Shangri-FLA

As I began to write this, the sun was rising, the humidity was up, the whir of a busy day had begun, and the unique birdsong of southwestern Florida signals that, for me anyway, winter has begun. Yes, that's a different set of signals than most Canadians are used to, but that's the blessed life I lead right now. 

I was in Naples, Florida, because I had helped my mother get to her winter home-away-from-home recently, and I'm stayed for a handful of days to open up the condo, solve any issues from its long dormancy over the spring/summer, and to enjoyed the climate before jetting home mid week. The long trek from Barrie where she lives to her condo in Naples would be 23.5 hours if you drive it without stopping, but not being made of long-haul trucking fibre, she and I agreed to break it up into 2 portions with a quick sleep in Rock Hill, South Carolina. As it was, it was still a LONG haul racking up 2523.5 km (1568 miles) on her CRV. 

Being on the road 2 days in a row for more 11+ hours means that much-needed sustenance is an important decision, one solved for us by a chain of restaurants that screams the stereotypic visage of 'Murica'! The restaurant chain called Cracker Barrel is an American iconic happening that is oh-so-much-more than simply a place to quiet the traveller's stomach growls. We choose to stop there for meals because (a) the food is ALWAYS consistently delicious, well prepared, and unique (see below) and (b) the well designed safari to the dining room is a journey that takes patrons through a marketing brainstorm the besieges the eyes and nose with all manner of American opulence and extravagance. 

The franchisers of Cracker Barrel are no fools!

That pathway in is ingeniously designed to 'plant the seed' of extraneous spending, lubricating the shackles on your wallet with glorious comfort food quite unlike anything that exists in Canada ... in my experience anyway ... in an effort to coax an additional few dollars from your budget in exchange for bits 'n bobbles that seem specifically created in a down-home, rustic themed Americana. If these places existed in Canada, I would not only be significantly poorer and fatter, but my condo would be filled to the hilt with little signs, knick knacks, and decorations. The only thing that saves me from spontaneous purchasing is that long trip, be it south to FLA or north to CAN, and transporting said purchases. 

I mean, where else could you find giant 24 inch by 24 inch Rice Kripies, Kit Kats, or Tootsie Rolls? How about all manner of Christmas themed snow globes or a Santa that climbs up and down a ladder ad infinitum?

Case in point ... on one of our stops this trip, I chose CB's offering of breakfast tacos thanks largely to both an oversized sense of curiousity and a well honed affinity for Mexican delicacies. While I was in no way disappointed with the choice, the plate resembled tacos in only in construction with a fried egg + bacon + melted cheddar stuffed into a folded pancake with maple syrup on the side. The greasy, sugary goodness assaults the tastebuds with a dopamine kick of magnanimous proportions! Top it off with a side of hash brown casserole and wash it down with a steaming cuppa, and you have a rip-roaring traveller's experience sure to calm the gastric gurgles for many an hour.

And there are more Christmas based things on display than Santa's Workshop!

If you've never been to Naples, it would be difficult to paint a mental photo accurate enough to truly give you a sense of the place. Suffice it to say that the sights, sounds, and smells of the area are nothing like ol' Wasaga Beach, despite the obvious similarities of beach-side living. Yes, one is temperate while the other is tropical separated by almost 2600 km of latitude, and while I would never choose (nor afford) to live here full time, it offers a most appreciated respite from Canada's winter blast. A sunny and warm morning walk revealed a cornucopia of flora and fauna radically different than back home, bringing a refreshing fascination and enjoyment. Long time readers of this blog will recall a post about my fascination with the Banyan trees that appear with regularity on walks around the area, and this trips recon walks affirmed my beloved Banyans are alive and well.

The flight back was uneventful despite the doom 'n gloom warnings of it being the busiest travel day of the year. The Southwest Regional Airport (Fort Myers) is comparatively small so I buzzed through security, even getting a smile from one particularly animated officer, Got up and down with no hiccoughs ... flying at night is tremendously beautiful as one descends into TO ... and made the long haul home to the Beach from Pearson International arriving home at an unaccustomed 2:00 am. I don't mind admitting that snuggling up with my bestie was a welcomed comfort, but as wonderful as that was, we were both sawing logs PDQ. 

HaHaHa!

The little lady and I will be heading back down to FLA in midway through December for our newly established habit of escaping Onterrible's wintery grip so I'm sure there'll be some blog-worthy experiences that will be posted for your reading pleasure. Please accept my apologies ahead of time for any jealousy that those posts my incur. It is not my intention to come across as a braggadocio!

Manana amigos!