A couple of weeks ago I was fortunate enough to exchange the cool spring temperatures in Ontario for a few days of warm but windy weather in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Murray was on Spring Break so he went down a few days ahead to take in a Florida Panthers hockey game. Work obligations meant I flew down a few days later to join him.

The view from the balcony of the Canada House condo we rented in Fort Lauderdale. Not too hard to take!

The view the other way!

It was very windy every day! Perfect weather for kite-boarding. No, I did not attempt kite-boarding. I did not have a death wish or want to spend my mini vacation in the hospital. I was perfectly happy watching the kite-boarders ride the crashing waves and do flips and flops from my comfortable chair on the condo balcony.

Can you see all the kites in the picture below? The boarders were out en masse every day, all day.

How about those waves? They were much bigger than they look in this picture!

We did lots of driving about including a trip to West Palm Beach and down through the Keys all the way to Key West. Nothing like zipping about in a convertible with the breeze (more like gale force winds!) blowing through our hair!

A couple of pina coladas and a shared platter of calamari at Sunset Pier restaurant in Key West made for a perfect afternoon snack. This outdoor restaurant belongs to the Ocean Key Resort and Spa, which looked like a really nice place to stay. The views of the sunset from the pier would have been lovely.

Pina Colada (Sunset Pier Restaurant in Key West)

To make a pina colada, combine 1-1/2 cups coconut cream, 3 tablespoons crushed pineapple, 1-1/2 oz light rum, and 1 cup crushed ice in a blender. Process until slushy. Pour into a chilled glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry. Sip slowly….sitting on a pier on a warm sunny day….looking out over the Gulf of Mexico (or any other large body of water)….with not a care in the world!  I should really do this much more often…..

Fried calamari with cherry pepper dip (Sunset Pier Restaurant in Key West)

Key lime pie (Two Friends Patio Restaurant in Key West)

The key lime pie at Two Friends Patio Restaurant in Key West was excellent! I also tried the conch fritters as they appeared on every menu and seemed to be one of Florida’s national dishes. Sadly, I didn’t enjoy them very much. Simply described, these are deep-fried fritters made with conch (a type of snail), flour, green peppers, and other seasonings. They were probably well made, but the texture and taste were just not to my liking.

A few other restaurants we enjoyed while in Fort Lauderdale –

* Flanigans Seafood Bar and Grille – great ribs!

* SeaWatch – great seafood and ocean view!

* Aruba Beach Cafe – great ambiance and ocean view, generous portions!