United States

Dec. 19, 2015 - April 29, 2016

We did leave Winnipeg and drove to Fort Launderdale in October to take the cruise to the Mediterranean, but did not do any touring or see any interesting sites as we drove. We stayed one night at Fairfield Inn and Suites and stored our car there for the 50 days. They have a very good plan for extended stay. 

Our extended stay parking space at the Hotel

We arrived back in Fort Lauderdale on December19th and then travelled to a condo which we rented for one month at Panama Beach City in the panhandle of Florida. The Tidewater Beach Condo was on the ocean and a beautiful sand beach. Our condo was quite lovely and everything we needed, close to groceries and walking distance to a huge mall (quite touristy shops). 

Our Condo is in the background - a nice walking area

After our busy cruise we relaxed, enjoyed our daily walks and Chris did some painting. 

The View from our balcony

A visit to a Conservation Area near us

Our drive from Florida along Interstate 10  

Mississippi have the grandest welcome centres we have seen

At one of our motel stops we met these workers who were preparing their dinner.  It looked good

On to Texas for a 3 month stay at Seven Oaks Resort in Mission and unit #73. We had very good weather in Texas and almost too hot some days, but we had a nice pool to cool off in. The air conditioner was so noisy you could not use it and also very expensive. Our accommodation looks good but was of very poor quality - a FEMA Trailer - made for the New Orleans disaster. A number of things were broken or unable to use when we arrived. Internet was very poor - they installed a new system but was not any better. The one consolation is that the residents in the park were very friendly and we got to know a number of them. 

Chris' art brightened up the area

A standard size bed but no room or air circulation.  The bathroom was almost as large

Oranges and grapefruit and lemons were given away

Only in the USA and especially Texas

 We spent many hours walking around the residential area of the 18 hole golf course where we saw a number of birds etc.

Black-bellied Whistling-ducks

Belted Kingfisher

Notice the butterfly

We were told this was a good snake

 

Prickly pear cactus in bloom

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Agave in bloom

Roseate Spoonbills, Egrets and Neotropic Cormorants

Bentsen State Park and the Butterfly Centre were very close and we visited a number of times 

Northern Cardinals

Greater Roadrunner

Green Jay

Javelina visiting the bird blind

Plain Chachalaca , Great-tailed Grackle and White-tipped Dove

At the Butterfly Centre

The Eastern Screech Owl knew this must be his home

 Chris did quite a number of art pieces which he gave away to friends

We drove across the border into Mexico at Nuevo Progresso - this is the place to go if you want a haircut, a dentist, liquor or drugs from the many pharmacies. 

Another interesting trip into Mexico was at Los Ebanos

Hand pulled ferry crossing to Mexico over the Rio Grande

Some old buildings still selling liquor on the US side.  If you bought liquor the attendant would take it to the Duty Free shack.  You then would take the ferry across to Mexico and on your return you would pick up you bottle.

After leaving Mexico we drove on the dike by the wall separating Mexico and the US

There were large openings for farmers to go through to work their fields  These openings were permanent and did not have gates.  This is not a continual fence.  To the right are farmers fields and may be a mile or more from the river.  We are on a flood dike above the road

We were invited by our new friends to join them for a weekend at South Padre Island at a lovely 3 bedroom condo

A mural on the restaurant wall

A march area which attracts lots of birders from around the world

Our trip home was driving to avoid a major storm that was brewing from Dallas to Omaha - so we drove further to the west. In Nebraska we had a snow storm and had to stop early in the day. 

Nebraska at 3000' altitude

Winnipeg was warm and sunny when we arrived the end of April. It was great to be home.