The other side.

 It's nice to occasionally stop to observe how the other side lives.

That's exactly what I did when I got a good deal from Grupon on a Ft. Lauderdale tour on the scenic waterway, dubbed the "Venice of America." 

Fort Lauderdale is reputed to be the yatching capital of the world, based on the number of super-yachts registered there.

I love the water and this city has lots, for the Intercoastal Waterway (man made) is a 3,000 mile navigation channel running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean. 

It can take you inland from Massachusetts through Florida to Brownsville at the Mexican border.

It's on the banks of this waterway in Florida that some of the world's super rich build a few of their holiday homes, parking their super-yachts out front.

I love the sculptors outside this mansion.

This was once owned by the fake tv psychic  who called herself "Miss Cleo. " She went to jail for tax evasion and government seized and sold her home. 

Houses here normally range from $30 million up. A residential, empty, open lot in the area just sold from $53 million!

A sand bank where people can park their boats and swim in shallow water.

This 375 foot super-yacht which has a helicopter pad, cost a $325 million. It's owned by a Japanese billionaire but has only 18 cabins and a crew of 36!

It  carries a large fishing boat in the center back!

The front view.

The Waterway is so busy that the Ft. Lauderdale bridge opens up every half hour to let boats go through. 

Tourism in general is down though, mainly  because Trump has alienated  the Canadians who had usually flooded Florida for their vacations.

The beaches are relatively empty.

Its so empty that many life guards are not needed anymore.

 

The waterway is busy though with all sorts of contraptions moving around.

The yellow boat is the
  water taxi that services Ft. LAUDERDALE.

Our little tour boat

Colorful pedestrian bridge 

I love being out on the water, so always enjoy the Intercoastal treks. However my big annual event is going home to catch me some big fish.🎣

Can barely wait till next month.

Buju sell off!

 Bujus performance at the Tamarac Sports Center, was a big success.

 The organizers must have printed 14,000 tickets for on Instagram they announced this week's that it had sold out, and tonight one of the organizers mentioned the above figure.

Camille came up from Miramar to attend.

The crowd looked larger to me though but who am I to estimate crowds?

I like Buju but had not seen him perform since he came out of jail.

 He did not disappoint.  

I never stayed till the end though for the last time I went to a music festival in Tamarac and stayed till the end, (when Morgan Heritage performed), it took me over 45 minutes just to get on the shuttle bus. I pledged then "never again," as I can get a belly full of my favorite performers on YouTube anytime, without the hassle.😉.

Link:  (https://youtu.be/0OzJXY1x8IU?si=hmy7nHcqCJde1tXr)

We were not allowed to bring chairs tonight but when we got to the park we noticed quite a few people there with chairs!😡 

I think I will write a letter to the organizers to complain about that and the fact that our monitor stopped working before Buju performed and they never even tried to fix it.

I love our mayor though for its because she is a music lover why we have such chart stopping performers coming  to perform at Tamarac. 

This one was called Yard on the Lawn.

Miss Kitty kept the crowd animated.

This event was a huge success and Miss Kitty was excellent, keeping us in anticipation during the band change before the star came on.

Big up Tamarac. 

Reflections on 80.

 The thing about life is that we never know how long we will retain our memory. That is why I am so happy I started this blog about quarter  century ago and record almost everything. (Wish blogs were invented long before though.)

I was reflecting on becoming 80 which sounded so remote up to a week ago.

 But now I will soon move away from that landmark and end up where I wonder?

This is why I am saving these pics to remind me of all who helped me celeberate, from nearby Plantation and Lauderhill to distant Sebring  all in Florida. 

Last year I had big plans with friends to go on a cruise around sections of Southern Africa from Mauritius to Cape Town in 2026, to celebrate this milestone. However, my heart objected, informing me that I have to stay close my cardiologist.

So,  I will be finishing off the celebration next month with my immediate family, on a cruise in the the nearby Caribbean. (Some have school till June).

It is what it is.

To get the celebrations going, we started started in Plantation where my good friend Carolyn hosted a wonderful dominoes session.

 (https://joan-myviews.blogspot.com/2026/05/dominoes-forever.html)

Horace, Carolyn,  uncle Lesly, uncle Ruddy, Hollden at dominoes on my birthday. 

Then it was off  to lunch with my Trini friend Helena.

Not only was the Trini curry goat delicious,  but I have to thank Helena for reomtroducing me to Indian food. For you see, I was in Sri Lanka exactly a year ago, and while it was a great experience,  there they not only curry almost everything,  but the hot spices nearly killed me!🤢. 

I had never met hotter peppers in my life and thus I swore off curry.

But the Trini version was a delicious, gentle reminder that not all curry is hot and my once favorite roti, bussup shut, was most welcome.

Bussup shut.

Next we finished off the celebrations in Sebring where Camille and I drove to,  to spend the long weekend  with my lifelong, bosom friend  Sunshine and my extended family.

Thr Golden girls aka the scrabble ginigogs😁

The octogenerian.

Today (23rd) is Givannis birthday, but that makes him a Gemini, not a great Taurean😁. 

 He turns 13.

Yep it was great to get out of the city and hang around with more "family."❣️💕

Cardiff is extra special too for athough he was born an Adventist so pork has never touched his mouth, he had no problem seasoning and cooking the most delicious pork shoulder for me.😄.

Big up Cardiff.

It was so well seasoned, soft and delicious that I even had some for breakfast next day!

It's been a great 80th celebration.

On to the next big landmark.😉

Dominoes forever🙃

 Only a domino lover can appreciate, not only the joy of the game, but also how much it keeps the brain active. 

Last night's game, organized by my bosom friend Carolyn to help me mark my 8th decade on this planet, was a timely reminder. 

Uncle Leslie bows, as his pleased partner Uncle Ruddy looks on.

For as I tried to follow 96 year old Uncle Leslie's strategic plays, it was so obvious that dominoes had played a major role in keeping him and even 90 year old Uncle Ruddy, young. 

Unfortunately, the game is only being kept prominent by us older folk, as the younger generation is showing little interest. 

 But it is what it is. 

Uncle Ruddy, Clover's widower.

It remains one of my favorite activities and everyone knows that.

Host Carolyn in background 

No one more than Carolyn,  the daughter of the late, great Jamaican, Doctor Clover Thompson,  an outstanding public servant and  educator, whose other life revolved around dominoes. 

So yes, it was a great night, and my fellow Taurean Horace and I kept our flag flying by dropping a six love.🙃

It was a wonderful way to spend a significant birthday.

Black Forrest, one of my favorites😋

Good friends, delicious fare, great brain activity and camaderie. 

Thanks guys.