Vacation Adventure's part 2...and The Weathermen need to go back to weatherman school!

Happy Monday everybody, if you can call a Monday happy that is.  We had not 1 but 2 snow storms yesterday; one during the day and one at night.....that is right another 12-14 inches of snow!  All the weatherman said oh about 3-4 inches.  What I do not understand where else but in America can you make big bucks at your job and be wrong more than 50% of the time.  Here is a picture of the driveway at work this morning I took with my cell phone:

 

On to Vacation adventure's Part 2:

 

Let's see I believe I left off right before we got to the Banana Bay Resort we stayed at.  Alright well we stayed on Marathon Key which is the last big Key before Key West (about a 1 hour drive from Key West).  It is also right near the 7 mile bridge which has the old bridge still partially up that a lot of movies have been filmed on.  We we're not sure what to expect because I booked the room through hotels.com which partnered with Jet Blue.  I thought I did pretty good since the room price was suppose to be around $130 a night and I got it for around $80 a night.  So we drive to the resort and where told I room would be ready in 30 minutes so we hit the K-mart right down the street.  There is not much shopping to be done on the Key's In Marathon they have a K-mart, Payless, home Depot, Walgreen's and a Publix  I did not see much else besides smaller locally owned places like dive shops and souvenir shops.

Well we finally got our room key and we're happily surprised with our room and the grounds!  Our room was on the 2nd floor (it only had 2 floors) overlooking the Jacuzzi/pool area.

The entrance to the rooms ( old Florida style)

  Good room in case you ever go

 Our Canopy bed

little sitting area we have a patio too!

  TV was in this( never watched it), there is also a dorm sized Fridge you cannot see

Bathroom, note their are 2 sinks one in the hall with mirror so I used that area for all my girl stuff

See my sink

There was an ironing board, not liked I would ever use it! Spray it with water and shake!

Our Patio

view off our patio

 

you can see the Jacuzzi and pool from our balcony

Now to explore the pool area which was a HUGE fresh water pool. They had a Tikki bar that served lunch and drinks. There was also free continental breakfast every morning on the side of the pool it was not bad at all they had cereal's, muffins, bagels, toast, English muffins, hard boiled eggs, juice's, coffee and milk.  Free is good!

These pics are Monday at the pool

See how large the pool is it was set up very well, there where 4 different depths I believe

look to the far right in back that is where breakfast was served

The Tikki bar again in back on right

Crazy wild iguana wanted to go swimming

I chased him with my camera and he ran up a tree

 

One of my favorite pics, the palm tree refection in the pool

 

just more pics of the surrounding around the pool

More sitting area's around the pool

 

Now I was very happy with this place because there where almost zero screaming children running around.  I know, I know any of my mom readers may be offended but hey I go on vacation to get away from noise and stress.

The property also share's their grounds with 2 or 3 condo's on the back of the property most of them elderly but not that old.  I met quite a few very nice people at the pool.  Debbie and Judy from PA it was so funny I kept running into them where ever we went, at a beach once, at a restaurant once out watching the sunset, I forgot to get their picture...dang!

The first night since we got checked in around 3:30 we went to the back of the property (that has a full Marina, Bar-B-que area for guests, Boat rentals, and horse shoe pits) to see the sunset.  We where on the wrong side but here are some pics of all I described above.

The road behind the rooms going to the marina

A nice little sitting area

The horse shoe pits, if you look far in the back you can see Tikki huts that have bar-B-que's under them

People also keep there boats here

They have a special bubble thing in the water to keep the manatee's from swimming up to the boats and getting hurt...I really wanted to see one but did not

Not a bad little Yacht huh?

 

Some pelicans

This is the little sitting area during the day you can rent boats and ski's here, this turned out one of our favorite places for fishing....it was always empty it was great!

See we could only see a partial sunset from this side

Dave talking to someone, see the little island out in the water, there was a house on it, we never figure out who lived there

OooooAaaaaaa

Next we went next door to a locals pub/diner called The Hurricane and had $5 football meal deal...It was awesome!  I had 1/2 rack of ribs with Real mashed potatoes for only 5 bucks!  How can you bet that!  It was awesome we ate there a lot, every day from 12-4 they have the $5 lunch menu and they have a lot of stuff to choose from.  Thursdays is .25 cents wing nights we went on Thursday and since we made friends with our awesome waitress Mandy she sat us right away...but I am skipping a head this is still only Sunday/Monday.

 

On our way back from dinner we ran into our now good friend Susan, she keeps 10 Iguana's and many snapping turtles on the grounds of the property that she has rescued.  I learned so much I even held this SNAPPING turtle and none of them bite!  Amazing.  I want to share info about helping saving the turtles and Iguana's but that will be coming.  People are horrible they put them in freezer's in Florida to kill them because they do not like them... Sue saves them!  We became good friends with lots of the Iguanas especially Iggy,Lenny, Moses and Pal...But that story is on the way!

I think Everyone is taking be a jerk pills today!

Oh Man what is it with people today!!!! My first phone call at work started out with a customer was canceled for non-payment over a month ago I tell her not to drive her car since there is no coverage (by the way she is calling me from her car on her cell phone while driving) then I do over an hour of work to get her a new policy going. By the way she tells me she was away for a few months and just checked her mail....hello where you incarcerated or held hostage or do you think when you go away you do not have to pay your bills!? Anyway I do all the work then she waits until I am at lunch and calls and say's she is going to a closer agent...Thanks! Then I just got screamed at by this Jerk off used car dealer telling me to GET IT DONE! I will not even bore you with the details but basically he faxed me paperwork that was not signed by our customer which I need before I can bind any coverage. I had my supervisor call him on that one. My happy vacation glow is going away fast!!! Whew well I got that off my chest, I will be doing Vacation Adventure's part 2 this weekend when I am in a better frame of mind. Everyone stay warm, it's a balmy 17 degree's here right now. I reserved 5 movies to pick up after work I got: House Bunny, Eagle Eye, Babylon A.D., Bankok Dangerous and Righteous kill. I love Redbox every movie is only $1, no late fee's only $1 more a night if you return past 9p.m. Okay peeps I'm off to finish my lovely working day.

Vacation Adventure's part 1

( The cold night before we left)

I know, I know I have been taking too long to put up my vacation stories and pictures getting back into the groove of work and housework is hard on a person.  I am basically going to do a picture entry which will have to be in a few parts otherwise it would take everyone 2 hours to read it and that would be too much I am sure!

 

Day 1 Saturday:

We got up at 3:30 a.m. (groan) to leave to catch the 4:30 shuttle to the airport our plane was scheduled to leave at 6:45 a.m. and NO that did not happen we where delayed for an hour and a half while they de-iced the plane TWICE.  Then they promised us a free movie for the delay, but that never happened.  We flew Jet Blue and they have the little TV screens to watch cable on the back of every seat so that was good (headphones not included unless you buy them or have your own and we did. Jet blue still gives you free soda and snacks and 1 free bag to check by the way.

  the TV on the back of the seat I got stuck in the middle seat as usual while Dave enjoyed the aisle seat at least the guy next to the window was tall and thin.

 

We finally land at 11:00 a.m. instead of 10 a.m. the pilot made up some lost time here is the Ft. Lauderdale Airport (mad house)

I am sure these people I do not know will be pleased I have posted their pictures...doooh

 

Alright next we get our luggage and I swore I would not overpack this time you are allowed to have your suitcase weigh only 50lbs or you pay for it and it is not cheap....mine weighed 45 lbs!  I really tried this time not too mention I had my knapsack I carried on the plane loaded with 2 camera's, an Ipod, a Zune, A PDA, chargers for everything, a blanket,a pocket book, sunglasses... I could go on....I am an over packing freak.

Well we get our rental car and drive to Dave's dads condo as we had talked about staying with him for Saturday night since our reservations down in the keys (Beautiful Marathon key) where not until Sunday. We get to the condo and he was not there, I said to Dave did you ever call him to see when he would be there (he drives down from MA but was still here on XMAS) he said No....Ok good move smarty.  We then decide to go to the best Walmart ever its as large as a small city that's when the heart attacks ensued.

the roads are crazy out here and so are the drivers and pedestrians

 

First turning into walmart two not so bright skate boarding teens decided to step off the curb and were too cool to stop, I'm glad they think their coolness can stop a 1000 lbs of metal traveling 20 mph...Dave slams on the brakes and they give us this look....Then 2 seconds later we have the right away to go straight and this lady decides to fly across the path of oncoming traffic  in a big suv right in front of us.  Dave slammed on the brakes again, she slammed on the brakes we came 2 inches from having a major accident....AUGH  She Shrugs...OMG!  We are now white as ghosts and get into walmart and had to shop for like an hour to calm down.  If you can even imagine one more driving nightmare happened this chick decides to try to do U-turn in the middle of the 3 way road as we are turning onto it...we decided at that moment to get off the dam road so we go looking for a cheap motel.  Let's just say I did not take any pictures of this place it was a little scary and it was not that cheap it was $80 for the night and there where some good old boys minus there shirts drinking beers and smoking butts outside there rooms in the parking lot.  

We went out for a nice dinner at Pat Flanagans (we are in Fort Lauderdale by the way at this time). I had chicken finger meal and Dave had some kind of fish (I despise seafood)

Dave at Pat Flanagans

the place we ate

Then later this is the famous Elbow room bar we just cruised the Fort Lauderdale beach after dinner looking at stuff.  After that we just went back to the room so we could get a good night sleep to start our drive down to Paradise in the morning.  After being to the Keys I have no patience to the rest of Florida I have the Keys Disease. 

In the morning we just ate at McDonald's then took a drive to the Fort Lauderdale beach because every time we go is it at  night here are some shots. Note the sky is dark we out ran the rain and had beautiful all week except 1 hour of a tropical downpour one night.

wild Iguana leaving the no tell motel

Lauderdale beach see the clouds rolling in the next few pics are all Ft. Lauderdale beach

We get on the road for our 3 hour drive and we got stuck in the Miami Dolphin fans traffic going to the football game (they lost by the way, no I am not grinning too much)

 

Now the road to Paradise this is the connection between the mainland and the keys

 

There is water on both sides of you and crocodile crossing too!

Hitting the 1st key this is Key Largo, yes where the movie was filmed the bar it was filmed in is the next picture

See that the Caribbean club the blue awning in the background is where the famous movie was shot

You gotta love Burger King with coconut tree's next to it!

what a view!

The Theatre of the sea in Islamorada key fishing capital of the world

To Be continued....just so you know to come there are Sharks, Scorpions, Iguanas Stay Tuned!

I'm Back.....

Hey everyone

We are back from a AWESOME Vacation. We actually did not get home until last night since our flight Saturday was canceled due to snow. It was paradise I met so many new friends and have great stories to tell but I am at that 4 letter word...Work so I will get stories and pictures up soon. I hope everyone is well! By the way its snowing here again I am now used to beautiful 75 degree days...Brrrr

I can't sit still!

( I want to go home and go to sleep so vacation will start!)

Happy New Year Everyone! I also want to thank everyone for the wonderful Birthday wishes. I am at work it is totally dead here no phone calls, no customers so it is making this day really drag by. I am ready to jump out of my seat I am so excited about getting my vacation started. Oh I was a lazy bum yesterday I layed on the couch watching movies, then moved to the bedroom and read a whole book by Meg Cabot. It was a good relaxing day it was so cold out in the teens! I am happy to say the storm they where predicting for today is not going to happen so I do not have to worry about getting snowed in. I just hate flying I have some major anxiety on take off and landings.

I have gotten 2 calls today at work it was from the smarties that decided to go out driving on New Years eve in the snowstorm, both teenage boys....both did some good damage to their vehicles...luckily no injuries. I wish kids would not think they where invincible.

Well it's lunch time I am off to read and have lunch. I hope everyone has a great week. I will have my laptop and perhaps be posting pictures from the road but if not I will be sure to share once I get back. Everyone have a wonderful week!!!!!