Alligators! Turtles! South Beach, Miami & Valentine's Day! Day 39

Hi all!

Writing to you, from the sunny part of North America, south-west of Miami.  Okay, this place is wild!  We are surrounded by alligators, crocodiles, rattlesnakes, boa constrictors, spiders, turtles and the South Beach crowd!

Our first day in Miami......we saw this "Jesus Christ Lizard" in the middle of the road.  We spotted him after seeing a huge iguana on the grass by the sidewalk.

Alligators!  

On Day 32 we decided to venture out into the Everglades - yes, the Everglades.  You know, where CSI Agents in black Hummers & low-cut tops go out into the wilderness to find the scattered remains of hapless Miamians amongst the alligators and saw-grass critters.  Whoa....too much....okay......backing up......

We took a drive along a small narrow "highway" that cuts across the Everglades.  This area is incredible.  It can be open and swamp-like with a sea of grass extending into the distance, or it can be dense with mangroves.  Very spooky!

Alright, ya'll, I spotted this GATOR against the side of the gully along the road.  As it turns out, he was the FIRST out of approx 50 gators we saw that afternoon!  He is approx 7 - 8' long!

AHHHH!  I couldn't believe it!  Cruising down the road, looking at the scenery, I was watching the waterway (gully) for signs of gators.....not expecting to actually see any.  Then I saw the back of this gator!  After shoving my stomach back into my body cavity, I made Steve pull a u-turn so that we could go back and see it.  We didn't think we'd see any more, so we stopped to check him out. 

So, we got out of the truck to get a good look at the gator - he was about 25' away from us (down into a sloping gully, hanging out on the other side of the narrow waterway).  We passed a couple of smaller gators, which I hadn't noticed originally, to get to this big guy.

Needless to say, I was completely freaked out and nervous.  I kept a watchful eye open, and Steve took pictures.  VERY SCARY!  I began to freak myself out further by wondering why NO ONE ELSE was stopping on the roadside to see these creatures.  Will they dive into the water, pop up just below my feet and grab me?  Grab Steve?  Ahhh!  I headed back to the truck.  Too scared to just stand there like a tasty gator-meal.

As I started back, I urged Steve to come too.  Just then, another car stopped on the roadside.  Two men and two women were walking very quickly (almost running) to where we were standing to get a look.  One of the men had a camera out.  We started walking back to the truck.  I felt relieved.......then I felt angry.  As we arrived back to our truck, we could see, down the road, the other guy lobbing rocks at the gator to try to get him to move.  Such an idiot!  We were so ticked off.  It's one thing to stop and take a photo and another to disturb the animal.  I was wishing that a conservation officer (this was in a state park) would come by.  We were at our truck, going the opposite way in traffic, so, left the idiots behind.  I hope the Gator got 'em.

Anyway, here are some of the other ominous creatures we found along our drive:

"Perfectly Posed" Gator!

"Skulking in the Murky Water" Gator

"Dry Patches" Floating Gator

South End of a Gator Going North

 "Camo" Gator

"Mr. Scary" was the only Gator we saw Moving.  He is massive - 8' long (approx - I didn't actually measure him) and you could see his heavy weight as he shifted on that rock.

"Mr. Scary's" beat up snout.

And, of course, 'ol "Smiley"

We saw a number of turtles too - some the size of a child's head, but they are pretty skiddish.  They'd dive into the water instantly after being spotted.  This little guy was sitting still when Steve noticed him alongside a clearing.  So cute.

We made it across the Everglades and into a city called Naples.  A really pretty Gulf of Mexico coastal town.....slow pace, lovely buildings, patio restaurants and shiny white boats everywhere.  We stopped for dinner at the Riverwalk restaurant - a tropical yachty-style restaurant where servers wore polo shirts and khaki pants.  I felt like I was among "my people."  I had fish tacos and a margarita (both were yummy).  Steve had a burger.  Great pub grub.  Watched the sunset over the yachts.  Wonderful day.

Panthers - we saw caution signs all along the road saying "Panther Crossing," but, no surprise, we didn't see any panthers.  Sure would have been a sight though!  I've never been anywhere in the world where "Panther Crossing" signs were posted.  So cool!

Miami - South Beach for Valentine's Day

Speaking of Panthers.......we cruised Miami's South Beach for Valentine's Day!  We decided to brush off some nice clothes and head to South Beach to dine with the beautiful people.  After giving each other some chocolates, and Steve also bought me a gorgeous arrangement of local flowers (from a road-side farmer's stand), we asked a Miami Policeman where we should go for dinner.  There are scores of restaurants side-by-side-by-side along the "strip" in South Beach.  Actually, you have to walk "through" the restaurants because they all have seating along the sidewalk, so you walk through the restaurants to get to the next one.  They're all hustling for your business, showing you their food, listing their menus on huge boards, blaring music, twirling-flashing lights, etc.  It's a zoo!  

We went to Gloria Estevan's restaurant for dinner.....a DELICIOUS Cuban cuisine restaurant.  Started at the bar-stools and talked with an airline pilot trainer and his wife, a philanthropist, who were in Miami for a conference.  After enjoying their company and an incredible Mojito for me, fresh OJ & soda for Steve, we sat down to a fantastic dinner.  At the end of the meal, the server gave me (and all the other ladies in the restaurant) a red rose.  Very nice.

Looking for adventure again this week, we went back to Miami's South Beach last night for dinner and to walk around the shoreline, looking at the yachts at the Miami Boat Show.

 

"Diamonds are Forever" 

is a 60m Benetti (197') yacht and the biggest one we saw at the show.

The Miami yacht show is (apparently) smaller than the Fort Lauderdale show, but my oh my, they have some gorgeous, luxurious yachts.  Made me miss the Nova Spirit a little and cruising the BC coast.  But hey, if we can make our new wifi company and real estate careers work, we'll just buy our own!

For dinner, this time, we went for tapas.  Yum!  No red rose, but still a super nice night out.  The ladies all wear 3" MINIMUM high heels and, well, let's just say that plastic surgery is very popular out here.  Tiny mini-skirts that you don't even see in Vancouver (maybe in Vegas) are everywhere and those beautiful people just walk without a care.  "Oh no they don't!" 

The sun has been shining and I've been loving the heat.  Steve is melting.  But, we are having a great time - mixing "work" with pleasure.

Tomorrow we head to the Florida Keys for a few days.  Jimmy Buffett land!  I'm so excited!

Hope all is well at home......starting to miss you guys!

xoxoxoxo S&S and L&K