Leaving Tomorrow

Well folks, with a car rental time was spent exploring the area around Fort Lauderdale. We missed a few exits not knowing exactly what lane we should be occupying mainly as we approached the Miami area. A visit to the Sawgrass Recreational Park was an experience. Being rather warm we boarded an airboat that held 25 or so people and flew over the swampy grassy water which was about three feet deep. After checking a number of locations we finally spotted an alligator sunning himself on a dry piece of land. As we sat there keeping an eye on the alligator up swam a softshell turtle. They can bite and no one wanted to loose a finger as they are carnivorous. Everyone got up to move over to one side of the boat and the boat started to lean to one side. Captain John tells us to quickly move back so the boat is balanced. An alligator on one side and a meat eating turtle on the other can conjure up images in ones mind if a boat tips over. The park also houses Pythons, Crocs, lizards and other reptiles and beautiful black leopards.
We left there and headed back into town where we boarded a catamaran on a Riverfront cruise. Fort Lauderdale is known as the Venice of North America having many canals that run all over. The ride and the setting sun was most pleasant after a hot airboat ride. A nice drink and a long description of homes, boats and famous business men who lived in these mansions filled my mind. Stephen Spielberg's yacht the "7 Seas" rents out for 1 million dollars and I think that is daily. We saw famous houses of people long gone and those sold. Lee Majors had a house along the canal and what was amazing was that really the only people who enjoy them are the caretakers and the dog. These mansions are vacation homes and every home has a boat moored at the front door. The lights from the yards and the city grew bright as the sun sank into the western sky leaving a pink hue in the sky. I thought what a way to end the day.
Today we took a ride south, and yes we missed a turnoff or two not knowing exactly where to turn. We drove north along the coast stopping for lunch. Crossing the bridges and the causeways are great vantage points to take pictures and to see West Miami. I was co-piloting so I could not take any pictures and stopping on the causeway was illegal.Driving north on A1A was beautiful. The hotels went on and on and I think the land was only 4 or 5 blocks wide: Atlantic Ocean on one side and an inside waterway on the other. The Floridian sun has taken away my pale skin but I am not burned. We stopped and got some items to take on the ship and then returned the car to the airport.
Tomorrow we board the Prinsendam and it will leave at 11pm. Two days ago I checked Holland America to see if we had a stateroom number yet. We started out in the bowels of the ship with an inside stateroom. We were upgraded to an inside cabin on a higher deck but now it looks like we have an outside room with a big window, but I'll beleive it when I see it. Our journey begins tomorrow as we settle into life at sea.