Well, it seems that our little “mini” vacation in southern Florid is about to end. Yesterday was another pleasant day, doing what we have done most every day here………….walk, shop, eat, watch TV, and enjoy all the internet we can. We have to add that we have slept quite well, even though there is outside work being done on the hotel property. Our room on the seventh floor has provided a perfect view of the big drilling rig, earth movers, and dump trucks as they prepare the grounds for future builds. Interesting to watch the progress, although it seems slow. Yesterday we noticed that the ballrooms of the hotel have been closed off with plastic curtains. Guess some remodeling will be happening here as well.
The weather has co-operated with little rain during the daylight hours, then raining some at night. In reading the local paper, we have learned that this area is experiencing a drought, something we are very familiar with living in California. The rainy season will soon change things here. And if any hurricanes arrive, they will have too much water.
Today, we took a hike back to Publix for a few room snacks for the ship. There will not be any ports on the way back through the Panama Canal that sells chips and dips and M&M peanuts. We are finding that most everything we need can be found at Walgreens. Today we checked several places for a covered plastic container to pack some bags of chips. Found the perfect one at the drug store.
We have to add that the people we have met here have been genuinely nice. That applies to the restaurants and stores, even the folks at the hotel, who treat us like residents by now. The one exception has to be one of the shuttle drivers, who seems to hide at the time he is supposed to drive hotel customers to Sawgrass Mills Mall. It appears that these fellows have other jobs at the hotel, but if this transfer is offered three times a day, it should be done with a smile, even if you only have two riders. Oh well, we did make it out there three times, which was enough to get what we needed and have two great lunches at CPK. By the way, we looked up the size of this mall, and found it to be rated as number 11 of the largest malls in the USA.
Packing kept us busy the rest of the afternoon. Even though we did not bring all that much, we seemed to have added a bit more than we thought. If we have gauged it right, most of the toiletries will be finished, with nothing much to bring back home. They do add lot of weight to the luggage. After a world cruise, you would be surprised how many people will put out a box of unused cosmetics in the hallway for other people or crew members to take. Guess it would not fit in their luggage going home.
So the plan for tomorrow is to check out by 10:30am, take a taxi to the pier, and hopefully check-in by noon or earlier. It may be a while before we are set up with internet on the ship, so until then, keep an eye out for the continuing journey. We will be back……
Bill & Mary Ann
A different type of lizard
It had to be 16 inches long
And very green
A Florida sunset
Looking westward…..
