We had a mixed bag of weather (rain, sunny but with a biting wind, beautiful perfect outdoors days). On cold or rainy days, we explored the public library, visited antique and thrift stores, or went to a mall (this time in Daytona). We did have several warm days to lay out at the pool or the beach.
Our first Sunday we attended an art fair in the Canal Street area of New Smyrna Beach. New Smyrna Beach claims to be the second oldest city in Florida. Except for a few ruins, one doesn’t get the feeling of age like in Saint Augustine though. We bought our lunch at some food booths and on the way back to the car stopped at a shop on Canal Street to buy ice cream cones.
The next day we drove to Blue Spring State Park near Orange City. Here the manatees winter in the warm water, grazing the St. John’s River. The water is crystal clear so one gets good views of the bulky beasts.
The northern section of Canaveral National Seashores was just 3 miles from our condo. We went there many times using our Golden Age Passport card for entry. The first time, I looked for shells while my husband basked in the sun watching the surf fishers with their poles planted in the sand. One of them told me he had caught a sea bass and a pompano. I was surprised to see so many people on a weekday. On another day, we “climbed” Turtle Mound, an Indian midden of shells. The trail was actually a raised boardwalk. The view was great.
Also, hiked an interior hammock trail and Castle Windy Trail where I got bitten by mosquitos. Yikes! Zika! The Zika cases in Florida were in the news then, but I didn’t have any reaction other than my usual swelling and itching.
At the end of Apollo Beach, the horseshoe crabs were busy making baby crabs in the lagoon, the coupled crabs being buffeted together by the gentle waves, never parting from each other.
Another day we investigated the Flagler Avenue area of New Smyrna Beach. For $10, cars are allowed to drive and park on the beach.
The beach near our condo was a non-driving section.
We ate shrimp quesadillas on the patio of the Salty Dunes Restaurant after perusing souvenir shops; then crossed the street to the candy and ice cream shop. Some of the chocolates were molded to look like alligators; most of the candy was old-fashioned “penny” candy of the 1940’s-1960’s era. We sat on the porch benches enjoying our ice cream while folks walked by on Flagler Avenue.
On our second Saturday, we went to the farmers’ market in a park near to Canal Street. We bought some sour dough bread and locally-made cheese, a grapefruit and an avocado. My husband caught up on newspaper reading at the public library while I browsed seashell books. I bought two books and a small white plate with a seashell motif on the rim (fifty cents) at the Habitat for Humanity thrift shop.
Sunday we ate at AA Fusion Garden restaurant on Flagler, a small cozy place. It was sunny but very windy. The many types of tea and the Asian inspired dishes were delicious. I had pork fried noodles which had an abundance of veggies and mushrooms. Highly recommend.
We rooted the Broncos to a Super Bowl win; go Peyton.
On February 8th, we drove to the southern section of Canaveral National Seashores near Titusville. We drove through the Black Point Wildlife Drive on Merritt Island. The roseate spoonbills were beautiful. We saw only one alligator.
There were several boardwalks with side blinds where you could observe the birds unseen. All along the walks, you could hear little peeps under the overhanging mangrove foliage as waterfowl sheltered there.
Our next stop was Playa Linda Beach. I found an angel wing and some bittersweet clam shells, the bittersweets being new to me. We found a nice picnic area near the Eddy Creek boat launch dock. We sat on the table so we could look out at the waves which provided a steady roar while we ate the lunch we had packed.
Near the dock was this plant with pods I found interesting. At home my internet search told me these are nickernuts on a warri tree, a kind of seabean.
On February 9th, I dropped my husband off at the library while I went to an antique store and back to the thrift store. I bought a cylindrical clear vase for $2 to hold my now-growing seashell collection. Also, The Not So Big House by Sarah Susanka for $1. I read this maybe 20 years ago, checked out from the library. I am happy to have my own copy to reread. There also was a decorating book which I bought and cut out photos to add to my decorating folders.
I read 4 books (one on my ipad) and colored 2 pictures in the coloring book my husband gave me for Christmas, using my colored pencil set which is over 50 years old. I have decided that coloring is not calming or relaxing for me. In fact, I find it kind of boring. Anybody want a coloring book?
My husband wanted to go to EPCOT, and our time in Florida was growing short. We braved the cold wind on the 10th. We had made an earlier trip to Orlando to a Woodcraft store and to Ikea on a cold windy day.
EPCOT was better than I expected. Really expensive ($103 per adult), though I guess the multipark multiday passes and hotel packages even out the cost some if you go that route.
We rode Test Track, not realizing this was going to be a roller coaster type of ride when we boarded; Mission Space; Finding Nemo; and as we were leaving the park about 7 p.m. Spaceship Earth. When we entered the park in the morning, there was a 70-minute wait for Spaceship Earth so we skipped it until later. At 7 p.m. there was a 5 minute wait. Timing is everything. We ate at a fast-food cafe in Morocco, but I guess a lot of people were in the more formal dining venues early evening.
We visited most of the country exhibits (not Canada), had a pain au chocolat in France, saw the Japanese drummers, Chinese acrobats (which were moved inside because of the wind), Mexican mariachi band, Italian flaggers.
Our last activity before eating supper was the America animatronic show. The wait was inside the building, and everybody was commenting on how this was the warmest they had been all day. We didn’t wait for the fireworks show as when the sun went down the wind was brutally cold.
On February 11th, we explored Smyrna Dunes State Park. Dog lovers are crazy about this park as dogs on leashes are allowed. The parking lot is maybe a mile from the Atlantic Ocean beach, though there were side trails to Ponce Inlet.
The lighthouse so close yet so far. Since it sat on a spur of land divided from our beach by the inlet, we would have had to drive north to Port Orange maybe 10 miles, then over to the barrier beach.
Low tide so good time to beachcomb. One should always look for a tide chart when visiting a beach area.
Our last day before heading home, the weather was perfect. We went to Eldora House (preserved 1913 house) in Canaveral National Seashores where I sat on a bench in the sun writing in my journal and reading a book while boats went by in the lagoon.
We went back to the condo for lunch. Late afternoon was low tide. Back to Apollo Beach where I hunted for shells. A very nice man gave me several pieces of seaglass that he had found; I found one later myself. We sat on our beach chairs and chaise lounge reading books and people watching until 5 p.m. It was a great end to our Florida stay.
No comments:
Post a Comment