Port St. Lucie, Stuart and Surroundings

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Pop...Pop...Pop - What's that noise? Is someong uncorking Champagne? Are we near a pistol range? Is someone doing daytime fireworks? Pop... Pop...Pop..Pop - Finally, two days later it dawns on us. We are within a stone's throw of Digital Stadium, the NY Mets Spring Training Grounds, here in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The repetative popping is the crack of the bat!

The trip from the Everglades had us at nice little town of Ochecobee at lunch time so we had a blte at the Village Square Cafe and watched workmen put up tents in the square for the upcoming weekend's events. Sorry, we must push on and skip the "Speckled Perch Fest;" and sincerely would like to make it some year. The town also has a rodeo, county fair, and other events schedled on the weekend.

Needless to say, the West St. Lucie Outdoor Resort is wonderful. Our pond view reflects a recirculating waterfall. We're spotting water birds we haven't seen befor on this trip. An 18 hole par 3 golf course winds around three lakes. Four pool, four hot tubs, tennis, club house with socials, library, health club and near some of the amenities that we missed (super market/nail salon) in the "Glades."

It's nice to hook up with friends while on vaca. The Vanderwerkers came over for golf on Sunday morning and we followed them back to their seaside condo for a late lunch at Schukers on Jensen Beach. Through them we have hooked up with other snow birds from the Capital Region. This phase of the trip is much more social for us - we have been out every day and every night!

Wes was invited to play golf with some guys; while LJ and I and other ladies had lunch at the Pawnbroker in Stuart, and took in a charity show house and some shopping. Will blog about the Breakers and Whitehall, the Flagler Mansion in the next entry.

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Photos

Our View - Port St. Lucie Outdoor Resorts
This is quite the spot. We have this great view, an 18 hole par 3 golf course FREE to us and our guests, four pools and hot tubs, fun activities (we skipped happy hour tonight), friends nearby, we are close to some nifty restaurants, and GREAT internet connection!

Showcase of Homes
LJ suggested a "girl's day" visit to this benefit show house while the guys played golf. We all met up after at the Dolphin in Stuart. The Vanderwerkers are guiding us to some great restaurants and tiki bars.

Sand Hill Crane
There were three of these rare birds in the pond in front of the RV one morning. Lots of wildlife in the pond. Turtles, ducks, birds, and who knows what else!

The Stuart Bridge is Archecturally Amazing
There is a passenger walkway under the bridge and a public park and the Pelican Cafe are on the eastern shore. Looks like a yacht club on the far shore. Families were fishing and having picnics.

Woodstork in "Our" Pond
This is a fairly rare bird. It is considered an indicator of the health of the Everglades.

Pelican Cafe, Under the Bridge in Stuart
Great food, great service, great view, great location, all would have been better if it had been a hotter day or we had come earlier to catch the sun. We really needed jackets to eat outside (the only option).

Quite the Site - RV at Port St. Lucie ORA
These sites with their outdoor kitchens and chickee bars are over the top! Big step up from "camping!"

The Scene at Shuckers
Sunday in the sun, on the beach, with music, cold beverages and a great late lunch!

Show House View From the Lanai
The house was worth the $25 ticket price.

Jet Stream From NASA Launch at Sunset
This corkscrew cloud mystified us on Friday at sunset until local Fox News identified it as the trail of a Delta rocket launced that day from nearby Cape Kennedy Space Center.