Hey, all! I got back from Cape Coral, Florida (near Fort Myers) earlier this week after a really great weekend with ‘the girls’ (old girls, to be sure!!). The house was fabulous:
Pools down there are surrounded by what they call a “pool cage,” the world’s best invention! You can open up the house to the back yard and it is completely screened in! The weather was perfect the entire trip: 80’s-90’s and sunny.
Our first stop was the Tropicaya (below) for lunch: authentic Cuban sandwiches. What can I say? It was the best sandwich I have ever eaten!! The secret is Cuban bread. My husband is a huge fan of The Cuban, so I immediately planned my strategy for getting a sandwich back to him. It worked and we still have one of these delightful sandwiches in the freezer!
We did go on an airboat in the Everglades, even though it was well past the season for it. Saw no gators there and very few birds, but we loved it just the same! We did see a gator in a fresh water canal after leaving the Everglades tour, so it was well worth it! My picture is too crappy to even see him.
Of course, we had to go to the beach:
Fort Myers Beach, photo taken from the pier
On our last evening, we dined near one of the canals on Pine Island and watched the sunset:
The day we left, we shopped a bit and swam in the gorgeous, saltwater swimming pool. I did not take any knitting and I think that was a really smart thing to do. It would have been distracting and it gave my hands a rest.
It was a great respite and a fun way to connect with old friends. I have known these women for 40 years, and feel much closer to them now! I see more travel in my future!
It’s so cold here this weekend — I want to go to there.
Comment by surly — May 25, 2013 @ 9:24 am
Looks like a fun as well as restful trip. Girls get-aways are really wonderful!
Hope your hands are feeling better.
Comment by Beth — May 25, 2013 @ 11:30 am
Re: pool cage. My in-laws retired to Florida and had a pool and cage. DH’s uncle, ever the joker, asked how they liked the sifted air.
Comment by kmkat — May 25, 2013 @ 4:02 pm
My parents use to own a house in Miami with a pool and cage. Loved the cage, it keeps the mosquitos(sp?). I use to hear the fog trucks drive around to kills those bugs! Glad you all had a great time. Friends are the best!!
Comment by Beth — May 25, 2013 @ 11:43 pm
What evocative photos: I felt keenly the nostalgia of meals in different climes, in spectacular surroundings with good friends. It was a pleasure to learn about your trip.
Comment by Linda — May 26, 2013 @ 11:23 am
A pool cage is practically mandatory in Florida if you have a pool in your yard. Even more important than mosquitoes is that it keeps out lizards and, yes, alligators. My sister and her husband have both a fenced yard and a pool cage.
Comment by Sue T. — May 26, 2013 @ 8:29 pm
What a wonderful sojourn with your pals! Sounds so rejuvenating.
Comment by Kym — May 27, 2013 @ 4:40 pm
Is that the “Robert is Here” fruit stand in your photo? It looks familiar . . .
Comment by Ruth — May 27, 2013 @ 6:18 pm
I’m a Florida girl & I got a serious laugh at your fascination with pool enclosures! I just assumed that most pools were enclosed – they have to be here, or you’d get eaten alive in the evenings. Glad you enjoyed your trip!
Comment by Samina — May 28, 2013 @ 1:07 pm
Meant to add that depending on where in Florida you live, you might need a pool cage to keep the alligators out of your pool, too! They tend to wander during breeding season & an uncaged pool might find one in it!
Comment by Samina — May 28, 2013 @ 1:10 pm