In this blog update, we arrive back to the US from our 11-day transatlantic cruise. The cruise port of Canaveral is next to the area that we have spent much time over the past 30 years. My parents bought a house here after retiring from Up North. It felt like we were really coming back home after being gone almost two months, even though we have one more travel segment to get back to our actual home in Virginia. That flight will be in a few days, but first we wanted to do a few things here…
Cocoa Beach, FL
After disembarking from the cruise ship, we took a shuttle to the local rental car office. I’ll quickly summarize the waiting process since we were ready to get off the ship at 8am. Wait to get off ship. Wait through customs. Wait for shuttle. Wait in line at rental place. My patience was surely tried, but we got through it all by about 11am and had until 3pm before we could check into the beach apartment.
Cocoa Beach is a small town of 11,000 people right on the east coast in an area referred to as the space coast. It is a barrier island along the coast that is loaded with hotels and restaurants as it is a resort/vacation destination. We enjoy the beach area here and also a couple of miles west to the historic Cocoa village to explore and dine.
We had two days until our Allegiant flight (only flies twice per week) and had a few things on our short to-do list.
Activities
We wanted to visit with my cousin and his wife that live nearby. But Pat and I both picked up what they call “cruise crud” that seemed to be just a light head cold, with some sniffles. All the people on board and inhaling the daily dose of germs, results in this. Well, it could be worse with some other viruses that have much worse symptoms! We will have to reach out to Sam on our next time to Florida.
Well, as you might guess the first thing on my list was a seafood lunch. This one was quite special because we were on the way to Mims and the National Cemetary to see mom’s headstone next to my dad. Dad was a WW-II service member and earned the right for burial here along with mom.
Pier 220 was the restaurant that mom wanted to have lunch when we took her to see dad’s headstone a few months after he died in 2016. So, going back there brought back some memories. Plus, they have some great seafood!
Then we drove a bit further north to the Mims cemetery. This national cemetery is excellent and very well done. A tribute to all the service men and women. We were all here for mom’s service last year, but they had not made the headstone engraving.
After that it was back to check in to our beach house. Ground level and a studio with a full kitchen. We normally eat breakfast and dinner in and then splurge going out for lunch. We took several long walks on the famous Cocoa Beach both for sunsets and sunrises.
Then we jumped over the bridge to the Cocoa Historic Village for lunch and to browse some shops. Cafe Margaux is the place for an upscale lunch. Somehow, we skated in with any reservations. Everything was great, but their tomato bisque is world famous. I kid you not. Somehow, I miss getting any photos. 🙁
Then we stopped at a cute coffee shop for the required after lunch caffeine treat.
Later that day we zipped up I-95 to the airport in Sanford, but first we drove through the Sanford historic downtown area. It looked great! But no time to explore on this day as we have a flight to catch to get back home. Home again after almost two months.
Wrap Up
This installment of the blog completes the story of our two-month international trip. It was a great trip, and a bucket list item now checked off. It will be great to get back home and have all the family together for the Christmas holiday before we pack up the RV for our Florida migration. Only three weeks before we are back in Florida again! Take care and God Bless.