Walking on the Bay Bridge : Biloxi and Ocean Springs

I don't know how to start really. When we sold the house in the Space Coast area in Florida, we were too busy packing, moving, follow up with the papers, moving to another state, looking for a house, buying a house, moving our things from one storage to another storage, moving to our new house, unpacking, arranging, selling one of our condo property, fly back to Florida, back to Mississippi, party for my birthday, surprise visit from Spain and now ... here I am, ready to get back on track. Wheww! It was a whirlwind huh? I took a lot of pictures since May and I will be sharing them in this blog.

The first time we drove on the Bay Bridge heading to Palace Casino Resort in Biloxi, Mississippi, I said to my husband, "I didn't know how I missed the gulf coast". How pretty this place is. That's the resort and we stayed there for a week since we were still waiting for the closing of the house we bought.

The photo above was taken at the Front Beach in Ocean Springs Mississippi. The building at the far end is the Golden Nugget Casino formerly, the Isle Casino. Since we were back here in May, I walked on the bridge and rode a bicycle on that long bay bridge. Oh my goodness, I did it! I was so happy and felt accomplished! Now, who wouldn't fell in love on this view everyday of their lives? I would!

One evening right before sunset, a cousin and I went to walk by the beach and on the bridge from Ocean Springs to Biloxi (one city to the other city). We started at 6PM and hubby picked us up at 8PM in Golden Nugget at the end of the bridge. I thought I couldn't do it you know. It was a long ways. The view from the bay bridge was fantastic and breathtaking so; it has kept me going to the end. There were sailboats and shrimp boats as well as occasional display of dolphins swimming visibly by the bay. It was a glorious evening and I will be walking/running on the bridge again sometime.

While walking on the beach, cousin and I played on the sand. We put a mark on the sand with our foot. My footprint is smaller than her even though I am so much older than her. We spent probably almost an hour by the beach before we decided to walk on the bridge.

While on the Front Beach, I snap a lot of pictures.

Pictures of the sky, sailboats, people, dogs, shrimp boats, and anything interesting on the sand.

Here she is making a heart shape figure.

As the sun sets on the horizon, we were halfway walking on the bridge. It was breezy and a nice evening. I had fun taking pictures and enjoying the glorious display of nature.

Thanks for reading my post. See you next time.

Bundle Up, Stay Safe and Warm

The thought of having below 28 degrees of temperature while living here in Florida is exciting. Today, we get to experience that and most of my friends are wishing of rain so that; we will get to experience snow but, that's not happening though. As I went outside, the sun is shining so bright, the wind is chilling to the bones and yap, we need to bundle up since we are not used to this temperature.

It was 17 degrees below freezing so; here is the frozen bayou but, it's thin ice though.

There was two gators down the water but, it's not visible on the picture.
They're not moving and they hate cold. The bird is teasing them lol.

Here is the close caption on the water. It's fascinating to see ice.

These are snowflakes on the top of the car.

I braved myself to have this photo taken without my coat and mittens on.
 It lasted few seconds and I was freezing.
My hands were numb , silly me.

The bayou and it was frozen with thin ice.

The sun is shining but, it was still very cold.

It was 7AM , cold and breezy.

I went closer and took a photo of the frozen fountain.
I took few shots and ran inside the car to keep me warm.
Wooo! It was freezing cold!

I live in Mississippi and Florida so; having a below freezing temperature is quiet an exciting experience. Other than that, I am happy that our temperature is not brutally cold. Though we have a scorching summer, I am totally happy for that. Less hassle and most of all, we get to enjoy the beach most of the time. Buddle up you guys and stay safe and warm!

Do you Consider Living in Florida?

Would you like to live in Florida? The state of Florida is situated on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the Straits of Florida. We have two time zones: it extends to the northwest into a panhandle and extending along the northern Gulf of Mexico. On the North, the border states are Georgia and Alabama. Several Caribbean countries are just nearby especially the Bahamas and Cuba. I love living in Florida and I am proud to be a Floridian. All photos here were taken by me of course while we were at Blockhouse Beach 45th Space Wing along the South Atlantic Avenue.

I read online that Britton Hill is the highest point in Florida and the lowest highpoint of any U.S. state. That could be true because Florida is really flat compared to other states. Most of Florida has an elevation of less than 12 feet and that includes the many populated places including Miami down south of Florida.

The climate in Florida varies in places. Some areas have prevalent climate like humid subtropical while coastal areas down the south have a true tropical climate. I really do not know the difference. I live in Orlando and it is super hot especially in summer time.

The mean high temperatures for late July are primarily in the low 90s while the mean low temperatures for early to mid January is usually from the low 40s to above 60s. The average daily temperature is 70s. That is the reason, winter season is my most favorite time of the year. It is truly hot here in Florida especially at summer time where temperature could exceed 100 degrees. Freezing? I don't recall that we ever have one.

There was a record that shows the coldest temperature was −2 °F but, that was on February 13, 1899 near Tallahassee according to what I read in Wikipedia. We have no snow here Florida ... or/ rarely receives snow but, we have frost here which is common during the winter months.

Frost is a huge problem especially for Citrus farmers here in Florida. Anyway, do you consider living here in Florida?

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Florida had a population of 18,801,310. Here's the breakdown of race and ethnicity:

75 % are White Americans comprising 57.9% are Non-Hispanic White and  17.1% are White Hispanics
16 % are Black or African Americans
0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
2.4% Asian American
0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
3.6% from Some Other Race
2.5% Multiracial American

If you visit Miami, you should learn to speak Spanish because most people living there speaks bilingual. Some only communicate with Spanish language.

Why I am showing you these photos of the beach? It is because when you live in Florida, the access of the beach is in every direction. You can choose the Gulf Coast or the Atlantic, take your pick and it is very accessible. Weather is great here all year-round well, unless if there are hurricanes. Living in Florida is a perfect place to enjoy the sun, the beach, and the pleasure of having a sunny weather most of the time.

Off to the Beach Today

Blogging is a bit slow this week. I thought I will have tons of offers instead, I had tons of review products in my mail. I had to clear my mind this week and clear the review products area. Hoping I can take photos, pose with it (wink) and review them this week. Praying that next week will turn out great. Anyway, since I am not busy this week, hubby and I plan to go to the beach and unwind. For sure, I will stay under the shade and just take photos. Have a great day everyone.

The Thrill of Riding the Jetski

Twice a week, hubby and I goes to the beach just to unwind especially in the afternoon. We just walk on the shoreline, watching people doing their sports activity and waving hi to friendly people passing by from where we are. There were people doing volleyball, some teenagers picking up seashells and others were surfing. Now, one of the interesting sports activities on the beach is the jetski riders showing their stunts.

 

Hubby wanted to buy one that is good for three people. The price starting at $4K ... This will be an awesome "toy" to have ...if and if ... he got the money for this hobby. I will be thrilled to ride this baby for sure.The thrill of riding the jetski is awesome! It's been awhile since I've been to one but, it was only 30 minutes rental. Here in Space Coast, never tried ever ... afraid of the gators in Indian River LOL or sharks in Cocoa. I will brave myself one of these days. I might survive on my first ride. For now, rental is the best option.

An Awesome View of the Gulf

My husband won't stay at home when I was sleeping. I work at night and sleep most of the time on day time. My father-in-law and him would go out buying stuffs at Wal-Mart, drive down the Front and East Beach, and if there were garden and boat shows, they would go. One time, I woke up for lunch and they were gone somewhere. When they arrived few minutes later, they were excited telling me that they bought a pontoon boat, LOL. Anyway, the photo below was taken at the end part of Front Beach in Ocean Springs Mississippi. I was at the top floor (restaurant) taking this picture. What an awesome view huh?

Awesome View Along the Beach Boulevard

You see when we were living in Mississippi, I have two days day off in a row. On my day off, after lunch while FIL was taking a nap, hubby and I would go shopping at the Edgewater Shopping Mall along Beach Boulevard in Biloxi. The road that you are seeing below is the Beach Boulevard. The big building is Beau Rivage and Hard Rock which are both casino and hotel. Almost everyday, we dine in those places because the price is affordable.

The view by the Gulf is truly amazing! If you know Alex North in Facebook or seen his collection of photos  in ( www.naturallynorth.net ) , you will be blown away! The Gulf coast is a beautiful place to raise a family. Well, as long as the weather is great and the skies are blue, the Gulf  coast is a fun place to explore.

Twice a month, hubby and I would just drive the I-90 and off we go to New Orleans in Louisiana. It's about an hour drive.  The awesome view by the Gulf is endless. I tell you, if you can't go to Las Vegas, visit Biloxi. There are hotels and casinos in Biloxi. You will surely enjoy the beach, the slot machines and more!

At the Beach

Oh yeah! Summer and the beach, what a better way to spend this season huh? I know that the heat of the sun is a scorcher but, we have a shade and that makes a difference. Hubby and I had no plans going to beach but, since it is just 20 minutes drive, who needs planning right? If we feel like it, we grab our beach chairs, some cold drinks and snacks ... bammm ... we are heading to Cocoa Beach or Satellite Beach. How about you?

Cocoa Beach on Stormy Days

My husband and I are so envious (in a good way) of the people living on the front beach. I bet that they enjoyed watching the sunshine or sunset everyday. The lovely breeze from the sea is always nice so; they have plenty of that too. Waking up every morning with the sound of sea waves splashing is a good music to enjoy as well. Few days of these lovely moments are stormy days. Hurricane Season is not a welcome event of the year so; having to live away from water front is a good thing for me.

I took these photos on a stormy day during Hurricane Season. It is not a good sight.

This is Cocoa Beach on a Sunday. A handful of people were here just to watch the big waves.

Though the water is rough and dangerous, surfers love this moment so; we saw few surfers trying to have the ride of their lives.

The condos on the front beach are ready for the storm so; I saw their windows already covered with hurricane shutters.

When storm passes, the activities are back to normal here. I was browsing about storms that hit Cocoa Beach and it shows the years: 1871, 1880 and 1885. There were major hurricanes slammed into Brevard County and hit Cocoa Beach. The 1885 hurricane’s storm surge supposedly pushed the ocean over Cocoa Beach and into the Banana River. That's few miles away and that was a scary flooding. The report said that the beach near the Canaveral Light House was so severely eroded.The thought just scared me. That is why; I still prefer the place where I live than live at the front beach.

Last Week of Summer Holiday

We are supposed to go to the beach today to watch the activities but, the heat was a scorcher. It's about 91 degrees and it feels like 96, whewww. We chose to stay home and watch TV. This is the last week of summer holiday so; people are really out to the beach.The waves are big so; a lot of surfers are showing their abilities to play in it. I just can't wait for this scorching heat to be over with. I can smell the eggnog already hehehe. I am looking forward for Christmas holidays. Yip, can't wait! The picture above was taken at Miami Beach. Gorgeous huh?

On Miami Beach

This is Miami Beach and I would say, the water is really beautiful. I like it when the crowd is not overwhelming. This beach is one of the most crowded beaches in the States. Tourists flocked Miami Beach because of the clear blue water and the white sandy beaches. This is a typical Friday afternoon. There are people but, not crowded which is really nice to hang out. The weather is tolerable since it was almost sundown.

Cocoa Beach Before Tropical Storm Isaac

When Floridians are bracing for Tropical Storm Isaac, hubby and I decided to check out the waves in Cocoa Beach. Eventhough we are not a direct hit, the waves in Cocoa Beach are bigger and we felt the strength of the storm. Cocoa Beach is located on the East Coast of Florida while the cone of the tropical storm Isaac is heading towards the Gulf Coast.When we arrived Cocoa Beach Pier, the parking was free of charge. For a typical Sunday afternoon, Cocoa Beach should be crowded with people, surfers, para gliders and jam packed with tourists. Today, there's few of us.Most people are just watching the waves and there are few surfers on the beach taking advantage of the big waves not minding the risks.The waters are rough but, no rain yet. We heard that by this time, 6,000 residents lost their electricity and it was a bit scary because TS Isaac is not in the US territory yet.Here's my hubby enjoying the sight of the surfers below. There was one brave paraglider also who was already far out from the shore.The picture above is the view of the shoreline of Cocoa Beach.

Cocoa Beach Pier

Planning to have a vacation in Orlando? If you visited Disney World to see Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck or Universal Studious for Harry Potter's wizard adventure, how about a surfing adventure at Cocoa Beach?Type this address and navigate to Cocoa Beach Pier: 401 Meade Avenue, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931. If you came from Orlando area, it will probably take you an hour drive. You will love it here. Make sure that you check the weather forecast before you head the beach. Sunny Florida is a nice place for vacation but, we also have nasty weather here.They offer Free Parking after 4PM but, you may ask the attendant in the area to make sure. Cocoa Pier is a nice place to hang out with good restaurants and bars that will satisfy your tastebuds.Your children will enjoy surfing, swimming, fishing and they can even play volleyball in Cocoa Beach. If you forgot to bring your bikini, don't worry. Just check out the the gift shop in Cocoa Beach Pier and for sure, you will find the swim suit that will fit you good. See you in Cocoa Beach Pier soon.

Spend a Vacation at the Isle Hotel in Biloxi

After spending so many days working on the "TLC" for the new property we bought, I think we need a good vacation right now. I am imagining myself in the Isle Hotel in Biloxi, sitting at the balcony in the room facing the Bay Bridge. What a wonderful scenery ... especially in the morning.Are you planning to get away from the hassle of city life? Go to Biloxi Mississippi and spend a good and relaxing vacation at the Isle Hotel. Remember, this is not only a hotel but, a casino as well. Their slot machines love their guests and you can win good here. My father-in-law won $600 before he spent $20, that's lady luck on his side huh?Biloxi offers beautiful white sand beaches, amazing scenery and many casinos. And wait, here's my favorite...GOOD SEAFOOD. If you go to a boat dock where shrimp boats are, you can buy a $2.50/lb large shrimps (seasonal). Where else can you buy shrimps for that price? Anyway, if you stay in the Isle, take advantage of their buffet. It's really good.Here is the view of the balcony we stayed in. It might be gloomy but hey, look at that view. Sunrise is on that direction. You will surely love it on a clear and sunny day.

Some People Prefer to Live Nearby the Beach

Some people prefer to live nearby the beach area for they love to swim, see the the perfect sunrise, smell the salty breeze by the sea, go fishing and crabbing, boating and loves wearing the beachy wear such as sleeveless, comfy shorts and flip flops .... you know, just living a good life near the waters. My husband loves that and finally, we found a place that we could do all that simple living lifestyle. We took this road if we will go the island, the cruise terminal and the beach.This road is along the Indian River. People came here for fishing and boating. During the lift off of Shuttles in Kennedy Space Center, this road is crowded. Not a good spot but, people will have a good view of the shuttle in the sky. this is the Indian River.... houses near the river banks are beautiful The cruise terminal for Disney, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian is nearby our place too.We love our new place because it has a country setting but, few miles will be the tourist district. We love the seafood restaurants in this area. Good place, beach, no traffic and good eats, it's all here.