"Life in Plantation... Memorial Day Holiday"

Monday 26th May is Memorial Day holiday here, so we have a 3-day weekend. Where to go? In contrast to the action packed 1st trip to Plantation in 2006, this time appears almost boring! All you see me do is Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, repeat.... That's actually very fun but I still have to plan out something, otherwise very 'wasted' right!

First draft:
1) Hiking in the Everglades National Park (hope to catch a glimpse of an alligator or two!)
2) Catching sunset in Naples, West Florida.

Sounds cool?

This is how it turns out!


Saturday

Shopping! :P This was the last day of Toys R Us' "Buy 2 free 1" promotion for Indiana Jones! How can I miss it?? ;)

Sunday

My fellow member, Fren2 arrived at Ft Lauderdale Int' Airport. Picked him up and straight away we were off to Naples!


The drive from Point A (hotel) to Point B (Naples) is about 95 miles (~1.5 hours), passing thru "Alligator Alley", a road cutting thru the Everglades National and Big Cypress National Reserve!

Reached Naples Pier, the main attraction of this place, to get a perfect and unobstructed view of sunset...




Many ppl come here to fishing

but... it's only 4.30PM... sunset is usually 7.45PM... wah lao.... have to wait another 3 hours++! Damn hot some more... sorry la, dun wanna wait dy:P

We drove around Naples. There's a lot of nice houses, and this cool, laid back feel of a smaller town...



Fren2, desperately fighting the effect of jetlag, staying awake to take this pic :P

Some nice houses...

Within an hour, got bored of Naples... like many attractions in the brochures, it's a bit over-rated. "White powdery beaches" wasn't so great... definitely seen better beaches. Well, balik time.

Saw a rest area while driving back... decided to stop for awhile....

Blazing hot sun....:-S

Their rest area is at a swampy-river-area in the Everglades, the "River of Grass". Nice.


Airboats! This is how they travel thru the Everglades....

With a name like "Alligator Alley", I was really hoping to see an alligator appearing on the surface. Oh well............ :-S

Monday

Woke up not feeling very well. Tired and not enuf sleep... :-S Must've been that long drive under the hot sun.... sigh... postpone the Everglades National Park first. Change plan: go to Downtown Fort Lauderdale instead!

Just 30 mins drive from hotel, Fort Lauderdale is known as the "Venice of America" with its series of riverways similar to Venice. I passed by that area in 2006, but that was night time... don't ask me what I was doing there :P

Anyway, the main attraction in Fort Lauderdale is...

Las Olas!


Yatchs lining up along the dock

Everyone has one I guess.... ?

Incredibly strong wind..


Oh wait! Hey look at this!




The drawbridge is opening!

A massive cruise passes thru!


Of coz have to pose there :D

We saw traffic was building up towards the distance..


Yup, it's the beach! (check out the hot bikini-clad gals walking around :P)

Jamming the club at ... 4.30 PM?? :-S



Me @ Las Olas!

Hey why'd the camera focus elsewhere?? :P


The camera seems to have a mind of its own :P

The Fort Lauderale beach is similar to Miami South Beach with many fancy clubs and bars opposite the beach area!

Everywhere full of people...

Drawbridge open again... causing this long queue...

Massive truck!

Finally get to enjoy Las Olas... :) Dun worry Everglades, I will make it happen!

Back in the hotel, now that Fren2 is here, someone can take a pic of me n my car :D


Pontiac Grand Prix awaiting the next adventure!

Oh, and because it's Memorial Day, I'm treating myself to some food that are "real" food! :)

Panda Express, Chou Mien (fried mee), USD6.25

And becoz Fren2 craves for rice, we had Arab food @ Al-Salam... ah... satisfied :)