We did it! We finally visited Ivan and Laurel in Florida and had the greatest of times. We're so thankful for their hospitality and for showing us around the Tampa area. It was a good taste of what waits for us in South America -- lots of warmth, humidity, and palm trees.
Our priority in Florida was to visit Ivan and Laurel and of course Rio (Ivan's dog and our first doggo love), he received tons of cuddles and snuggles. We started the days by walking him in the mornings and enjoying the neighborhood trees with Spanish moss. We used the days to prep for the South America trip and would spend the evenings exploring with Ivan and Laurel. Here are a few highlights with some photos from the adventures.
Beach Day: We kicked off the Florida experience with a well-deserved beach day. We explored Treasure Island beach enjoyed some sunshine and swam the in the warm water. The sand was so fun to play with too! We finished the day by dining at Sloppy Joe's restaurant.
Manatees: On Sunday we explored the outskirts of Tampa and made our way to the Crystal River to swim with manatees. En route to the manatee preserve we tried typical Floridian food, yes that's right, traditional boiled peanuts and gator meat. I didn't love the boiled peanuts, but I had to give them a try. Laurel is adamant about them and I can see why. Personally, I just couldn't overcome the texture. By the far, the highlight was swimming with the manatees. We didn't realize manatees were so huge! They were slow-moving, patient, and quite majestic. My respect and appreciation grew after this experience. Let's make sure we continue to protect their ecosystems. It was a wonderful opportunity for us to be in nature and learn more about the importance of manatee conservation efforts.
Thank you, Laurel, Ivan, Chelsae, Sage, and Rio for giving us an amazing experience in Florida! We're excited to return and explore more of the state with you.