Yesterday, April 15,2010, was a fun and exciting day in Florida. We got up early and drove to Miami to the tour office to start our day. We stopped in front to ask where we could park, but it was locked. We were glad that we got there early as it was a bit of a task to find the parking garage. One of the problems was a meeting they were having to help people who were in threat of losing their homes. They were lined up clear around the block. It was a sobering sight to see all of the people who were looking for help. After parking, we went to a McDonald's to use the restroom before our tour and found another lineup. The people in that huge line had been there since the middle of the night and were also looking for a restroom. We then went across the street to the tour office and started the tour at 9:30.

We were driven in a tour bus to the Everglades where we were given a number (6) and taken on an airboat with a guide to take us around a small section of the Everglades. We saw aligators, turtles and some very beautiful and tame birds. I was taking pictures and when one aligator came right up to the boat, I snapped six or eight pictures of her, only to find out that the camera had shut down and no pictures were to be found. Ah, well, we were able to get other pictures of aligators because afterward there was a demo with several small aligators. Some even had their picture taken with one. The picture of that aligator is shown on this blog.

We were then driven to another location that connected us with a boat tour of the river and islands of Miami Beach, including Star Island where many of the rich and famous have homes. In fact, this was the day that Obama was coming to dinner with Gloria and Emilio Estavan and when we went by there home, you could already hear the music and see the added security started. This was early afternoon and was the last tour because of his visit. It was fun to see some of these homes, including a 74 million dollar estate owned by the pharmaceutical mogul who markets viagra. There were 32 palms along the shoreline of his property that were brought from Africa at a cost of $5,000 per tree. Unreal!

We ate dinner at the Bonefish Grill - which was good food - Jerry had Shrimp Pasta and I had grilled Salmon. It was delicious. Our server at Chili's the night before had recommended it.

We had a great day!

Today, we have so far had a lazy day. We got up late, had breakfast, went to AAA and tried to go to a fish festival. We found out, after putting quarters in a parking meter for an hour, that it didn't start until 5 p.m. So it was to our condo for a lunch of leftovers and tonight is our dinner cruise on the river which includes entertainment. I may add a note after returning.

The dinner cruise was fun and the food was absolutely delicious. We saw many fabulous homes with boats of every size from small to huge yachts. The area is built on canals that go around peninsulas so you look down "streets" of water with homes that all seem to have a boat moored in front.

The river cruise took an hour and when we arrived at the island, a delicious dinner was ready for us. It consisted of beans, rolls, cole slaw, ribs, chicken, shrimp, potatoes, and topped off with chocolate cake. All was absolutely delicious! The way back after dark was also fun to see all of the homes with lights and the ability to see some of the interior decorating.