It was a perfect day for a lot of walking…mostly to breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We headed out early around 8am to a small diner up the road apiece. It really reminds us of Country Waffles since they only serve breakfast and lunch, then close at 3pm. Maybe because it was a holiday, it was crowded. Also, their food is very good and the coffee hot. It used to be that the prices in Florida were a bit more affordable, but time has caught up with that, and it is comparable.
We needed a few things at Publix, and easily found it all, plus more. Then we strolled through TJ Maxx mostly to get back in the air conditioning. Ace Hardware was our next stop, but it was closed for New Year's. So we will come back tomorrow, time permitting.
Back at the hotel, the lobby was becoming busy with people leaving and others coming in. So far, we have not recognized anyone. The majority of folks we know live on the East Coast, so they tend to come the day before the cruise. Of course, if the weather changes, some come earlier to avoid delays and cancellations. Other longtime cruisers choose to rent a vehicle and drive with all of their luggage.
We did want to take a hike up the bridge to get some photos of the Intercoastal Waterway. Once you summit the center of the highway, there are benches up there where you can catch a wonderful breeze. By the time we got close to that spot, the bells went off, and it was announced that the bridge was going up shortly. We like to watch this event, although the vehicles that get held up are probably cursing. Once the four lane highway lifts, the boats can navigate under it, especially the ones with the massive masts. Due to the holiday, there were hundreds of boats and yachts out and about today.
Since we were this far, we decided to continue towards the Ft. Lauderdale Beach, where we could check out the activities on the sandy beaches and also at the restaurants. It was crowded with families BBQing, swimming, playing volleyball, and relaxing under umbrellas. The parking lot was full, but that did not stop the flow of vehicles trying to get a lucky spot. All of the lifeguard stands were manned and there was a helicopter scanning the waters of the surf. Wonder if they ever spot sharks in this area?
Like we said, it was hot, and the thought of enjoying a couple of ice cold beers sounded irresistible. Bubba Gump's filled that bill, as well as a shared appetizer platter of chicken tenders, followed by a slice of Key Lime pie. This place has the best pie ever. Relaxing for an hour was even better.
The walk back seemed to take less time….doesn't it always? We saw few birds, but did spot a squirrel and a few iguanas. Once again, we stopped at the top of the bridge, and a repeat performance of the lifting and lowering happened again. By the way, there were no cruise ships in Port Everglades today. Only one ferry. And it is worth mentioning that the convention center is still undergoing renovations. It looks to be a massive project. So does the renewal of the old iconic Pier 66 Hotel. It looks like the tower will be incorporated with buildings all around it. A sign stated it would re-open in 2024.
Back at the hotel, we kicked back for a few hours, watching football, then headed out for salads at Duffy's once again. The sun was setting by 6pm, and it was still light when we headed to the sports bar. It was really jumping with customers with all of the games today. We caught the end of the 49er's and Raider's game, not knowing by the time we left if the tied score changed and someone won in overtime. Good news was that SF scored, and they won the game.
We put on a lot of miles today, so sleeping should be great. Tomorrow we need to be up early to go for that Covid test. Once that is done and we test negative, we will be relieved. Will let you know tomorrow how this turned out.
Bill & Mary Ann
