The first night in Florida, we met up with a clay friend who I had met on line. We went to a Cuban restaurant and had a great time. The big surprise is it was COLD in Florida. It was mid 50's when we got off the plane. That wouldn't be a big deal, except I didn't bring any winter clothes. Fortunately, it warmed up.
The first full day in Florida, we spent exploring. We found two art stores and a French restaurant. Although it has been about 20 years since I needed to speak French, I gave a try at ordering my lunch. All went well. It was the second time we ate at the French restaurant that I discovered when I got stuck in French, my brain automatically switched to Spanish.
The next day, we explored Ocean Blvd. We drove by 401 Ocean Blvd, and as far as I know, both the sheriff and the deputy are still alive. We saw the art deco section of Miami Beach and we found a Cuban restaurant. I had a much easier time ordering my lunch in Spanish. Until.... I got stuck in Spanish. The waitress asked Jim in Spanish what kind of desert he wanted, and although I knew what she said, it took a few seconds for me to think of the English. This happens some times. The food was very good and so were the deserts. I tried Cuban coffee, and that stuff really will put hair on your chest. Even the decaff.
I did learn the following: decafinado (Spanish for decaff), decafinee (French for decaff), confiture (French for jam). These are important words to know.
After Miami Beach, we went to the Anne Kolb Nature Preserve in Dania (just south of Ft. Lauderdale). So that's what a mangrove forest looks like. I read the Doc Ford mystery series and the next trip to Florida will include Captiva Island.
