Florida - January 2012

We spent two weeks in Florida in January; one in Daytona Beach, another in Weston (near Fort Lauderdale). Dividing our time between north and south turned into two very different vacations. There is a lot more to this state than DisneyWorld!

The first week was spent at a high-rise Wyndham property facing the Atlantic. We bought a Last Call  through RCI, (our timeshare) and paid $250 for the entire week for a one bedroom unit. At this price, the Ocean Walk didn't give us a view of the ocean, but our downtown vista was great at night when the city lights flickered on. We stayed on the 27th floor and every day took the elevator to the lobby, then walked to the pool, across the boardwalk, and onto the beach. Not bad for $250 for an entire week! There was a bar and a pizzeria on site. Movie theaters and restaurants were right next door. The property was clean and updated. I doubt I'd go back to Daytona, but if I did, I wouldn't be afraid to stay at the Ocean Walk Resort. http://www.oceanwalk.com

Living and kitchen of Ocean Walk

Sand Mermaid in front of hotel

original old schoolhouse

A nice surprise was finding Saint Augustine. Neither John nor I had ever been to the oldest city in the United States. One evening, we drove north from Daytona and spent several hours in Old Town, exploring quaint buildings, antique schoolhouses, wineries, restaurants, and parks. Since we were there the first week of January, many of the Christmas lights were still up.


Saint Augustine had many original buildings in the older area. We wandered around and found this old school house. In January, an odd combination of spring flowers and holiday lighting greeted us.

schoolhouse entrance

Artwork in old town St. Augustine

Old Fort in Saint Augustine

There was so much to see--from reproductions to an actual fort. Then we ate alligator at one of the restaurants on the small narrow streets. And guess what? John and I both agreed that gator tastes just like chicken!

old church in St. Augustine

John had gator at Rhett's

eating gator in St. Augustine

The Lightner Museum

Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse

One sunny afternoon, we drove to an inlet near Daytona Beach and found this lighthouse. It was worth the $5.00 per  adult--price of admission. Visitors have free range to roam and view the restored buildings on the property. We stepped 213 times to the top of the tower and were out of breath when we finished. The best part: seeing two dolphins playing in the waters near the boat docks below. Check it out: http://ponceinlet.org

Tons of gators throughout the farm

We visited the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine. http://www.alligatorfarm.com I'm fascinated with wildlife--guess I take after my dad. I wasn't so sure how I'd feel about alligators, but this farm not only had gators, it had snakes, and birds, and monkeys too. There was enough wildlife to keep us occupied and entertained for several hours.

Be careful John!

Lunch on way to Key West

one of the many roosters in Key West

During the second week, we headed south and stayed in Weston at another timeshare: Bonaventure Vacation Village. The place was clean and spacious and recently updated. The best part of this resort was the large pool with a surplus of lounge chairs. A kiddy pool was also available. Every morning John and I walked the neighborhoods, checking out the Weston hotels, rental properties, and residences.

One day we drove from Vacation Village to the furthest, southernmost point in the United States: Key West. It was a twelve-hour day, but worth it. We'd only been to Key West by cruise ships--and only for a few hours. This time we traveled Highway 1 through one little seaside town to the next. Most of the trip was via two-lane roads (and lots of bridges too) with gorgeous sea views. It was like driving on top of an infinity pool; blue ocean on both sides of the road--and it seemed to go on forever. Along the way, we stopped for lunch at the Island Fish Company and had fresh fish tacos. Yum, yum.

Dancing couple - art in Key West

Every time we go to Key West, we take this picture.

Once in Key West, we parked, then explored by foot. There were three ships in port and so the sidewalks were crowded. If we had it to do over again, we would have stayed in town a night or two. Key West is charming, and once the ships leave--the vibe changes to mellow. We spent time on the beach, people watching, and enjoying an adult beverage when the ships set sail.



The Sawgrass Everglades Airboat tours were a few miles from our hotel. And boy are they fun!   http://www.evergladestours.com/_index.php  Ear plugs highly recommended! Our condo offered discounted coupons and I would check out this out (wherever you stay) to see if they have any such offers. Besides the airboats (and yes we did see an alligator in the wild) they have various wild animals in cages. I held a baby crocodile. His mouth was taped closed; it was like holding a bag of flour--much heavier than I expected. He was rough, like a leather purse. Even though alligator tasted like chicken--he sure didn't feel like one!

John on an Everglades airboat ride

Everglades airboat

 holding a baby alligator

South Beach, Florida

Hollywood Beach at Sunset

Other places we visited near Fort Lauderdale and Miami: The Hard Rock Casino (John gambled and won!) Hollywood Beach and South Beach. There is a Riverwalk in Fort Lauderdale but it is lame compared to San Antonio's. But the area was pretty and if you go when you are hungry, there are a couple restaurants that might be fun to have lunch or dinner. Many of the yachts are impressive in size and you could watch them come and go. There is a short paved path (at least that was all we found)--but not much if you are truly a walker. I felt like it was meant for strollers (people strolling slowly, not kids in strollers). 

We spent one night enjoying South Beach and ended up dining at an outside cafe. Very expensive. The restaurants had specials to reel you in, but everything turned out to be a la carte. By the time we each had a drink, main course, (I think we shared a calamari appetizer, and dessert--our bill was pushing $100. But you only live once and we don't expect to make it back to South Beach anytime soon, so we splurged. In the end, we liked the eclectic company of Hollywood Beach better than the rich, uptight feel of ritzy South Beach. The retro hotels in South Beach did make me feel like I'd gone back in time. I imagine Cuba would look like this--without the newness. This two-week trip taught us that we'd definitely like to spend more time in Florida. 
For a complete set of Florida pictures, check out my photo book:http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZNWzZy0YsWT6A  or
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San Antonio - October 2011

Hello San Antonio, Texas!

I say that because I've been to San Antonio several times (my son and daughter-in-law live there) and yet, I'd never fallen in love with the place. Yes, there is the Riverwalk (very commercial but entertaining nonetheless), and there is easy access to Austin (one of my favorite Texas destinations), and Fredericksburg (a quaint German community), and great food, and The Alamo. But I'd never visited any of the missions until this time. Now I'm a San Antonio fan!

Living/kitchen of Salado Creek Villas

Dining Room

We stayed at the Salado Creek Villas through our timeshare.  When you fist arrive,
there is a massive asphalt parking lot and not much else. The place has been designed to look like the wild west. They haven't exactly mastered that look. However, I could imagine horses tied to the porch rails. The pool is nice and the rooms have been updated and are homey and comfortable. The location had easy access to freeways and all the places we wanted to go. It is on a busy by-pass road which means you can't walk without lots of exhaust, heat, and noise. Our unit was at the back of the property and was quiet. Salado Creek was clean; the staff pleasant. They made sure all of our needs were met. If you are looking for a fancy resort, this is not the place to stay. However, I recommend that you not judge this property by its parking lot. http://www.shellvacationsclub.com/club/resorts/salado_creek_villas/index.jsp

Master Bath

One of the many trailheads for walking

walking paths

John and I love to walk. The Salado Creek Villas were close to several walking trails that weave through the city. It was a great surprise to find one close to our condo. Almost every morning, we walked for several miles, heading in a different direction each day. There are lots of trees and marshy areas so bring bug spray. Many families (residents?) were on bikes; the trail went on and on and on. 

During the middle of our week in San Antonio, we spent a day in Austin (a must for me). Austin is built on the Colorado River and is known for its food and music and fun-loving. There are trails along the river where people ride bikes, jog, stroll--and power walk. If you don't want to walk, you can rent kayaks. I've done this in the past and it is a great way to see the city from a different point of view. Wildlife--such as these turtles sunning themselves--are visible from the trail or water. You can also see ducks and geese and other wildlife on the river. If you go to Austin, make sure you explore the city during the day and night. Maybe you should plan to stay awhile. 

Austin

Turtles on the lake

Sunset from The Oasis Restaurant

I must wrap up my day in Austin at The Oasis. The place is huge and now has several different restaurants occupying the property--and they all overlook Lake Travis. Texas has suffered major drought conditions in recent years and the lake was 30' below normal last fall. But the height of the lake doesn't harm the breathtaking sunsets you'll enjoy while dining on Tex-Mex. http://www.oasis-austin.com

During this trip (my fifth) to San Antonio, we visited some of the many missions and what a treat. I love old buildings. When I travel to Europe I take more pictures of the ancient architecture than anything else. I was pleased to find great structures here in the United States. The following pictures are of the various missions we visited near San Antonio. Please note that we also visited the Alamo--the most famous of all the missions, but in my opinion, the least impressive. Spend a day and enjoy. http://www.nps.gov/saan/historyculture/index.htm

Entrance of Mission San Jose

Loved this shot through a mission window

In October, the flowers were vibrant

The color!

The designs!

The forts!

The interior!

Exterior!

All so beautiful

The Alamo

There are trolley tours (we did not do this because I prefer to see the city by foot), but it sure seemed popular. Lots of people hopped on and off all day long.

Kids and their new coonskin caps!

A family of young kids modeled their new coonskin caps. I couldn't resist snapping their picture!

One of the many restaurants on the Riverwalk

The Riverwalk should not be missed. The first time I visited this place I was awestruck and rightfully so, it is the hub of the city and very crowded. There are tons of eateries, bars, piano bars, steak houses, Tex-Mex, and more. You can't go hungry or thirsty for very long on the Riverwalk. We took the boat tour--which includes a narrative by a guide and boat captain. There are many pedestrian walking bridges so you can go from one side of the man-made river to the other. And it makes the boat ride even that much more exciting.

Boat ride on the Riverwalk

View of the church steeple from the Riverwalk

Dining at LaGloria's - GREAT FOOD!

Our traveling companion found this restaurant on one of the best places to eat in San Antonio: Street Foods of Mexico. I'm sure glad she did. The casual atmosphere complimented the simple, but delicious, reasonably priced menu. Everyone enjoyed his/her meal. We'll be sure to try something different on our next trip to San Antonio! http://www.lagloriaicehouse.com P.S. We never miss a chance to eat at Rudy's when we are in the south. If you like barbecue, give Rudy's a chance. We like the barbecue sauce so much, we buy four bottles at a time and have it shipped to Oregon several times a year. Neither of these restaurants are fancy, but they are good. Enjoy! http://www.rudysbbq.com/page/home

Aruba 2010

Fun on the beach in Aruba! I love the Caribbean because of the warm, blue water.

My cousin Laura owns a condo on the island. Every year, on week 48--the week after Thanksgiving--she heads to the Caribbean to play on the beaches, in the pool, and when we are lucky--with her cousins. In November 2010, she invited us to accompany her and to stay at Paradise Beach Villas. The condo is located across the street from the beach, but her unit has gorgeous ocean and sunset views.

Jenny and Laura at the condo

Dining-- near the Holiday Inn Resort                                       

Every time we go, we explore different parts of the island. This time: Baby Beach. There were minimal ameneties, i.e. food, restrooms, lounge chairs, and umbrellas, but the water was so clear we could see all the way to the bottom. Great for for snorkeling or floating on a blown up raft--like I did. In fact, I've started packing a deflated raft, then blowing it up when I arrive at my beach destination. This way, I never miss out on a great float.

Baby Beach, Aruba

Many people give directions using this Big Red Anchor as a landmark. It was on the way to Baby Beach and I couldn't resist snapping a shot.

Blooming Cactus on Aruba

Besides the wonderful beaches, Aruba has great restaurants throughout the island--some overlooking the water, others built on top of the water, and still others located right in downtown. There are casinos and great architecture, like the old church captured in a shot below. A visitor should be sure to visit the island's lighthouse. Often people head that direction for sunset and to share a glass of champagne. However, every time we go, Laura likes to end the vacation with dinner at Chalet Suisse. It's conveniently located right next door to Paradise Villas.

An old church

The Lighthouse

Pam, Laura, Benny, Jenny, Linda