I flew to Fort Lauderdale, Florida for a conference that is nearby my aunt’s condo in Pompano Beach. So, of course, I couldn’t resist staying for a few extra nights. It had been almost 15 years since I was last there when I and my then-boyfriend were on our way from Orlando to a Caribbean cruise out of Miami.
My aunt is in her 80s now, so I was excited to see her. She lives in a high-rise condo between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intercoastal and has a magnificent view from the 14th floor.
For 3 mornings I walked on the beach enjoying the warm and breezy weather. With the summer crowds gone, it’s an idyllic setting to chill out. Pompano Beach has been built up since the last time I was there with several restaurants within walking distance and a lovely park and walkway along the shoreline.
My aunt who had once been quite active walking, ballroom dancing, and swimming, recently recovered from several falls and resulting surgeries. However, she is doing much better and is still able to drive when necessary. She used to travel between her home in Long Island during the warm months and Florida in the winter but is now living in Florida full time.
Despite an occasional hurricane, Pompano Beach is a vibrant and lovely place to spend time no matter what your age.
Butterflies and Birds
We decided to check out Butterfly World, which is a nearby attraction at Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek. It is a circular mostly outdoor enclosure that you can walk through to view various species of butterflies, birds, and even some bugs. It’s the largest butterfly park in the world with over 20,000 live butterflies of every color and pattern.
Serene music lofts through the air making it a relaxing and delightful way to romp with nature. Trying to catch a photo of butterflies is challenging as they are constantly in motion, but I did manage a few shots which you can see below.
The bird aviaries were equally fun with exotic and colorful birds from various parts of the world.
Photos from Butterfly World – click on images to view full-size.
An almost emergency
The next day we planned to take a water taxi on the intercoastal, but it turned out to be a windy day and my aunt developed a stomachache. She started to get the chills and I was almost ready to take her to the ER but after several hours she felt better.
It’s always difficult when you have an elderly relative who is living alone because you never know what will happen. And, when I refer to her as elderly she is only 14 years older than I am. LOL. I was sorry to have missed the water taxi but was glad I was there to make sure she was okay.
My stay in Pompano Beach was short and pretty laid back, but I was glad I got the chance to visit. After I left, a storm came through so I was glad I brought some sunshine from California while I was there.
Enjoy my photos of Pompano Beach – Click on images to view full size.
A note about my flights back and forth
I flew Southwest Airlines which I mostly like. However, I was amazed at how cramped the seats are. It seems like they get closer and closer together to the point that if you are in the middle seat you can’t move. At one point, I dropped my water bottle and had to wait until the plane had landed to retrieve it.
The seats on all but my last flight from Phoenix to Burbank were filled to capacity. That’s a little scary especially when people take their masks off to eat or sneeze and cough. I’m glad I had my two vaccinations and booster plus my flu shot before I left. There must be a better way if you can’t afford business or first class on airlines these days.
Have you been traveling these days? What’s the last place you visited? Please leave a comment below and tell us about it.
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These are beautiful pictures and I really miss Florida weather, storms and all! Glad you had an opportunity to spend time with your aunt. I purchased 1st Class tickets for a family trip that got cancelled, so hopefully we will be visiting Orlando soon!
I hope you get to go to Orlando too, Antoinette. So sorry it was canceled. Florida is fun!
Wow. I didn’t know that the largest butterfly garden was so close. I love them.
You should definitely check it out. It was fun, Jennifer.