Saturday dawned overcast and looked like rain, from the marina. I had on a long sleeved t-shirt and wasn't warm, when we left the boat. Waz was wearing a sweater, but at least he had on a short sleeved t-shirt under it, along with our jeans and covered shoes.
We had decided to go back the way we had come on the boat, but this time by road...to Destin. If you look on Google Earth, you can see where we have been!
We drove along Highway 98 going Westward towards DEstin and passed many small beach communities along the way. Well, I wouldn't call miles of condo's communities, especially as most of the highway was lined with businesses catering to tourists, and 90% of them were closed for the season. Interesting that.
We don't understand how people would choose to come to this place that is so hot in summer and spend time sitting on a white hot beach or doing any number of the tourist 'things' that re so in evidence. This is not somewhere we would go for a vacation!
On the way there, we came across an Outlet Mall! heavens..how convenient, lol.
No only that, but one of our favorite restaurant chains, Carraba's is there..yayayay!
We immediately went for lunch there (it was noon, after all) and Waz got the steak he desired, and I got Shrimp Alfredo. I shared the pasta with him, after I ate my lovely side salad.
We walked the entire mall afterwards for exercise and because we had spied a Gelateria! yep..had to have to smallest size they sold..not cheap at $4.25 + tax, each!
Found a kitchen shop to buy something for Sam, and before that we walked into a Waterford outlet. Well, they were having amazing sales all throughout and we found Royal Doulton Old Country Rose tea sets at amazing prices. Waz bought me a tea pot with creamer and sugar bowl, and four cups and saucers, for Christmas. WOW! we can now have REAL cups of tea in REAL bone china cups. Nothing tastes as good! seriously! I did manage to empty a cupboard in order to fit it all in.We put the creamer and sugar cont. in the guest room..we will only use the t-pot and cups for now.
While this looks Idyllic....
The charge is $3 per person to just walk onto the pier! we didn't pay and we didn't go.
...the reality is something else.There is some token effort at restoring the damaged dunes, but not enough, in our opinion. The fences are supposed to keep people and dogs out.
The view is wall to wall condos.Although the blue trash cans are only about 20 feet apart, people don't seem able to make the connection between their trash and getting it into the bins. The beach was obviously 'swept' also. This is Mirimar Beach, just east of Destin.
The sand is very white and sugary
Tourist activities such as mini-golf, water parks and more stores than you can poke a stick at...
Prices are reasonable high for what amounts to being a small cog in a very big wheel. There is no view other than the Gulf of Mexico. I guess we kiwis are spoilt...especially Aucklanders who have the glorious Hauraki Gulf to look out on with it's many islands.
Yes, this was staring us in the face at an intersection. Another tourist attraction...and the one below too!
Young men not out of their teens were some of the only surfers on the beach. The place was virtually deserted.
I got so hot we had to go via Walmart and buy a pack of t-shirts for me to wear...less than $12 for 5! no, I didn't wear the whole lot..just one!:)
We got to Destin and stopped off in the Destin Harbor Village...again , all tourist activities, but being out of season, many were closed.
Even the shopping malls were colorful.
This is the Destin Harbor Village...there is a Starbucks in the 1st floor...thankfully, but they didn't make good coffee!
The marina next to the village is all commercial Dolphin watch, fishing charters etc. 
Even this custom built old timer fake!
Opposite the marina was a very ordinary scene of a fisherman against the white sand beach, They fish everywhere along the Gulf Coast.
The boardwalk at the Harbor Village.
T-shirts geared to snowbirds (old farts!)
I hope you can see this map...Destin pokes out into Choctawhatchee Bay, and there is a skinny pass for boats going out in the Gulf of Mexico
The restaurants along the boardwalk all serve pretty much the same food.
Only after I looked at the photo did I realize I was in Neptune's 'face hole'! lol..duh!
I suppose this scene is what people think of when they think of Florida...do they???
this?
Boats coming into the marina at 3.30pm
Pretty late afternoon light on the white dunes opposite the Harbor village
The channel where boats go through to the G. of Mexico.
We headed back to the boat as the sun was setting. It was a long day, and we were happy to be home.
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