“I used to be sad, I used to be shy, funniest thing, the saddest part is I never knew why… Kickin’ myself for nothin’ was my favorite sport, I had to take off, start enjoyin’ ’cause life’s too short…”

So, on Friday morning we hitched up the trailer and set out from our location in Homestead, Fl and headed west to our next stop, Naples, Fl. This was going to be our first trip to the west coast of Florida since Mikaela was still in utero! We were very happy to be leaving Homestead. It wasn’t exactly what we expected. The ridiculous bugs withstanding, it was not a great place to relax. It was a bit too urban for our camping pleasure. The trip took us onto the Tamiami Trail, which begins in Miami at a location that many refer to as Calle Ocho (8th Street to all you non-Spanish speakers). It is an interesting road, filled with alligator attractions, panther crossings, the Miccosukee Indian Casino, and rest stops that sell alligator entrees. We even saw several “gators” swimming along the canal on the side of the road as we traveled. It is only a 2 lane highway, but it was actually an easy drive.
We arrived at our RV Park in Naples early in the afternoon, before lunch. So, after unhitching the car, we took off to explore and get some lunch. We found a coupon in our arrival packet for a free appetizer at a place called Mel’s Diner. I was very excited to go there for lunch. Imagine my surprise when we arrived at Mel’s and I didn’t find Flo, Vera, Alice, OR MEL! It was a great disappointment. We did, however decide to stay. Our free appetizer turned out to be fried pickle chips. That is right! I said fried pickle chips! They were DELICIOUS! We both loved them. The diner is a franchise which has restaurants scattered around the south. The atmosphere in the diner was classic 50’s diner, with tons of memorabilia and autographed photos of celebrities all over the walls. The food was excellent, the service superb, and the prices were great. Mel’s Diner gets our recommendation, even without the regular staff.
After lunch it was time to explore the beachfront of Naples. We just started to drive around. We ended up in a very exclusive looking neighborhood, with gated communities and luxury townhouses, all situated on an inlet to the Gulf of Mexico. We didn’t stay long, because it appeared that there were security vehicles watching us. It was time to go to an area that regular poor folks like us would be better received. We found one of the entrances to the beaches along the Gulf. The beach was riddled with shells. Everywhere you looked, shells. You could have filled a jar in less than a minute with pretty souvenirs from the water. There were lightly rolling waves and the water was warm. If we had more time, it would have been a great place to put down and soak up some sun. It was, however, time for us to head back to the RV park and get ready for Shabbos (for all those who are confused, that’s The Sabbath). We made a quick stop at our Florida staple, Publix, and bought a few necessities – berries, challah, milk, rainier cherries, wine coolers, etc… – you know, just the necessities to get through the next couple of days.
The RV Park we are at is absolutely stunning. Beautifully landscaped, quiet, clean, and filled with Class A rigs and friendly people. We made dinner, sat outside and enjoyed the surroundings, and got to sleep relatively early. All in all it was an excellent day.
We awoke in the morning to a knock at our door. This is very unusual and Marla was a bit frightened. It turned out that one of our “neighbors” was just letting us know that our water hose had burst and was flooding the area. I ran outside and shut the water. Tragedy averted. A trip to WalMart later (1/2 a mile down the street), $10 for a new fresh water hose, and 30 seconds to connect the new hose and we were as good as new. We ate breakfast, read, Marla took a nap, I read some more, and at about noon I made her get up and go to the pool. The pool here was a bit smaller than to what we have become accustomed, but it was very nice. The water was almost as warm as the air (92 degrees) and was very relaxing. We spent about 45 minutes having a very nice conversation with a couple who was also in the water. They were both from Canada, but have been US citizens for 40 years. The people that we have met while camping are some of the nicest people this country has to offer. Everyone could learn a lesson in kindness and courtesy from taking a camping trip away from the hustle and bustle of the Northeast.
After a couple of hours at the pool, the sky clouded up and it was time to get out of the water. We headed back to the trailer and sat under our awning, reading and eating lunch. The skies opened up and a torrential downpour started. We were shielded from the rain and sat in amazement as buckets of water poured off our awning (any seasoned camper will tell you that as long as your awning is set on an angle, the water will run right off) and flooded the road around us. The temperature cooled and it was really pleasant to sit and relax outside without the bright sun pounding down on your skin. A short while later it was time for another nap. All that reading and eating got us very tired. Apparently I slept longer than Marla. When I rose from my slumber, the clock read 6:15. PM!!! We cleaned up the trailer a bit, read some more, and just rested. That is, after all, what today is supposed to be for – right?
At about 9:10 we headed out for a quick trip back to Naples Pier. It looked like a nice spot to go and visit during the day. Tonight, however, it was cloudy, it was lightening, and it was really dark on the pier. Marla didn’t want to walk all the way out and I didn’t think it was worth fighting to go the extra 50 yards out to see ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in the darkness. We had a nice moment or two and then returned to our car. We drove down 5th Ave. This is apparently THE PLACE TO BE in Naples at night. There were tons of restaurants, cafes, bars, and high end stores. Marla started to drool, so I high tailed it out of there. It would be a nice place to come back to when we have the time. Next trip!
Tomorrow it is on to my Uncle Augie’s house in North Florida and then it is on to my sister Talia’s in Lawrenceville, GA. Our trip is coming to an end (SAD FACE ).
A quick shout out to Marsha G. for getting the last trivia question. The three ingredients of Key Lime Pie are key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, and eggs. There is a fourth ingredient, without which it really would be pie – the graham pie crust.
On to today’s trivia question: What was the name of the telephone repairman who always sat at the counter on the television show, “Alice”? Tune in for the next blog to see the answer. By the way, the title of today’s blog is our personal hommage to “Alice” – it is the theme song. And all because of Mel’s Diner.
Happy reading,

Rich (Marla appreciated the night off!)

Thursday’s trip to the beach. Heaven.

Serenity.

The gorgeous Neopolitan Cove RV Park.

The Zirins at Mel’s Diner.

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