FLORIDA 2010

Last year we visited the west coast of Florida and this year we decided to explore the east coast

before going on Sanibel Island, Gulf of Mexico side.

Card made with Google IMAP

Our journey begins October 27, 2010 and ends December 9.
The night we arrived, we got to our rental car from Hertz.
We booked with our credit card Master Card which allows 60 days rental.
We had booked a Toyota Camry and we had a Honda Civic, a car unsuitable for
Seniors (76 and 70).
We are not happy with Hertz that does not respect the choice of its customers.
We slept at the Hilton Embassy Suites near the airport in Miami.

Hilton Embassy Suites Miami

thursday october,28 2010

from Miami Airport to Vero Beach

We started our way to Bal Harbor North Miami Beach without stopping.
We have seen Sunny Isles, Hollywood, the beach of Quebecois, and have followed the A1A to Fort Lauderdale.
We have continued the A1A, seeing Pompano Beach, Boca Raton Beach, Delrey Beach, Palm Beach, Juno Beach
and finding no sleeping location we drove to Vero Beach and stayed at
VERO BEACH-OCEANSIDE Holiday Inn, a hotel overlooking the beach.
We occupy a suite, sea view This is perfect.

Hollywood

Pompano Beach

Vero Beach

friday october,29 and saturday,october,30 2010

We followed the ocean in Vero Beach and have found A1A that we followed up to Cocoa Beach.
We slept at the Hilton Hotel directly on the beach.
We attended an air show on the beach for much of the day, a repeat
of the show of Saturday and Sunday.

Friday show

a boat to rescuing a pilot on the Sea

Parachute Demonstration

the last show of the day

Meals served at the pool are very good and the service very friendly.

The room we were assigned 408 was located above the air conditionning kitchens.

Attention, refuse rooms,..... 408.508 for their situation

We called in the evening. We now have a new room facing the sea

the crowd on the beach on weekends

eyes scanned to the sky

After breakfast, we went to watch birds at Merritt Island.

We were disappointed by the lack of birds observed and we returned to Cocoa Beach to attend the Air show.

We were surprised by the crowd on the beach unlike the day before and the quality of the demonstrations.

The new room is 653 and we are not disappointed.

At lunch, we were served by Mark Gignac and for dinner by Alexandro. Mark looks like the soccer

of the national team of France. he really has a family resemblance! .

Merritt Island landscape

Blue Heron

Merritt Island landscape

the great Egret

Merritt Island

the end of October is certainly not the best
period for bird watching in Merritt Island because
Migratory not yet arrived.

sunday october, 31 2010

We took the A1A and went through Daytona Beach.

the sand is very hard and cars can drive on the beach

speed records were broken here!

We loved Daytona Beach and we left for St. Augustine.

We did not want to sleep in the city and chose the Hampton Inn and Suites in Vilano Beach

although it was only one room on the ground floor.

The gentleman at the front desk recommended two restaurants: the Reef and the Cape's on A1A.

We have done a very good meal at Reef.

We recommend.

At Vilano Beach, we parked on the beach

but the soil is less hard than Daytona Beach

Vilano beach

Vilano Beach

view of the lighthouse from the beach

Monday November,01 2010

the fort of St Augustine

Inside the fort

Spanish Quarter

the oldest school of the United States

an artisan in costume in the Spanish Quarter

residence previously owned by Flagler, rail magnate

Cap's restaurant

Early morning we started the tour of the city starting with the fort.
Then we did the Spanish quarter with artisans.
We walked through the old town by following the recommendations of the Blue Guide.
At noon we took a lunch at Harry's was good for decoration but not for cooking.
for dinner, we listened to the advice of the gentleman of the reception and ate dinner at Cap's assisting to the sunset.
The meal was even better than yesterday.

We recommend.

Tuesday, November,02 2010

We took the A1A heading north and arrived in Fernandina Beach at the Hampton Inn and Suites.

We visited the city with its beautiful houses.

We took lunch in the Marina Seafood Restaurant, a 5 star States, we do recommend not.

Avoid it.

In the afternoon it rained and we had a nice dinner at Brett's Waterway Cafe, a large brewery on the edge of the water.

Excellent, Good address

Marina Seafood restaurant

beautiful house

Halloween Decorations

beautiful house

The attraction of Fernandina Beach is mainly due
in the large number of beautiful homes.

Wednesday,November,03 2010

We took the road to Gainesville and have a beautiful room at the Hampton Inn in downtown Gainesville.

We visited the tourist office and met a charming gentleman who informed us on places to visit in Gainesville.

He recommended us the market which takes place on Wednesday evening near our hotel.

Tonight we had an excellent meal at Mark's Prime,

A good place to eat meat.

It is an organic market

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Leaving Gainesville, we went through Prairie Park of the state of Florida.

Interesting and we could stay a day with the different paths traced inside the park.

Unusual for Florida.
To discover and stay there longer than us.

We went through Ocala. The surroundings are pretty farms but the city did not enjoyed us

and we have made their way to Tampa.

We had planned to sleep in a Hampton Inn but on arrival at destination, we did not like the area

and we chose the Embassy Suites near the port. That's fine.

Tampa Embassy Suites Hotel

a view to the elevator

As in Miami, we had our welcome drink and dined in the restaurant.

Friday,November,05 2010

we discovered Tampa area. We liked Clearwater but were not able to go to the beach

because of a terrible wind blowing.

Clearwater

bridges in the Tampa bay

The night we had dinner at Sandy Butler in Fort Myers Beach

and we still took the best dinner since we arrived in Florida

EXCELLENT !!!

saturday,November,06 2010

The reception of the hotel recommended us the restaurant Pincher's Fort Myers Beach. Bof!!

Sunday,November,07 2010

We visited the Winter Houses of Edison and Henry Ford.

statue of Edison

We first visited the museum dedicated largely to the many discoveries of Thomas Edison, a

discoverer of genius. We were surprised by the simplicity of the houses of these two great men and friends. Edison

interested in botany and the gardens surrounding the house include a varying number of trees

and plants that we have enjoyed to discover.

Edison House

Edison House

banyan trees at the entrance of the museum

Edison office

few inventions of Edison

the phonograph

Mazda bulbs

the record player

Henry Ford House

a small house for a great industry man

close to the house of Edison

What about the kitchen?

and the room of the Secretary

Then we went to the park of manatees and surprise we saw a number.

We had dinner at Sandy Butler again and it's still excellent.

We recommend.

From Monday, November, 08 ,2010 to Tuesday, December, 07, 2010

Sanibel Arms

We found our friend Nancy, the manager of Sanibel Arms, and our apartment G5.

As last year, we returned to our Jerry supermarket .

In this shopping center Jerry, we are customers of the liquor store of J. Tim Stewart.

Tim advised us an American champagne Roederer Estates. It's very acceptable.

Thank you Tim! Do not hesitate to ask his advice. He knows the taste of the French.

The day we arrived, we sympathized with our neighbors Mary et John, who are the

owners of the apartment G6 and who had come to modernize it with

Flat screen TV in the living room and bedroom and with wireless internet access faster.

John, Mary with us

We returned to the island of Sanibel because it is our favorite place to celebrate our golden wedding.

Of course, there is the inn in Quebec Baluchon, dear to our heart, but it is too cold the November 12.

After investigation, we chose the Green House Grill for our birthday dinner.

The service was friendly, it was good.

our golden wedding at green house grill

We keep very good memories of our day on 12 November. Mary and John have

sent a nice card with a bottle of maple syrup Light House Cafe. And returning

the restaurant, Nancy gave us a surprise by filing a nice gift in our living room. a bottle

French champagne that we drank later with her and our friends Denis and Luce from Quebec.

the bouquet offered by Luce and Denis for our golden wedding

the 5 PM drink with Luce and Denis

During our stay, we walked fastly every morning for 7 miles and

the afternoon we visited sometimes Bailey Tract and the reserve of Ding Darling. We found that

birds were fewer than the previous year.

Was it due to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?

Do not miss, the sunday morning market which was held this year in the district of the town hall.

the organic vegetables

Luce et Anny make their choice

we put all the vegetables in a basket and then you pay

Anny Luce and think about their menu

the french artisan serves french specialities

Thierry Devisse, the french artisan

The baker offers an excellent French bread

We love the Sunday morning market
because we buy organic vegetables and fruits
much cheaper than in supermarkets

At the end of the stay, Luce and Denis invited their friends Jocelyne and Robert

friendship between France and Quebec

the wednesday, december,08 2010

To catch our plane at Miami, we went through the Everglades.

alligators

alligator

anhinga

the turkey-vulture

We crossed the Everglades early November.
You see a lot fewer animals

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