Cuban Beat- Miami's Little Havana

Miami.  For me, the name of the city conjured up images of ...I don't know...speed boats, Art Deco buildings and Crockett & Tubbs catching bad guys in their pastel-coloured suits.  I did know there was a vibrant Cuban community in the Little Havana neighbourhood, but I must admit my knowledge was limited to the mid-1980s "Miami Vice" television series.

Nice fedora, Gallo

But Miami is HOT. The vibrancy of this city and its neighbourhoods are electric.  Jenni was our tour guide once again as we took the car into downtown Miami, about one and a half hours from Tequesta.  I figured Miami would be a great place to break in these new white pants I purchased from Island Company in Palm Beach yesterday.  I may even blend right in with the locals-except for the pasty-white Canadian winter complexion I was donning.

smells of Havana

Our first order of business was to visit the iconic neighbourhood of Little Havana.  We found free parking on one of the side streets off of the main drag.  The little homes in this area are so brightly coloured and well kept; we already had the feeling that this was an eclectic area of the city that was alive with history and culture.

The Main street in Little Havana is Calle Ocho or SW 8th Street.  Here are many shops selling Cuban and Latin American food specialties, bars, restaurants, and walk up food windows.  It was a mix of authentic and gritty immigrant establishments and hipster havens.  Luke was in a gorgeous shop selling men's clothing and hats, looking for a straw fedora that fits his well-endowed cranium.  I noticed that this shop and the art gallery next door were very chic and modern compared to many other shops on the same block and I got a sinking feeling was this area culturally eroding?  Was this area being gentrified?

While Luke was trying on hats I got to talking with the store manager; a long time Little Havana resident.  I was asking her if this area was becoming gentrified as the immigrant population became older and moving away (and the neighbourhood land values increasing; therefore pricing out newer immigrants).  She said most of the new businesses in Little Havana are being opened by the children or grandchildren of the original immigrants to this area.  There is a nostalgic attachment for this area and a love and pride in preserving their culture and traditions.  It is a revitalization, not gentrification...

Azucar ice cream

Alas, Luke didn't find the right size fedora for his head; yet again.  I thought I would cheer him up with some Cuban ice cream!  You can't miss the Azucar Ice Cream Company. Azucar is located right across the street from the famous Dominoes Park (Maximo Gomes Park), and next to the infamous Ball and Chain Bar.  Besides, there is a giant ice cream cone on the front of the building so you can't miss it!

Here the ice cream is fresh and handmade.   I tried the Cuban vanilla ice cream called Mantecado, and it was complete heaven.  It's the consistency of gelato, (so milk, not cream) but richer, like custard-yes, it's like vanilla custard and gelato had a love child.  It tastes like...MORE, please!
24 flavours of more, to be exact!!!   

P.S. When you visit the Azucar Ice Cream Co, look down-the tile work on the floor is stunning.





We loved just walking along Calle Ocho, listening to all the Latin rhythms coming out of the shops and Spanish being spoken all around us.  The incredible food smells mingling with the occasional waft of fragrant cigars (there is no shortage of cigar emporiums here either). We checked out the Cuban Memorial Park Boulevard and noticed there were chickens and roosters running around in the streets and evidence of Santaria spells under a giant sacred Ceiba tree (chicken bones and little cloth bundles left as offerings to the deities). The neighbourhood just felt so ALIVE here.

I wanted to stay and grab a mojito at the Ball and Chain bar, relax and listen to the music all night long; but we still wanted to see the famous Miami beach.  We popped into a Latin supermarket that had a lunch counter and grabbed some Cuban coffee to fuel us up until we hit the Miami strip!
Vamos a la playa!!!

Florida's Loxahatchee River~Off The Paddled Path

Florida's Loxahatchee River is a "Wild and Scenic River" treasure. Cypress trees dressed up in coats of silver Spanish Moss, and ancient mangrove swamps.   Wildlife abounds, especially below the surface of the rivers...




The gentle Loxahatchee River in Eastern Florida is not a regular tourist destination.  The river's watershed covers a 260-acre ecosystem and has been designated a "Wild and Scenic River" by the US federal government in 1985, one of two in Florida.   The Loxahatchee empties into Jupiter inlet and then the Atlantic Ocean, sustaining a variety of threatened and endangered species.  Jonathan Dickson State Park at the North end of the Loxahatchee River provides visitors hiking, biking, boating, swimming, camping, horseback riding, fishing, wildlife viewing, and riverboat tours. Whew!  There's a lot to do at this State Park, and it is a "must-see" on my list of things to do around the Jupiter, Florida area.

Today my dear local friend Jenni offered to take us on an adventure down the Loxahatchee River like a local Floridian.  Jonathan Dickinson State Park has many opportunities to see wildlife up close, including manatees, which are on the endangered animals' list.   There is a fun way to learn lots of local history as well by paddling upriver to a deserted Florida trapper's cabin.  This sounded like a lot of fun since my son has recovered from his encounter with a Portuguese Man Of War jellyfish the previous day.

Canoe Rental Center

We decided to pack a picnic lunch for our canoeing adventure so we can eat on the go, so we popped into the grocery store to pick up supplies on the way to the State Park.  Now, I have said it in previous blog posts-I adore going grocery shopping while on vacation. I love seeing all the local produce and getting fresh new food ideas. What I love about the USA is the varied selection of beer and wines they have in grocery stores. Also, a picnic lunch is a great way to save some money.  See my blog post on Money Hacks To Save For Travel
Today's lunch selection will be single-serve bottles of California white wine, cheeses, grapes and ready-made sandwiches.  Feeding four people for under $20!







Entrance fees to the park are $6 per vehicle for up to 8 people.  There are a host of activities to pursue at Jonathan Dickinson state park, as I have mentioned above. Keep in mind when you choose these said activities, that there are alligator warnings all over the park!  Apparently, there are alligator fences to keep the swimming area and the canoe routes gator free.  After coming face to face with an enormous alligator in a parking lot at Sawgrass Recreation Park (see blog post), none of us were even remotely interested in swimming!  Renting canoes sounded cool-and less like suicide, at least you can use your paddle as self-defence! Canoe rental prices at Jonathan Dickson State Park are $25/2 hours single or $30/2 hours double.  $5 per every additional hour.

We rented two canoes; Jenni and I in one, and my son and his father in another.  Life jackets on and maps in hand; it didn't take long for all of us to establish our paddling rhythm.  In no time, we were gliding down the Loxahatchee River towards a strange historical landmark, Trapper Nelson's cabin.
We passed towering Cypress trees that were draped in reams of Spanish Moss and topped with immense Osprey nests.  They looked like giants in furry winter coats topped with hats!  Gliding past mangroves with their tangled roots, and logs jutting out of the water covered in little turtles that seemed to be doing yoga poses.

Approaching Trapper Nelson's Dock

It didn't take long before a friendly paddling competition broke out between the two canoes.  It was about a 3-mile paddle downstream to Trapper Nelson's dock.  Trapper Nelson was the infamous "Wildman of the Loxahatchee."  Nelson was a fur trader,  animal trapper (and all-around weird dude) that established a homestead along the Loxahatchee in the 1930s.  His cabin had no electricity or city water, and he lived self-sufficiently eating raccoons and turtles.





All that changed after WWII and Vince "Trapper" Nelson started a game farm and tourist attraction, using all his cash to buy up 1,000 acres of Loxahatchee Riverfront property.  He had boatloads of well-to-do folks and celebrities from West Palm Beach at his compound, even had a movie star wife for a few years.  Vince Nelson had become sick and paranoid in his last days, and his eventual death occurred under mysterious circumstances in 1968. The US parks board staff have found only one of his fabled stashes of treasure: a bundle of 5,000 coins stuffed up the cottage chimney totalling almost $2,000!  There are rumoured to be more treasure buried somewhere on his property...

Foraging for lunch!

You are free to wander around the property and see all sorts of exotic fruit trees Nelson had planted like Surinam cherry, Java plum and wild almonds. Inspect all the Trapper's animal pens for his exotic "pets," and poke through the cabins that have been substantially preserved by the State Park.  We had this place to ourselves, and it was super eerie; at times, my skin felt like it was crawling! It felt like someone was watching you, and soon it was more than alligators I was fearing.

We had our picnic lunch at Trapper Nelson's and then hopped back into our rental canoes.  We had a bit of fun trying to navigate against the current and around the riverboat guided tour that came around after lunch.  Somehow it felt like our limbs had turned to jelly after some food and mid-day wine.




All that fresh air, exercise, adventure and sea air had made us tired.  We had one stop on the way home, and that was PINDERS SEAFOOD.   Pinder's is a must when visiting Jupiter, in my opinion.  This marketplace has it all:  fresh-caught seafood, ready-made take out and even an excellent wine selection.  We grabbed some seafood chowder to take home as well as some conch fritters (the most fantastic thing I have eaten in a long while) and a lovely Italian white wine in a fish-shaped bottle.  





That night I had strange dreams about The Wildman Of The Loxahatchee and where he hid his treasure!  How many secrets were buried with the "Trapper" we will never know...

Follow me on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM  and  BLOGLOVIN'  for daily photos and updates! #slowtravel🐌

Delray Beach, Florida & The Blue Bottle of DOOM!!!

Delray Beach on Florida's West Coast is a mix of fun shops and fabulous restaurants and bars that line the main street.  The beach itself is a paradise of soft white sand that stretches on for miles or as far as the eye can see.  But there is danger lurking at the high tide mark; danger in a squishy blue bottle...  

On the way back to our home base in Jupiter, Florida from our alligator safari in the Sawgrass Recreation Area, we decided to stop somewhere and grab dinner.  Some relaxing beach time and perhaps catching a sunset would be a nice way to end our day of gator watching.  Delray Beach looked like a nice place to explore so I entered it into GPSangeeta and we were there in a flash.  Situated between Boca Raton and Boynton Beach and a bit off-the-beaten-path, Delray Beach has a young and artsy vibe to it. There are many art shops and galleries to explore in the Pineapple Grove district of Delray Beach as well as funky murals to check out. 

The main street of Delray Beach is called Atlantic Avenue and leads from Interstate 95 all the way down to the shoreline.  Atlantic Ave is very vibrant; filled with upscale restaurants and Caribbean themed bars.  I thought we would hit up a nice Italian pizzeria for some wood-fired oven pizza Margherita after we play on the beach.  

We found a parking lot that wasn't an outrageous amount to park in near Atlantic Dunes Park, right behind the lifeguard station.  Parking near the beach is very pricey and can be hard to find during peak season.

The beach was gorgeous and deliciously empty in January!  Miles of soft light brown sand and gentle surf.  It wasn't long before my son's shoes were off and he was dipping his feet in the water.  Then his pants were rolled up, and he was wading into the water up to his knees.  Of course, soon his pants ended up being rolled up so high, they looked like short-shorts and he was frolicking in the surf, getting soaking wet.
I took it all in;  the sea air whipping my hair around, the smell of the saltwater all the little shorebirds running around where the eatin' is good along the tide line.  In an instant, I was homesick for Vancouver where I grew up.

The Beach to Ourselves!

We decided to walk north along the beach for a while and do some beachcombing for treasures like beach glass and shells.  I still could not believe there was absolutely no one on this beach except the odd dog walking its human.  It was not that cold out-at least by Canadian standards; maybe the Floridians were still donning their snowsuits!  

NOT a Florida Sea Cucumber!

Wandering down the beach, we found some interesting shells at the high tide line. But then we found something strange, and beautiful...and ultimately horrible.  A strange bright blue creature that had helplessly washed up on the sand.  My son thought this must be some kind of sea cucumber because of its shape, and I didn't think anything much of it either.  My poor child went to "rescue" the defenseless sea cucumber (because that's the kind of gentle soul he is) and took it back to the Ocean and put it in.  "Mr. Sea Cucumber" immediately washed back up on the beach, so my son repeated the rescue attempt.😱

That's when my poor son started to feel the stings.  His hand went red and swollen, and it burned like crazy. Oh, NO-that was a jellyfish!  Well, that is no fun.  But being raised as a West Coast boy, he had been stung in Vancouver by jellyfish loads of times, no big deal.  Then the pain started to worsen; my son went pale and started to complain that his armpits hurt.  I figured this meant lymph nodes and perhaps an allergic reaction of some sort.  MOM panic ensued, and I stayed outwardly calm, but inside I was freaking the F**K out!  We walked briskly back towards the car, and my son was nauseous at this point.  I cheerfully suggested we stop in at the lifeguard station to see if they could help.






The station looked closed, but I knocked on the door anyway and a staff member came to open the door.  We recounted our tale to him and the lifeguard explained that the "sea cucumber" was a Portuguese Man O War jellyfish and is very dangerous-especially if you were swimming and a group of them sting you!  The lifeguard gave us a few packages of this green goo called "sting zapper" and I put it all over my son's hands.  It smelled nice, like tea tree oil and perhaps peppermint.  The lifeguard told us he gets stung almost daily when he is at work and it hurts A LOT.  He also told us that some folks can have an allergic reaction to the venom; so just as a precaution we should be on the watch for signs of difficulty breathing in the next hour or so.

It took a long while before the jellyfish venom to stop stinging, and we decided to head back to our home base near Jupiter for dinner in.  My son slept the whole way back in the car and immediately crawled into bed exhausted.  
We must go back someday to explore Delray Beach and all that Atlantic Avenue has to offer.

The next day the welts on my son's hands were mostly gone, and he felt good as new. Of course, now we ALL know not to touch the blue bottles on the beach.  So this was our tale of harrowing deeds of peril with wild alligators and deadly jellyfish! 
Gotta keep your wits about you in the exotic wilds of Florida!

Follow me on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM  and  BLOGLOVIN'  for daily photos and updates! #slowtravel🐌

And Now To Lighten The Mood; A Cute Beach Bird Video:

Florida's Everglades~ Gator Safari!

Peeking through the sawgrass at me in Florida is a link to our prehistoric past.  These ancient reptiles surly are little dinosaur remnants, and are both fascinating and eerie as hell!  Come on a gator safari with me...

Our Sweet Swamp Ride

We were on our own to explore Florida today, from our home base of Jupiter. 
Our friend and hostess Jenni suggested perhaps we visit a theme park in Orlando. Oh, heck to the no!  We want to experience the REAL Florida, not a Disney version.  I thought: it's a gorgeous day; we should take a fan boat tour and go see some alligators in the Everglades swamp.  When I think of Florida, I think of alligators, and I wanted to see them in the wild.  I knew the Florida Everglades National Park was on the South tip of Florida past Miami.  It would be a really long day if we drove all the way down to Miami, and took a tour and then drove all the way back up to Jupiter.

Gators, you will see!

After doing some research on the internet, I discovered that the Florida Everglades extend to the north quite a bit, all the way up to the Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton areas. The Everglades Wildlife Management Area has several locations that offer fan boat tours of the wetlands.  I found a spot that is in the Everglades Recreational Area, about a 45-minute drive from Jupiter, and offers fan boat tours and had a reptile conservation area: Sawgrass Recreation Park.  We put the address into our GPS Sangeeta, and we were off!

Gator Safari

We drove inland towards Lake Okeechobee on Highway 98, past field after field of sugar cane crops.  I wondered, were any alligators in those irrigation ditches?  How big were they?  What would I do if I encountered one in the wild?  My excitement was mounting...

Then heading south on Highway 27 to Sawgrass Recreational Park, we reached our destination.  I was bewildered; I imagined the Everglade swamps to be filled with mangrove trees, and towering trees covered in Spanish Moss- but there was NOTHING. No mangroves, no trees, nothing but water and grass.  Was this the correct place to see alligators? We parked our car in the gravel parking lot and found the ticket office, and purchased our fan boat tickets.

Fan Boat Ride

The airboat adventure admissions are $22.95 (2020 prices) for adults and $12.95 for children up to 12 years old.  This includes entry to the reptile and wildlife exhibits.  There is a discount when purchasing tickets online. 

Sawgrass is very common in the Florida Everglades; it is often referred to as a "River of Grass."  It grows in very infertile soil and offers a habitat for many species of animals, including American Alligators, that use the grass to build their nests.  We got a front-row seat in the fan boat so we could spot those gators.  Our captain expertly guided our boat through the various waterways looking for gators and other local wildlife.  The airboat glided smoothly on top of the water, and we saw several types of birds, including Osprey.  Our captain was very knowledgeable about flora and fauna of this part of the Everglades and gave our tour group demonstrations on how the indigenous peoples of this area use the sawgrass.

American Alligator In The Wild

Near the end of our boat tour, our captain spotted an alligator swimming in the sawgrass, barely peeking out of the water.  The alligator was about 5 feet long from nose to tail and didn't seem that bothered by us at first.  Our boat gently drifted over towards where the gator paused so we could get a good look at this magnificent reptile.  The alligator decided we were getting a wee bit close, so it gracefully slipped through the water using it's large and powerful tail to propel itself forward.  I was actually a bit startled at how fast this alligator could move, and I bet I would not stand a chance if I was its next meal.

Speaking of the next meal, after our one hour tour was over, we decided to have some lunch at the Gator Grill.  The Gator Grill was a great food truck in the picnic area of the park.  They had a great menu selection of Angus beef burgers, pulled pork tacos and of course-gator bites or what I was calling them: gator tots like our beloved Canadian McCain's 'Tater Tots.  I figured I had to try them since you don't come across alligator meat very often, and they were actually delicious.  The alligator meat comes frozen from an alligator farm in Louisiana, not locally from the wild, as I had thought. My son Liam is a vegetarian, and he ordered the veggie chilli, and he felt it was terrific.









The picnic area is inhabited by two peacocks (Ed and Max) and several ducks who apparently LOVE vegetarian chilli, or at least it seemed that way by the way the group of ducks looked at Liam with their mournful eyes.  These ducks could give our two dogs at home a lesson in begging, they were THAT good!

Baby alligator cuteness

After lunch, we went to check out the exhibits in the park.  There are many rescued exotic pets her including snakes, iguanas and monitor lizards.  I was even lucky enough to hold a baby alligator with the supervision and guidance of the staff.  I was very grateful for the elastic band closure around this little guy's snout-his sharp little teeth could take of a pinky finger, I bet!  I must say, at this size, they are so cute; but stare into the eyes of this little one, and you can see prehistoric memories.   Fascinating!

We then went on to see the wildlife exhibit.  The highlight here was Mia, a Florida Panther.  Florida Panthers look almost precisely like Cougars in Canada, but smaller. The Florida Panthers and pumas and pretty much cousins, and the panthers are on the Critically Endangered species list.  In 1970 there were only about 20 Florida Panthers in the wild; today, there are an estimated 230 wild Panthers in Florida. Here is a fun fact that I discovered:  Florida Panthers can not roar; they can make all sorts of other little noises but have the inability to let out a roar.   We learned a lot about the conservation efforts for the Florida Panther.   I am glad that Florida is taking great efforts to protect these beautiful big cats and their environment.

  Look At The Size Of This Alligator!  

When we went back to our car in the gravel parking lot, we found a giant alligator pictured here, sunning himself behind our rental vehicle!  So my questions were answered.  Yup, there are gators in the ditches.  They are big;  this one must have been 7-8 feet long.  I completely froze.  I don't think I took a breath for close to a minute.  I saw how fast and powerful these reptiles were in the water; I didn't want to stick around and see how they did on land!

Heading back to our temporary home in Jupiter, I had a new respect for nature in Florida.  The waterways in the countryside of Florida are wild and even dangerous, and I will never go camping in a tent, go for a quick dip in a river or turn my back to a ditch on the side of the road! The dinosaurs live on...

Wild American Alligator in action:

Follow me on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM  and  BLOGLOVIN'  for daily photos and updates! #slowtravel🐌

Jupiter,Florida~Off The Beaten Path & Out Of This World!

Jupiter. 
Florida was as much of a mystery to me as our planetary neighbour! To be honest, Florida has never really been on my travel radar, except for maybe the Florida Keys or the Florida Everglades.   In my imagination, Florida was just full of old retired people and alligators....and perhaps a bunch of oranges.   You know, just like Canada is full of igloos, lumberjacks and maybe a bunch beavers.  😉

But when our dear friend Jenni invited me to visit her in Florida last January, I thought it was a call to adventure!  We took a quick morning flight with Westjet from Toronto to West Palm Beach. The West Palm Beach Airport was small, well organized with volunteers to help those who look lost.  The WPB airport is very manageable and a much quicker entry point than a larger airport like Miami or Orlando.  I picked up our rental car and headed North to Tequesta where Jenni's folks live; it's just outside of Jupiter.   Of course, I brought Sangeeta along (she's my trusty Garmin GPS), so I had no problem finding Jenny's house.  I was amazed that I saw a TD (Toronto Dominion) bank in West Palm Beach.  What is a Canadian Bank doing in Florida?  Is this foreshadowing that we will be surrounded in a sea of white-haired Canuck snowbirds?

Lighthouse Duet

After settling in to our rental house, we decided to head out for a look around Jupiter. The first place we headed out to explore is the Jupiter Lighthouse and museum.  The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse is the beloved icon of Jupiter, Florida.  Completed in 1860,  the lighthouse still shines it's beacon out into the Straight of Florida every night.  We took the museum tour that climbs up the 108-foot tower, and found ourselves alone at the top, with fantastic views of the Loxahatchee River and of Jupiter Inlet.  Jenni and I are both American Tribal StyleⓇ Belly Dancers; so we did a little improv belly dance duet at the top of the lighthouse for some fun!

There Are Manatees in This River!

The lighthouse tour takes you through the grounds of the museum and talks about the Tequesta tribe that is indigenous to this area of Florida. The tour also takes you to Tindall house, a pioneer homestead that has been moved to the lighthouse grounds for preservation.  There is also an incredible big old Banyan tree outside the lighthouse, and it was so inviting to linger under its shady canopy and listen to the bird's chatter.  I was so excited to capture a glimpse of a manatee swimming around the busy river inlet! 

Dune Dog Cafe

All that stair climbing made us hungry!  Jenni took us to her favourite snack shack-The Dune Dog!  A stop at the Dune Dog Cafe is a must in the Jupiter area-it is a local institution. Their sangria was out of this world; as well as the crunchy fish sandwich, the crab cake sandwich and the Dune Dog hot dog!  My teenaged son Liam also loved the fries here too, he is a french-fry connoisseur.  The Dune Dog is a fun eclectic, casual atmosphere, and you could really feel the surfer vibe.  We definitely have to return to the Dune Dog for another lunch before we go home.

Up Close With A Loggerhead "patient."

After lunch, we headed South to Loggerhead Marine Life Center in Juno Beach.  
The Marinelife Centre is a sea turtle rescue center and hospital; the only one between Orlando and the Florida Keys. Loggerhead Park across the street is one of the most significant active sea turtle nesting grounds in the world! The Marine Life facility includes a state-of-the-art full-service veterinary hospital, exhibit hall,  and an outdoor classroom.

Not Quite A Leatherback Yet

Getting up close with these turtles was such an extraordinary experience.  Loggerhead sea turtles are endangered, and Leatherback sea turtles are on the vulnerable species list. The work that is being done at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center to protect these reptiles and the conservation efforts for their habitat is astounding the admission to this center? BY DONATION!  And donate we did!!!!  Check out the Loggerhead Marinelife Center  www.marinelife.org  You can also donate to the center online.

 

What a fun and fantastic day!  Liam really liked the Loggerhead Marinelife Center and all the turtles, and we really loved learning about some of the histories of the Jupiter area.  We are looking forward to exploring more of the natural wonders of this area and enjoying the laid back Florida lifestyle.

Watch some newly hatched Loggerhead turtle cuteness!

Follow me on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM  and  BLOGLOVIN'  for daily photos and updates! #slowtravel🐌