

The following day was a long drive, indeed. I left Dayton about 6:30 am and pulled into Acworth, Georgia late in the afternoon. It had been dark and snowy when I left in the morning and the snow flurries and showers followed me intermittently throughout the day, across the flat land of Ohio, through the Kentucky hills, and into the mountains in Tennessee. Finally, at the Georgia border, the sun made an appearance! But the cold air continued and there was even snow on the ground in northern Georgia. Who would ever have predicted that?

A quiet evening and a good night’s sleep re-energized me for Thursday’s drive. And, happily, the sun shone and there was pure blue sky all day long. Georgia is a very long state so it takes several hours to travel through it. Other than the congestion in Atlanta, it was a smooth drive on dry roads with reasonable traffic. I am always amazed at the number of transport trucks that are carrying goods from one place to another.  A fundamental component of our lifestyle and economy. And that is fine as long as the trucks remain in their own lanes!

In the south of Georgia, I stopped at a pecan plantation. When my mom and dad were travelling to Florida regularly, they always stopped at a plantation so my mom could bring back bags of pecans for my sister and I. I always appreciated that and now will carry on the tradition for my own children. Of course, I also bought some pecans for our house as well as a few other tasty pecan products as snacks and gifts along the way.

Early in the afternoon, I crossed the Florida border. There is a lovely visitor centre just past the border that is a great place to take a break. The palm trees sway in the breeze; the temperature feels warmer just because you are in Florida; friendly people welcome you to the state; and they provide free glasses of Florida orange juice. What a treat that is!!

The destination for today was Wildwoods, just two hours south of the border and a bit north of Orlando. I arrived in the late afternoon, settled into my room and actually went out for dinner. I chose an Italian restaurant with table service (I am sick of fast food) and enjoyed a glass of Merlot with my meal. Ahhhhh, I am in Florida!!! Yes!!!!!

Friday, February 12, my destination was Jupiter, Florida. Situated on the Atlantic coast along the inland waterway, Jupiter is just slightly north of Fort Lauderdale. My hosts for the next two days were Suzy and Paul Snow, both of whom I had met when I was regularly playing bridge via the internet. At the time, Suzy lived in London, England and Paul lived in Curacao. They met online; they met in person; they married and now they live in Florida. Although I do not play bridge online any longer, I have maintained contact with Suz and Paul and enjoy visiting whenever I am in Florida. (They claim it is too cold for them to come to Canada!)

While in Jupiter, Suz and I visited a small and rustic wildlife sanctuary which houses many birds and animals that are native to Florida. It was fun to see panthers and Florida black bears along with many bird species. We had lunch at one of the many marinas and basked in the warm sun at the water’s edge. My tuna was delicious and the setting was perfect. The rest of the afternoon was spent in their large backyard, enjoying the warmth of the air under a clear blue sky. That evening, we went to another seafood restaurant where I splurged and had crab legs and a lobster tail. Although Suz and Paul felt it was a bit cool, to me it was a perfect summer evening … in February.

Sunday morning (Happy Valentine’s Day), I said my farewell and headed inland toward Okechobee Lake, the tenth largest freshwater lake (by area) in the USA. The lake is very close to a perfect circle but is extremely difficult to see from any highway. It is surrounded by a 3 – 4 metre dike to prevent lake water from surging out of its beds during hurricanes or other large storms. There is a walking/biking trail atop the dike.

The area around the lake is very fertile agricultural land. As I drove along, I was able to see many, many square miles of sugar cane at various stages of development. Where the cane was fully mature, there was a substantial harvesting process underway. Up to ten harvesters could be seen at work in the largest fields and a cavalcade of trucks paraded up and down the roadways, in one direction filled with cane and then coming the other direction, empty, ready for another load. I saw at least five sugar cane processing plants, all billowing steam as the cane was reduced from its plant form into sugar or other products. Smoke rose from fields where the stalks were being burned and the land was being prepared for another crop of cane.

As well as sugar cane, this area is filled with orange groves. It must be close to harvest time for them as well because the branches were heavy laden with bright orange fruit.

I passed through several small towns on this drive, all of them suffering from poverty. Abandoned homes, bankrupt businesses, old rusted and broken down vehicles, and a general sense of malaise. It was  quite a contrast to the prosperous tourist areas along the coastal regions.

Soon enough, my journey across the open countryside came to an end as the agricultural land gave way to commercial development and housing. Of course, closer to the Gulf of Mexico, the tourist industry and all its amenities were very prominent. And so was the traffic. My leisurely drive quickly came to an end.

I settled into my hotel room and spent the afternoon getting organized for the next portion of our Florida adventure. I have to say, this was the most disappointing room of all that I have stayed in. Jim and I generally choose less expensive hotels, preferring to spend less money each night so we can stay on the road a little longer. The hotel I was in for this night truly made me rethink our travel philosophy. Nonetheless, I survived the ordeal, possible because I knew that Jim will arrive from Brazil tomorrow and we will begin travelling together. I am ready for some company!!!

Monday, February 15, 2016

Happy Family Day in Canada and Happy President’s Day in the USA

This should have been Happy Friends Day for me. I left my hotel fairly early in the morning to travel to Cape Coral (slightly south) and visit another friend who I met sixteen years ago playing bridge online. Loretta and I quickly became close friends and compatible bridge partners across the airwaves between Australia and Florida. After many years limited to online contact, we were finally able to meet in person, first in Florida and then again in Ontario. We have maintained a warm friendship over all this time and today I was going to see her new home in Cape Coral and to have lunch with her there. What fun!!

I arrived at Loretta’s home and, from the moment the door was opened to the minute that I drove away, the air was filled with stories and laughter. Loretta’s new home is beautiful and backs directly onto a canal that leads to the Gulf of Mexico. She has moved to Cape Coral to be close to her daughters. We shared tales about our children and grandchildren, about activities and travel, about food and entertaining, about health and wellness (it seems to be a common topic among those of us who are creeping up in age), about life’s achievements and goals. In and amongst all of this, Loretta prepared and served a beautiful and delicious lunch. Our time together was too short and soon it was time for me to take my leave. We are already planning our next get-together the next time I am in Florida.

From Cape Coral, I drove north to Lakeland, the winter home of my parents for 17 years. I chose an inland route that avoided the interstate highways. It was a very pleasant drive with interesting countryside, small towns and little traffic. Another part of Florida that I have not seen before.

Once in Lakeland, I located the designated Panera Bread restaurant where I was meeting another long time friend. I had reconnected with Doreen Chester via Facebook and although we live within a 2 hour drive of each other in Ontario, it was in Florida where we managed to arrange a face-to-face. It was great fun to see her again. I had worked with Doreen for many years but have only seen her a handful of times since retirement. Doreen has not lost her zest for life and her wonderful sense of humour and the laugh that accompanies it. It was terrific to share a meal with her over more stories about our children, our life of retirement, our travels and our community activities. Through our conversation, we began to realize why it is so difficult for us to get together on a regular basis. Neither one of us ever stays home for long!

Again, the hours passed too quickly and it was time to head off again, this time to a hotel in Orlando. But now darkness had fallen and it had started to rain. The I-4 interstate is always busy since it goes right by Disney so the drive was actually the most challenging one since I left the snow in Sarnia a week earlier. Then, to make matters works, when I finally got to the exit to my hotel and it was closed due to construction! Give me a break!! I took the next exit, intending to turn around but there was no re-entry onto the highway. And …. It was a toll road that required exact change which I did not have!! So I simply drive through the toll booth without stopping.

When I finally determined how to find the hotel from my current location (thank you, GPS), I once again was directed onto a “correct change only” toll road. Oops …. I blasted through a second toll booth and proceeded along the highway until I reached my exit. Happily it was not under construction and, better yet, I could see the hotel from the highway. Needless to say, I was very relieved to reach the hotel and get settled into my room. And that was the end of my independent travel adventure, one that I enjoyed thoroughly and would undertake again any time.

Within a couple of hours, Jim arrived from his adventure in Brazil and we quickly turned our attention to the next phase of this travel experience … our tour of Florida and Alabama.

More about that in the next chapter of this blog!