FROM FORT LAUDERDALE TO FORT MYERS!

Saturday, January 25 to Monday, January 27, 2020

Regal Princess to Fort Myers, Florida

At Sea. Atlantic Ocean—in Fort Lauderdale, Florida’s port Sunday, January 26, 2020

Homewood Suites, Fort Myers, Florida

73F, sunny

The last day of a cruise is when everyone tries to do all the things one did not do. TK and I spent the morning poolside, enjoying the sun and shade.  Packing is the most dreaded task, but we saved that till after dinner. It did not take long because we use packing cubes, great innovation! Plus, we had fewer clothes for 7 days.  We did decide to walk off with our luggage on Sunday—we thought each of us could handle a large case and our wheeled carry on.

We will miss our thoughtful, efficient waiters, Nadia from Argentina (but Romanian), and Serhii from Ukraine, as well as Maria from the Philippines, our stateroom steward. I wrote individual notes on their behalf for human resources. We also gave them extra tips beyond what is required. 

On Sunday morning we were up by 6:30 a.m. so we could be out of our room before the suggested time, 8 a.m.  Unbelievably, even with customs [which no longer requires filling out a form  to state purchases], we met our Park n Go shuttle and were in our truck by 8:23 a.m. off to Fort Myers!

One of the most interesting roads we have ever traveled is “Alligator Alley,” an 80 mile stretch of the I-75 that passes from Fort Lauderdale to Naples through the Florida Everglades.  Now, there are fences that separate the road from the marshland/swampland where one can see canal-like pass ways through the tall grasses.  I spotted 39 huge alligators along the way, and numerous white herons, ibis, Great Blue Herons, egrets, and other birds I cannot identify.  This area is a wonder to see!

Many years ago, we took a boat ride on the Everglades—a great remembrance. We were told at that time not to put our arms or hands outside the boat, under any circumstances. Of course, we did not, but that is when I learned that alligators are FAST swimmers-we saw one in action!

We drove to TK’s brother Tom’s home and spent several hours there with Tom, Carol, and Thomas, TK’s nephew. They have lived in Florida since 2011 and would not return to Erie’s winters! Another son and his family lives in this area too, another reason they stay.

On Monday, we spent time shopping (again)—it is a good way to walk around and we did not make many purchases. We had lunch with TK’s Erie Firefighter friend, Kevin and his wife Jan, at Pincher’s. They moved to the Fort Myers area after retirement, but they moved to Tennessee after Hurricane Irma hit this side of Florida in 2017. Jan wanted nothing more to do with such storms.  They bought a house near Knoxville and now return to Florida for a month or two in the wintertime. 

After a long lunch we went to Miramar Outlet Mall—one of the very best outlet malls we go to. I did not buy anything.

Flowers bloom, turtles sun themselves

Miramar Outlet Mall

Another area of Miramar Outlet Mall

TK’s Takes: The Regal Princess had better food than the Emerald Princess. He did not see any alligators on Alligator Alley [and he does not believe that I did].  There are a lot more people around in the Fort Myers area than ever before.  Traffic is not as bad in Fort Myers as it was on the eastern part of Florida.

[Note to Brother B and DSIL M: He  is also wondering how the Erie weather is affecting the sugar maple trees]