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ways and shops followed by a spot of beach combing now that the tide had retreated to see if it had left behind some of its treasures after a very welcome cup of sea in a converted red double decker london bus no less and with pockets bulging with salted caramel fudge and sea shells it was time to head for the station and home once again today was one of those truly memorable days one filled with lots of emotion and thoughts of happy care free distant days long lost friendships and even longer lost youth margate today is embracing the future and forward looking it offers so many things but above all by far the best is hope for if she can live through adversity and hard times even her famous dreamland burned down and has risen again from the ashes and yet come through it all relatively unscathed able to re invent herself become re vitalised and even re connect with old friends well then who knows perhaps we all can too sigh yes larry it certainly has rate this share this share share on x opens in new window x share on facebook opens in new window facebook share on linkedin opens in new window linkedin email a link to a friend opens in new window email share on pinterest opens in new window pinterest share on whatsapp opens in new window whatsapp like loading posted in architecture art art gallery artist food paintings photography travel 14 replies florida forty years on posted on january 28 2017 by yvonne ayoub 6 it s hard to believe that more than 40 years have passed since i last visited florida back then still a teenager and as one of a 4 girl dancer backing singer troupe to the then popular and rising star peter gordeno i arrived in miami the second stop of our first usa tour for the duration we were lodged with a wonderfully hospitable and protective family in the leafy suburb of west palm beach while performing each evening at the impressive diplomat hotel in hollywood florida alongside fellow entertainers such as paul anka bobby vinton and englebert humperdinck it was a thrilling and glamorous time first impressions then were of ones of awe filled as we were with eager excitement to experience first hand the america we d only seen in movies skyscrapers drive in movies huge everything cars roads t bone steaks pancake stacks with maple syrup cheesecakes etc and sunshine to get to the white sandy beaches as often as possible to soak up the sun and enjoy even in january the balmy semi tropical weather was paramount tall swaying palms reaching up into the impossibly blue unbroken skies danced gently above the seemingly endless strip of ice ream coloured art deco hotels and resorts that lined the shores completing the perfect picture of paradise if there was any disappointment it was simply that there were so few people of our own age around florida i soon realised was the winter playground of wealthy ageing mostly new york retirees a whole generation of hard working world war ii and even wwi survivors whom almost without exception sported leathery deeply wrinkled sagging skin the result of years of austerity excessive smoking and relentless sun worshipping this was long before the days of health warnings botox and fillers or plastic surgeons on every corner the balding hairy chested and medallion ed men were constantly enveloped in clouds of black acrid smoke from their fat cigars held by even fatter heavily be ringed fingers each sporting over generous waistlines that bulged over their gaudy crimpelene golf shorts while their skinny elegant over coiffured blue rinsed and scarlet taloned wives or widows wafted about in gaudy flowing kaftans and jangled heavy gold charm bracelets that weighted down their mahogany coloured and crepe y bony arms that said everyone we met was incredibly kind and friendly and seemingly appreciative of our show particularly the hotels helpful hospitality officers with names like sugar and honey who spent much of the day ginning vacuous smiles while insisting everyone have a nice day through brilliant white and even teeth for a 19 year old optimistic and full of the joys of life well it was all rather depressing really so it was with some reservation this january that my husband and i accepted a long standing invitation to visit our canadian relatives who now retired themselves swap their cold snowy montreal winters for sunnier healthier climes and their fabulous condo on florida s western shores weary from the long 10 hour flight arriving at processing through the most frustrating border control and finally getting out of miami int airport over 3 hours later was an experience i hope i never have to repeat likewise collecting the rental car unbelievably sans sat nav and finding myself hurtling along a six lane poorly lit and badly sign posted freeway in driving rain heading for 45 minutes in totally the wrong direction is something i never hope to experience ever again if it wasn t for the fabulously kind lady we met once we could pull over and ask directions who lead us all the way back to our hotel in her own car we d probably still be trying to navigate the fast and furious spaghetti junctions even now thankfully a comfortable night s sleep followed by a huge american breakfast cleared the air which had become decidedly heated and blue both inside and outside of the car the comfortable hotel just moments from the airport as it turned out is about to undergo a complete refurbishment and having admired the stunning artwork in the lobby i was sad to hear it too would be disposed of shortly so i thought i d post some of it here for others to enjoy before it disappears if anyone knows the artist please drop me a line a new day a new start under blue skies we hit the correct this time freeway bright and early and headed west all the way across the flat florida heartland to naples on the gulf coast we followed the everglades route but alas with high protective fences on either side alligators were nowhere to be seen we arrived in the comparatively new and exclusive gated community of pelican bay nestling gently behind the mangroves and shoreline just over 2 hours later aptly named for there are certainly plenty of pelicans manatees alligators and dolphins too but they re more camera shy most noticeably there was not a fat cigar or blue rinse in sight instead we saw incredibly fit slim healthy and lightly glowing but suspiciously taut and youthful 60 year olds cycling jogging swimming playing tennis driving golf carts and briskly walking their dogs along the wide avenues of beautifully manicured gardens of what is arguably a picture perfect paradise for retirees well for those lucky enough to afford it that is this part of florida with its exclusive tax breaks boasts some of the most wealthy residents and expensive real estate in the country days of leisurely boating around the network of canals around naples and marco island revealed the many multi million dollar water frontage homes owned by the rich and famous then there were the mostly private talcum powder soft and sandy beaches and sunsets which were simply spectacular as was the abundance of seafood and fresh organic locally grown produce no excuse for not following a healthy lifestyle and diet here on first impression was it was all just a bit too perfect and like the shallow precarious floating terrain that makes up most of florida and is susceptible to sudden sink holes i feared it might be lacking any real cultural depth too imagine my surprise then when on our first evening we were whisked off to watch the entire new york cast of the show stopping foot tapping musical 42nd street performing at artis naples the impressive new local theatre concert hall cultural centre we also visited the adjoining museum which overlooked by a fabulous piece by the celebrated seattle glass artist dale chihuly housed an exhibition of origami inspired metal sculptures by kevin box later in the week a night visit to naples botanical gardens showed even more of kevin box s work strategically placed amongst the beautifully lit exhibition of exotic plants and foliage a wonderful initiative that certainly drew the crowds in to see the stunning gardens our amazingly generous hosts maureen and alain had gone over and above to make our stay magical and indeed it was every day they treated us to new delights and surprises and we were genuinely sorry and sad when the time came to offer our thanks and begin packing we waved our goodbyes and retraced our route to miami to catch a flight to san diego our next destination which i ll write about after this a week or so later though we returned to miami and had a whole day free to lose ourselves in the city before boarding our night flight home so we took a cab over the causeway to miami s south beach on the way we stopped off briefly to tick another item off my bucket list paying my respects to bee gee maurice gibb my first serious schoolgirl crush at the peaceful memorial park laid out in his name that done it was on to the famous ocean drive to enjoy a kerbside lunch while toe tapping to the latino jamaican cuban and haitian street rhythms that engulfed us and the cacophony of all those spoken languages too as we watched the fascinating mix of people of all colour and ages who now call miami home parading past fast and furious yet chilled and laid back miami has become a city of marked contrasts the haves and the have nots co existing side by side but not with without the inevitable tensions with the tragic shootings at fort lauderdale airport less than a week previously and the street riots that broke out in miami just after we left not to mention the fact that probably everyone we saw was carrying weapon of some sort a constant tension in the air was certainly palpable i never really felt completely at ease anywhere in this city however its elegant retro architecture the cruising stretch limo s mustangs and vintage cars on every street corner the outrageous unapologetic statements of bling adorning the swaggering beautiful bodies the fine dining and ridiculously enormous happy hour cocktails this was half a mango mohito the cultural mix and of course the perfect weather all combined make miami a seriously cool and vibrant place returning here after 40 years i thought it would be an indulgence in nostalgia i was fully prepared to come face to face with yet another brutal reminder of my long lost youth it turned out instead to be a totally rejuvenating and invigorating experience i was indeed reminded of that young naive 19 year old girl but also of her still as yet unfulfilled dreams and aspirations as a result any thoughts on our own impending retirement have been put firmly on the back burner florida has undeniably some fabulous retirement communities and its becoming an increasingly popular destination of choice for many over 50 s from the uk where sadly the healthy lifestyle high standard of living and floridian weather just simply can t compare bbc s documentary the real marigold hotel on tour episode 1 in florida captured the pro s and cons of retiring in florida perfectly but for me being neither particularly slim sporty or hell bent on disguising my age surgically at any cost settling into what would be my penultimate resting place is not one that appeals on either side of the pond perhaps that s because i ve lived like a nomad most of my life or more probably because having regularly frequented elderly people s facilities for the past 6 years while caring for both of my parents before they passed away i feel i m ready to give facing inevitable decline and death on a daily basis a bit of a break moreover i ve never really had any desire to live in the us so no florida is certainly fabulous but definitely not for me not just yet anyway instead while i still can i ll forge ahead onwards and upwards to embrace each next new adventure wherever it beckons wobbly bits wrinkles and all rate this share this share share on x opens in new window x share on facebook opens in new window facebook share on linkedin opens in new window linkedin email a link to a friend opens in new window email share on pinterest opens in new window pinterest share on whatsapp opens in new window whatsapp like loading posted in architecture art art gallery artist paintings photography travel tagged architecture art art deco artist bee gees florida food maurice gibb miami mustang naples ocean drive pelicans peter gordeno travel yvonne ayoub 6 replies brocante baguettes bonnard et bb posted on march 24 2014 by yvonne ayoub 17 an invitation out of the blue to revisit gassin near st tropez in the south of france was too good an opportunity to pass up i had painted this provençal house after a previous visit back in 2011 and i ve always been keen to return i took off into the early morning dull grey skies over london and landed a couple of hours later in a very bright and sunny nice by lunchtime i was sitting at key west on st tropez famous pampelonne beach staring out at the rolling surf of the cote d azur and soaking up the sun with a glass of crisp white wine in one hand and a selection of freshly caught seafood to choose from wondering all the while what on earth i d done to be so fortunate once back at the house after settling in and a good night s sleep despite the army of frogs er calling for company from an adjoining neighbours swimming pool i awoke at first light threw open my window and gasped at the idyllic peaceful provencal scene that stretched before me i filled my lungs with the fresh country air sweetly scented with mimosa rosemary olive wood smoke and salt from the sea and after a breakfast of fresh croissants and strong coffee made the ten minute drive through the vineyards into the colourful port of st tropez i passed the artists busily setting up their easels for the day as i made my way to the twice weekly market at the place des lices no one does markets quite like the french the abundance of fresh produce fruit flowers cheeses herbs salamis and baked goods on display not to mention the fine linens scented soaps and brightly glazed pottery is quite simply breathtaking and no one lives quite like the french either to me they have their priorities right too come 1 o clock no matter what everything stops for lunch they work to live not live to work shops are closed and for a couple of hours over a leisurely meal and a glass or two neighbours and fellow shop keepers meet in a local eatery to sit together enjoy each other s company and put the world to rights the art of conversation face to face communication is alive and well in france and much of the rest of the mediterranean too i m sure but it s something i m afraid we ve all but lost on our own shores laden with goodies i set off to explore the maze of brightly painted narrow streets before stopping for lunch at the famous red painted sennequier cafe on the port facing the impressive line up of luxury yachts i joined in the national leisurely pastime of people watc...