Blog#30 Stuart to Hialeah (near Miami)
I left Pjudy’s and made my way to my AirBNB outside Miami in Hialeah. The address on AirBNB said Miami Lakes, not Hialeah, which was unfortunate. I spent an hour driving through the wrong neighborhood looking for the place. Finally, I spoke to the host via phone, and he clarified everything and stayed with me on the phone until I arrived.
Cute little backyard studio, gated and landscaped. Felt safe and secure and very tired, so I simply ate and went to bed. As I was settling in, my hostess came to the door to greet me and offer me coffee. Her English was broken-she is Cuban. I told her I had found the coffee in my suite, and she said she was offering “Good coffee. Cuban coffee.” If it had been morning, I would have jumped at the offer, but just before bed–I had to pass.
Woke up this morning and was antsy waiting for family to arrive, which was not until early tomorrow morning. So I drove the routes I would take to the airports- one in Fort Lauderdale, then in Miami. 30 minutes to the first, so I will allow 50. Another 45 minutes from FLL to Miami International, and we would have 90.
In the backyard
In the backyard of my Airbnb
No problem. Brian will want breakfast anyway.
I researched Audubon recommendations for birding in the area I was in, but the best sites are in neighborhoods. And in Miami, there is no parking on the street in the neighborhoods I had traveled. I didn’t want to park someplace and leave my car that contained my bedroom and office alone on the streets of the big city. So I headed out of town to the Everglades.
I have been in the everglades, but I had not been to Everglades National Park, so I thought I may as well check it out and get my national park passport stamped. When I arrived at the headquarters of the Ernest F. Coe entrance, the parking lot was almost full. There were signs posted everywhere: DO NOT LEAVE VALUABLES IN YOUR CAR. (This park is not very far from urban Miami). That did not reassure me.
Bromiliads in bloom
I went in and picked up a map and my stamp, and headed to further areas of the park. I stopped at Royal Palm and walked the Anhinga Trail-.7 miles. I was not so worried here about my car, but I carried my purse and camera.
Anhinga and babies
The trail is a boardwalk through the glades and well utilized. Down here, trails are boardwalks with good reason. Water and gators. I saw very large softshelled turtles, gators, many shorebirds/wading birds.
American Purple Gallinule–check out those feet!
I think what I enjoyed the most was the children. The national parks have a program to get kids interested–at this park, the kids are given an orientation by a ranger, then given a scavenger hunt check-off list of plants and critters. If they find everything on the list-and there may be other tasks as well-they return it to the rangers and are deputized as Junior Rangers. Pretty cool.
In 2015, President Obama initiated a great program called “A Kid In Every Park” to encourage youth to visit the national parks. Every 4th grader in America gets an annual pass into the parks, which includes three others with that child. It’s free. And I think it may be working.
Green heron
A face only a mother could love…the softshelled turtle
Trump will probably end that program.
Anyway, there were children from all over the world in that park. I heard German, French, Spanish, a dialect of Chinese, something East Indian, etc., as well as English. In every language, the excitement was the same. Kids with paper and pencils, pointing out critters to parents, faces lit up and eyes searching everywhere for that next trophy.
Childhood joy is without borders. And so is good parenting.
Flock of Glossy Ibis, I think.
Woodstork
Just a great photo–woodstork and roseate spoonbill
I went on into the park several more miles and stopped at Paurotis Pond, where woodstorks and roseate spoonbills are nesting, as well as egrets and herons. There were 2 other cars there, obvious birders in both. I had no concerns about my car here, so I took it all apart and rearranged my rooms. Making room for my passengers who arrive tomorrow.
Being a Clever American Woman, I learned, albeit late, how to tell Google to avoid tolls and highways, so my drive back to my Airbnb was very pleasant. I drove through miles of nursery/farm land. Ornamental palms, garden plants, fruit, etc. Serene and beautiful-just outside the big city, but a different world. I stopped at a gas station to fuel up and went in to grab dinner at the attached cafe. The lady behind the counter asked if I wanted something to drink. I asked if they had Coke or Pepsi. I am a Diet Pepsi drinker, but will drink Diet Coke if I have a lime or lemon wedge to improve it. The woman said “yes”. Not sure what that meant, so I said, “You have Pepsi?”, I asked hopefully. (Coca-cola has the South wrapped up. You rarely see Pepsi products in stores or restaurants).
“Yes. Pepsi” (English a second language).
I danced a jig, paid, received my cup and walked around the corner to the fountain drinks. All Coke. No Pepsi. Same, same, different.
And no lime or lemon. Stupid American Woman.
Back to my Airbnb, packed up and ready to go. Alarm set, double-checked.
I am very excited.