*NOTICE: This is part two of my trip to Florida; if you haven’t read part one yet, you can find it here.*
The next day, we returned to Casavana for breakfast because we had enjoyed our dinner so much. The omelets we took to go were deliciously fluffy; they were filled with onions, cheese, and ham! The cheese that was sprinkled on top of them was melted to perfection; I am rarely able to execute such a neat cheese pull on my food! We also ordered Cuban coffee, which is served in tiny, shot glass-sized cups because there is so much caffeine in them. Not only were they adorable, but they were sweet, creamy, and delicious, too! And that’s saying a lot, coming from someone who generally doesn’t enjoy coffee! We even stopped at a stand on the side of the road for some fresh coconut water!
We drove over to Biscayne National Park’s Dante Fascell visitor center, which was a departure from the environment of Everglades National Park! While the latter featured swampy lakes and marshy, grassy fields and forests, Biscayne highlighted wide stretches of open blue water. It was another beautiful sunny day, and the sun in the blue sky shining on the water created an idyllic atmosphere.
We strolled along the piece of land that stretched from the visitor center into a tiny peninsula in Biscayne Bay (and when I say tiny, I mean that the strip of land was barely two people wide!). The peninsula had trees growing along its edges, but several gaps in the greenery gave you a great view of the bay. These shady gaps were littered with large rocks, which made them wonderfully cool places to sit and escape from the brightness and heat of the sun. The very tip of this strip of land was submerged in water, and a small wooden railing blocked the end.
There was also a long bridge that stretched across the water, from the open waterfront to an area near the peninsula, which was populated heavily by mangroves. The water was clear, and in the shade of the trees you could see tiny fish darting around their roots. From the bridge you could clearly see the sunlight sparkling on the water and admire the lush trees that stood on along the shallow, sandy banks of the bay.
Not only were the Biscayne visitor center’s surroundings beautiful, but within there was an art exhibit featuring art by an artist named Kelly Quinn. These were gorgeous, vibrant paintings depicting wildlife in Florida. You can find more of her work on her website, Kelly of the Wild.
After spending an afternoon relaxing at the picnic tables all around the Biscayne visitor center, we took a boat ride out into the bay to see the sunset. Watching the sun dip lower into the horizon through the clouds as the sky turned from blue to a dusky orange was a magical experience. The feeling of bobbing along gently on a boat on the waves while the afternoon turned to night was wonderfully calming.
The next day, we returned to Everglades National Park to go on a kayaking tour at Gulf Coast Visitor Center. A ranger navigated us around the maze of islands near the coast. It was pretty exhausting kayaking for the four-hour tour, but it was a unique experience rowing past all the mangrove trees and wildlife, like Roseate Spoonbills!
We disembarked at a large island that used to be inhabited by natives. We could still see the remnants of the wells they used as we hiked through the forest. After breaking for lunch, we kayaked back through the water to shore. Rowing around the green islands under a blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds was- well, pretty strenuous actually, especially because the tides (while gentle) kept pushing against the direction we were trying to go. Nut even though the experience was physically trying, the scenery was gorgeous! There were hardly any other people out on the water, so it felt like the natural scenery was undisturbed and we were venturing out into the wild! If you like physical activity and connecting with nature, I would definitely point to a kayaking group as a must on your itinerary!
Our next stop at the national parks was Shark Valley, another center in the Everglades. The primary activity available here was walking along bridges and paths that led right past wetlands and wooded areas. This way, visitors could observe the wildlife without disturbing them by walking among them. We saw so many animals, from vibrant birds to massive crocodiles! It felt sort of like a zoo trip, with the whole walking and seeing animals thing, except the animals weren’t contained!
We went to another Cuban restaurant, Mario’s, for dinner. Their garlic bread was just as delicious as Casavana’s. We also ordered ham and cheese croquettes, and Cuban guava pastries, both of which I’d never tried before! The croquettes were crispy, hot, and savory, but the pastries really made an impression on me. The crust was flaky and light, and the guava jam within was sweet, slightly tart, and just all-around delectable! We had grilled chicken, Mahi-Mahi fish and pork ribs with rice for our entrées. The chicken and fish was sort of dry, but it was still quite flavorful. The pork ribs were glazed with a sweet sauce and were complemented well with the rice. We also ordered a cup of sugarcane juice, which was very sweet and surprisingly refreshing!
Our final activity at the Everglades was a glass-bottom boat tour. It took us past the waters near the coast, which were filled with islands overgrown with mangrove trees and towards the center of the bay, where reefs and fish were abundant. It was amazing to watch the color of the waters change from brown and green to a deep, bright turquoise as we sailed towards the reef! The boat contained panels of glass at the bottom, and when we stopped over the reef, you could see all the sea creatures swimming and scuttling along the sandy ocean floor, which was dotted with coral and seaweed. It was a fascinating experience, but unfortunately I was a bit too nauseous to enjoy it fully. Our guide had advised that those who got seasick easily should purchase Dramamine® at the shop onboard at the beginning of the tour. As I had never gotten seasick before, I decided I didn’t need any- until the boat had reached the reef forty minutes later. It was bucking up and down like a rodeo bull on the waves, and soon my head was spinning too much to appreciate the view. There’s my advice, if you ever decide to go on such a tour yourself- take some motion sickness medicine beforehand, even if you think you don’t need it. It’s not worth being unable to enjoy the main stop of your trip.
After we returned to shore, we headed into the visitor center, which contained a small aquarium. As always, I seized the chance to admire the brightly colored fish and crustacean in the darkened exhibit.
As we drove away from the Everglades and Biscayne, we stopped at a small shop at the side of the road, called the Key Lime Cafe. The cramped store was tiny, filled with knickknacks and curios, and a huge variety of key lime-flavored products, from cookies to barbeque sauce to lip balm! We purchased a slice of key lime pie, which was amazingly delicious! The sweet and fluffy whipped cream balanced out the refreshing tartness of the pie and the crisp, graham cracker crust.
Our trip to Florida gave us a chance to marvel at the natural wildlife in Florida, but also gave us a taste of the local Cuban cuisine! It’s a great place to visit if you love physical outdoor activities and delicious food!
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