Final Days

Today, Sunday, we visited 

We had intended to take a guided tour of the Loxahatchee River. We called to book but inexplicably you can’t book. You must turn up in person!! On arrival, we checked if there was availability but no.  It was explained that booking could cause problems if people booked and didn’t show while  prospective customers were on site!! I could have provided a solution but I held my tongue! 

Having failed to partake of the Loxahatchee  River Cruise, we adjourned to the Interpretive Centre 

The park was named after Jonathan Dickinson who was driven ashore by a storm while saying from

Jamaica to Philadelphia in 1696. 

 

The railway arrived and the area developed 

 


During WW11, the US Army opened a secret radar training station here and after the war the area was transferred to the state of Florida for use as a national park, which opened in 1950. 

The 50% of the  area is composed of wet flat woods

8% by Wet Prairie 

20% by scrubland 

and the remainder was not accounted for! 

A twenty minute video gave us a graphic account of what we had missed on tour but as we had boated through the Everglades on previous trips, I think the experience would have been similar. 

Jonathon Dickinson  State Park is one of  many Florida national parks. 

Tomorrow, we return via Paris to Dublin - a lovely  break with warm weather that nourished the soul after the long winter. 

Vero Beach to Hope Sound

We quitted the hotel at 11:00 and headed for an outlet on the edge of town. The outlet turned out to be a disappointment as the majority of the shops had closed down so we didn’t splash the cash!! 

From there we made our way to Hope Sound to see CC’s cousins. We ate lunch and found a really quirky place namely Harry and the Natives - a barn like structure reminiscent of early Florida. The food was excellent and from there we continued to meet the cousins. Later that evening, we all adjourned to a local German restaurant. The cousins’ father was German so that explains their choice! We ate schnitzel - German / Austrian Food is not my top choice. 

Later we adjourned to Cousin’s patio, where we chatted and they reminisced on their youth - they’re both in their 80s !!

 

Saturday, we headed to a nearby town, namely Stuart. 

Here, we visited the Elliott museum, situated by the beach. 

     Of course, there had to be an Irish connection!!  

There are various exhibitions in the museum -some permanent others visiting 

These refuge houses were built to shelter sailors shipwrecked off the Florida prior to the colonization of the area 

The museum included a comprehensive display of the history of the automobile.    

Here Karl Benz is beholden to his wife, Bertha took the Motowagon on a 66 mile trip to see her mother. En route she identified and solved many of the automobiles problems and so began the automobile dynasty. The Mercedes model was named after their daughter. 

Above, a desire for ice cream on a picnic was responsible for the invention of the motorboat!! 

Included in the museum is a store of  c. 50 vintage cars which one can choose to be brought forward for inspection, in addition to those on floor display. 

The evolution of the bicycle with examples including the Penny Farthing 

Life in small town America is recreated 

                      The Post Office 

                          The Apothecary

                      The General Store

                          The Soda Fountain

The area had its own Bonnie and Clyde

We adjourned to nearby Stuart Beach, where we lunched

took a stroll on the beach

and returned to Hobe Sound 

Day 3 Vero Beach

Last night we went up the Ocean Grill Restaurant. 

We ordered a drink at the bar - a beer for CC and a house Margarita for moi. On arrival, we had checked in with the Maître D’. As promised, she had us seated within 10 minutes. 

The menu had an emphasis on fish but meat and poultry were also included. We chose to share a starter of Crab Dip. We were glad that we had decided to share as the portion was huge but really delicious. It was served with raw vegetables which complimented the richness of the crab.  

We followed with a crab cake (half portion) for CC 

and a Coquilles St Jacques for moi 

With this came a substantial salad for each of us 

with a choice of dressing and bread warm from the oven. 

We finished in Florida style with a shared Key lime pie 

It was an excellent meal. 

Today, we went to visit the Railway Museum but unfortunately it was closed due to Covid! 

This amused me as there is hardly a person wearing s mask to be seen since our arrival. On the Trirail from the airport, we fell into conversation with a lady, just returned from a holiday in Italy. She informed us that as the Governor was a Republican, mask wearing was never compulsory! However, federal law had required that masks be worn in their properties. However, a recent lower court decision says that masks can be dispensed with everywhere even on planes!! I’m glad we’re travelling with Air France! This decision is to be appealed to a higher court but as of now - no masks! I wear mine in shops etc and I’m looked at as if I was a freak !! 

After a spot of shopping for dinner, we returned to the apartment. We sat by the pool and I had a swim. As the  sun was hidden by cloud, the water was not warm but very refreshing! 

Dinner was large prawns followed by a salmon burger all washed down with a Californian Chardonnay. 

It’s been a very relaxing few days - nice warm temperatures modified by a wind 

Vero Beach Day 2

This morning, we lounged by the pool. The weather is in the late 20s but there is a breeze which makes the temperature very tolerable. There are clouds in the sky and  a shower is forecast (not more rain) but it thankfully didn’t arrive! 

In the afternoon, we had a long walk on the beach. There are hotels dotted along the beach but with the exception of two high rise buildings, the remainder are low rise. 

The Atlantic was at its most powerful, with mighty waves breaking on the beach. A surfers’ paradise but there was none to behold! The red flag was up, yet a few foolhardy souls braved the breakers 

There was an interesting apartment development on the beach derived from driftwood. 

Climbing up from the beach, we went to the Ocean Restaurant to see if we could book a table in the restaurant for tonight - I know we were told last night that only parties of five plus could book! I took my chance found the Maître D’ - a lady who enquired  when we would like to eat, having heard my Irish accent , asked me my name and to let her know when we arrived!! The luck of the Irish!  

Back on the street again, I walked down Ocean Drive, the road paralleling the coast, where up market shops selling beachwear, souvenirs  and restaurants abound. Sotheby’s are here so there must be money in the area ! 

I returned to the hotel. I must get dressed for dinner tonight!!