Postcard from Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Before I started this blog, I used to write travelogues much like the ones on Postcards from Kerry. I sent them to friends and family who are all over the world as a way of keeping in contact. As you know, Facebook is my bete noire, and I thought my PDFs were a tad more interesting… A few years ago I took a solo trip to Fort Lauderdale in Florida to relax with the excuse that a friend from Texas had recently moved there. I thought it was idyllic, so much prettier than Miami and less frenetic. The airport was small and friendly but my Haitian taxi driver had all the rude qualities of a Parisienne driver with no Caribbean chill. Whoosh, I was at my fancy Marina Hotel at brake fast speed.

Once I got my breath back, I was enchanted by all the waterways and canals. As soon as I put my shorts on, I set out to find the Waterway taxi which was at the end of the marina. There was the most magnificent sleek black yacht moored there and a friendly gentleman told me it was Stephen’s Spielberg’s. It certainly looked like something out of the near future. I was wondering why the men were particularly friendly until I realized that I was a hot, young chick (over 50) in an ageing population.

As usual I headed off in search of critters to the Hugh Taylor Birch State Park and I went the whole way by water taxi – it was so EXCITING!!! I wanted to see alligators but I have seen them many times before but fortunately I was lucky enough to see the threatened gopher tortoise in the park. Does that mean he eats gophers?

Fort Lauderdale Gopher Tortoise

It was a hot day despite being winter and I was tired but happy sitting at the Waterway Taxi stop dangling my feet in the canal. I noticed a lovely yacht slow down, turn around and an attractive man asked me if I would like a ride anywhere. I looked at him, assessed his potential wealth, thought about Dexter and politely said, “No, thank you!” with a laugh. That’s the best pick up line I have ever had apart from when Teddy was offered myriad camels and the man’s mother in exchange for me. Given my lack of desire for cooking and the possibility of a good Egyptian cook, I could see my husband assess this offer in a similar manner!

Advertisement