Hollywood Beach & the Everglades

Hollywood Beach, Florida
We stayed here at a really nice Hilton (not on the outside, but it's what's on the inside that counts) right on the beach. We shared a room with my parents so they could get a feel for how cute Kelsey was around the clock. :) My parents watched Kelsey one night while we went out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary. We had Mexican food and Haagan Daas. Does anyone know where the name came from? I think it sounds Netherlandish, Tally and my mom said they made up the name. Anyone?

In the collage: lots of beach pictures, outside of hotel, the hotel pool with the beach in the background. You could walk from the beach to the pool and back depending on what you felt like doing. My HUGE burrito that I polished off, gladly. Kelsey in blue dress - My dad took Kelsey on a walk when she woke up early one morning. The dress was supposed to be tied up so she didn't look like a beggar child, but oh well. I got to sleep in. To my older, Lang cousins - does the dress she's wearing look familiar? We all have the same one and there's that picture...

Nothing but miles and miles of beautiful beaches

I was so impressed by how nice the beaches were and yet how FEW people were there! I was also UNimpressed by the ghetto shopping along the beach. They definitely need to add a decent shopping stretch along the beach like the Slovenians. The water was perfectly warm and where we were, there was a sandbar so we could stand pretty far out into the water. One of the days, as we were swimming around in the ocean, we saw a fin sticking straight up - just like a SHARK! We ran out of the water and started telling people to get out of the water. People started panicking, moms pulling three children out with crazed looks on their faces, screams, etc. As it got closer, we realized it was a huge manaray and the "fin" was part of the wing sticking up. We were relieved and watched it swim up the coast and then back down. It was cool to see, even if it did give us a scare.

Here's a picture of a manaray from the internet. See the fin-like things in the back? Manarays are HUGE and from far away...

The Everglades

While we were in Southern Florida, we thought it was an ideal time to see the famous Everglades. We went to Holiday Park and did an airboat ride on "Bushwacker" through part of the Everglades. There we learned about how the Everglades used to be and what's being done to conserve it now. I was expecting to see more alligators (we saw 3), but I guess we were lucky to see that many because it was daytime and summertime. Since they are cold-blooded they try to stay in the shade when it's hot and in the sun when it's cold.

The Everglades National Park

Julia already left for her bike tour across Europe so this is all that was left of us. My poor mom got sick the last night of he cruise from some bad lobster and my dad found her passed out in the bathroom. She must have been standing when she passed out because her face looked like it had been punched by the bathroom sink. Luckily, she recovered from being sick however, she was a bit self conscious about her face. We told her some people pay lots of money to get lips like those!

The Vulture tree

There is lots of wildlife (dead or alive) in the Everglades besides the American Alligator

Random birds and peacocks were running around when we got there. Kelsey loved chasing them.

After the airboat tour we had an Alligator show. The guy presenting had at least 3 fingers or parts of fingers missing. My mom told me, "don't drop out of school" while holding up only three fingers on one hand and two on the other. I told her I was done with school, thank you, but I'd put that lesson away for later.

He opens the gators' mouth, sticks his hand inside...

...and then lets it close. How long do you think it took him to learn that one?

You would think he'd pay attention to the sign. Here's something scary - why is the lock to the cage sitting on top of the cage?
Kelsey liked the baby alligator and when we were holding it, tried to touch his mouth
You might find this later on our family Christmas card
DO NOT FEED THE ALLIGATORS

One of the alligators we saw was right around the bend behind her and alligators are said to be able to jump high enough to bite something on the dock. I wouldn't be sitting there fishing!

South Beach/Miami, Florida
Nightfall in Miami

On our last night together, we drove down to Miami to walk along the beach and have dinner together. We ended up ordering this monster pizza and splitting it. We melted in the humid summer weather and the heat from the pizza only made it worse. Now I see why more people don't live there. We did notice that wherever we were in Florida, people were SO friendly!

Why are you taking a picture of us?

Tal & Kels on the Miami strip

On our way to the airport, we stopped and ate at a Wendy's (Tally's request). My dad, the contractor, got a kick out of the "Contractor Pick-Up" sign. You think if we left him there someone would pick him up?

It was sad to say goodbye to my parents but as we left we reminded them, "five more months." We'll be coming home mid December for Christmas.

Our Ports Of Call

George Town, Grand Cayman

Our First Port of Call was George Town, Grand Cayman. It was VERY touristy and I have NO idea what it would have been like before when pirates ruled the Caribbean (haha).

Not Quite the Black Pearl, but close

Usher, the pirate/model

We went on a Catamaran for a 3-stop Sail & Snorkel excursion

Our first stop: Stingray City

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Snorkeling makes you look sexy!

My mom, sister & Kelsey enjoying the ride

Oh So Stylish!

The Captain caught Kelsey trying to steer and she didn't want to leave the driver's seat!

Kelsey, my mom, her brother Wes, my sis, and Tally hanging out on the catamaran

Tally FLIPPIN' Out

Sailing and Snorkeling at the Barrier Reef and another spot

We thoroughly enjoyed snorkeling and it made us want to get scuba certified. I wish someone had taken a picture of Kelsey snorkeling with us. We had her in a little kids floatie boat and each of us would take turns playing with her in the water while the others snorkeled. She loved being out there with us. We got to see an eel that was very pissed off (kinda scary), lots of fish (a few baracudas), starfish, shells, coral, etc. It was a very cool experience once I got the hang of it - I got a few mouthfuls of sea water though!

Cozumel, Mexico

The next day, we stopped in Cozumel. We found it to be very touristy as well, but still had the Mexican flare. My mom and I bought some Mexican ceramics too. I'd been needing a new dish for my salsa and what better place to get it than Mexico?

Brooke, Taylor & Carly with beautiful Cozumel in the background

Having a snack before our dolphin encounter. Kelsey loved the Mariachi band and was dancing in her chair. Oh how we miss Mexican food.

Suited up and ready to play with dolphins

Me shaking hands with the dolphin (these pics scanned in)

Kelsey really liked the dolphin, just not the life vest

Tally dancing with the dolphin

How do painters bring their tools to work without a truck? Problem solved.

The crew, minus my mom & Steve (Lisa's husband)

Family Reunion in the Caribbean

We've fallen behind with our blog posts...so in an effort to give you a taste of our upcoming blog series, here are a few pics to wet your appetites.

...flyin' on a jet airplane to Miami

...meetin' up with the fam in Ft. Lauderdale

...partyin' it up on a huge ship

...doin' more than just swimmin' with stingrays :-)

...snorkelin' around a barrier reef

...sailin' through the turquoise waters of the Caribbean

...playin' with a dolphin in Cozumel

...relaxin' on the sands of Hollywood Beach

...spotin' gators in the Everglades

...but best of all...spendin' quality time with our FAMILY!

New York City

On our way back to Zurich, we stopped in New York for a few days so Tally could attend a conference for work.

We stayed in the Millennium Hilton which is right across from ground zero. I stayed here a few years back when I traveled with Goldman.

This is the view of ground zero from our hotel window. The huge hole in the ground will one day be filled with the new Freedom Tower. But the twin towers will never be replaced.

The stories of 911 never cease to amaze me - the heroic efforts, the loss and devastation, the legacy that it has left behind. As we talked with the bellhop at our hotel, he told us his story. He was working at the hotel at the time and when the first plane hit, they evacuated the hotel. His life was spared, but many of his friends were not. He remembers watching people jump from the building and almost shudders as he recalls the horror. He volunteered with the fire department to help in the search and rescue efforts and took close to 3,000 pictures of the aftermath. When the media offered to pay him for the photos, he burned them (a huge loss for history's sake, IMHO). He said he didn't want to make money off the carnage of his friends. The hotel didn't reopen until 2003. Wherever you were on 9/11, you remember and to one degree or another, it has changed your life. I know I will never forget.



Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island


Kels & I went to see the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island on a whim the first day we were there. We ended up having a lot of fun and seeing a lot of cool things. People thought I was nuts to be taking her by myself, but it wasn't too bad. It was a chilly outside, but not bad enough to keep us inside all day and it wasn't snowing so we seized the day.




Looking up Lady Liberty's skirt (not on purpose)


Ellis Island - I'm sure some of our ancestors came through here, but it would have been nice to know which ones/where/what their story was before going.


A Different Skyline


Tally's favorite bull



While here, we also got to see the Barlows in Connecticut. The kids hadn't changed too much (thank goodness) and Alyssa still doesn't have pregnancy "fat face" so there weren't any surprises. We had pizza, danced around with Mia, and the girls made a record-time Costco run. Our point & shoot broke so it was our last chance to get a decent price on a camera.

Kelsey and I also got to have lunch with Abbie, which was wonderful as always. She's doing really well too. This picture is horrible quality, thus the new camera.