Our Christmas Trip...

If you ever complain that driving to a particular destination is too long, try driving 2,300 km to spend xmas with your loved ones...then 2,300 km back to your southern home base. 
As you can imagine,

Our Wish for You...

To all our friends and family, we send our heartfelt wishes for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  May all your dreams come true in 2012!

As for us, we are leaving Bonita Springs (and the beautiful sunshine) and

Tin City...

As most people do when arriving in a new city, we picked up brochures about local sights and attractions.  One such brochure was for Tin City, touted as being the "soul of old Florida."  This historical area of

Golfing in the Congo!

Yesterday, we had the greatest time at the Congo River (mini) Golf.  It is just about the nicest mini golf establishment we have ever seen/played at, soon to claim bragging rights to their very own aligator!

Our evening started out with

Zoo-rrrrific!

A couple days ago, we (along with my brother Peter and his wife Céline) visited the Naples Zoo.  Although the zoo is not super large by any means, it offers so many activities and

Captiva Wins the Beauty Contest!

Yesterday, we spent the day on Sanibel and Captiva Islands, barrier islands off the Fort Myers coast, a 45-minute drive from Bonita Springs.  We left Bonita early, hoping to get the driving done before the heat of the day became too unbearable.  We started out by

Stay Tuned!

Early next week,  we will be heading to Sanibel Island, world-renowned for its excellent shelling.  I'll be sure to fill you in on our day upon our return!

Way to Go!

As a last post about Key West, we will share with you a very unusual form of entertainment which will surely revolutionize the watersport industry!  It is called a JetLev. Of course, it looked like

The deer are dear!

During our recent visit to the Keys, we noticed several road signs which cautioned drivers to be very careful of Key Deer as they are an endangered species.  As Canadians, we know for a fact that

Key West Tourist Scene

What a great three days we had in Key West!  The first day there, we were fortunate to have the benefit of two friends who are quite familiar with the area to act as our guides.  Of course, we could not

Juanita is in Key West!

Yes, we are here, in the land of the old hippies and free-range roosters!  Our 5-hour drive from Bonita Springs was very pleasant, and seemed much shorter than it actually was.  The longest part

Bonita's Barefoot Beach...

First, I would like to apologize for taking so long between posts.  As you know, internet is not always easy to access while on the road, so out of necessity, I wait until we are settled into an RV park before "catching up."  I promise to step up the number of posts over the next few days.

We are currently in Bonita Springs, where will we stay for

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center

A couple days ago, we attended the 23rd Annual Quilt Show at the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center.  What a treat!  As a quilter myself, I enjoyed viewing the dozens of quilts on display and was honoured to cast my vote for my favourites, although in my view they were all works of art. 

The biggest treat was to be had in the Stephen Foster Museum, where

Driving Due South...

As retirees, we are in no rush to arrive at our southern destination and so, for the most part, our speed is slow and slower.  The advantage, of course, is getting to visit cool places along the way.  For example,

Our First Destination...Bonita Springs, Florida

Welcome back to Juanita's Journey!  Many of you followed us throughout our last journey to Winter Haven, Florida, Robertsdale, Alabama, New Orleans and Eunice, Louisiana.  It was a blast!  This year, we promise to share even more stories and adventures with you, our readers.  We will first head to

We will be back on...

     October 20, 2011

Hope you will join us on

Juanita's 2011-12 Journey!

See you in October 2011!

Well, friends, this is it for now!  We have - as unbelievable as it seems - seen six months in the south come and go.  It passed so quickly!  Some of you stopped by our blog occasionally and others on a daily basis.  Either way, we are sincerely grateful to you for taking the time to visit and read about our travel adventures.  We enjoyed ourselves tremendously and loved sharing those experiences with you. 

We are putting the blog to bed for a few months, and will return full speed in the fall.  We hope you will remember to check in anytime starting October 2011 to find out what new adventures Juanita has in store.  In the meantime, we wish each and every one of you the best spring and summer ever!

Note to our new readers:  Please feel free to read past posts found at the bottom of this page!  And do share this blog address with anyone currently retired, planning to retire or just lovers of travel!

Lise & Marc
(Peanut & Bug, too!)

Avery Island's Jungle Gardens

Immediately following our visit to the Tabasco Factory, we wandered through the Jungle Gardens, also created and owned by the McIlhenny family.  The gardens are

Tabasco's Hot Stuff!

I have waited almost six months to visit McIlhenny's Tabasco Factory on Avery Island in New Iberia, Louisiana, and it was well worth the wait;  I was not disappointed!  Our day began

Crawfish Étouffée Cook-Off

We recently attended the 26th Annual Crawfish Étouffée Cook-off held right here in Eunice, Louisiana.  The townsfolk showed up in great numbers and fun was had by all.  The band was

For All Foodies Out There...

This post is slightly unusual in that we have nothing in particular to say.  But we do, however, have something yummy to share...

A Useless Bit of Information

There is no reason why we should share this next (useless) bit of information with you, except that it underlines the uniqueness of the deep south. 

We recently brought our truck to

Lakeview RV Park & Beach

This park is where we are currently staying.  The park, we are told, was closed until two years ago when three siblings purchased it.  It is an attractive park with lovely palm trees.  They have done a lot to bring it back to life, but still

An Evening In Cajun Country!

This past Tuesday, we were invited to a crawfish boil by a cajun family we met here at the RV park.  Daniel and Monika's home is a pleasant 45-minute drive south of the park, smack in the middle of cajun country.  They live on a large piece of land with

History of the Po-Boy Sandwich...

One cannot visit Louisiana without taking the time to enjoy a Po-Boy Sandwich.  Our personal favourite is

Five Years Later...

It has been more than five years since Katrina destroyed a good portion of New Orleans and surrounding areas.  Marc and I felt it was important that we visit the Lower Ninth Ward and see for ourselves how things have come along since the hurricane.  We were devasted to discover that

Bayou Country General Store

While staying at the Fontainebleau State Park, we decided to drive the half hour to Sliddell to visit the Bayou Country General Store.  What a cool place!  They sell anything and everything related

When It Rains...

If you followed the news last week, you will know we had a wee bit of rain here in Louisiana, specifically in the Bayou Lacombe (Mandeville) area.  Unfortunately, we were not able to enjoy

Good Idea...Or Not?

While we were at Fontainebleau State Park (Mandeville, Louisiana), we realized that all members of the cleaning crew at the park

What's that hanging from the truck?

We forgot to mention that locals are not as fascinated by beads as are tourists.  They catch a lot of them, of course, but for the most part, they leave them in the streets by the dozens.  I could not resist

Never-ending Mardi Gras!

The drive from Robertsdale, Alabama to Mandeville, Louisiana this past Tuesday was a pleasant three hours.  The day was cloudy, but the rain held off.  Upon reaching Bayou Lacombe (2 miles from Fontainebleau State Park), we hit a virtual wall of vehicles and

Mardi Gras Madness

As most of you know by now, we attended three Mardi Gras parades.  The first was a pet parade in Fairhope (Mystic Mutts), the second was in Mobile and the third again in Fairhope. 

The Mobile parade was a men-only parade (Mystic Striper Parade), which meant the floats were "manned" by men only,

Southerners and Their Smokers!

One thing we learned very quickly living in the South is that southern folk smoke everything!  And I am not talking the kind you inhale!  Whereas we BBQ food, they smoke it.  We recently had to take our truck in to have a rusted clamp changed on the truck and spotted the absolute coolest smoker outside the garage.  We just had to share this with you!

USS Alabama & The Drum (submarine)

We recently visited the Battleship USS Alabama and The Drum, a nearby submarine.  It was an interesting, self-guided tour, which (surprisingly) allowed us access to most of the ship.  The only drawback was

Mystic Mutts Mardi Gras Parade

Our first Mardi Gras parade experience was everything we had hoped for!  This particular parade was for pets of all kinds.  We never imagined Mardi Gras was so popular in southern states other than Louisiana.  Actually, to say it is big is definitely an understatement;  it is huge!  In this immediate area alone,

Good Ole Boys!

A few days ago, we attended an outdoor concert held here at the park.  The concert was put on by what I would describe as real "good ole boys."  The songs were old-time country, the atmosphere casual and the accents very thick.  Typical of southern hospitality, there was a slow-cooker with nacho cheese, tortilla chips, and a variety of hot peppers set up for all in attendance.  There really is nothing like Willie Nelson under the stars!!

Party On!

Our very first Mardi Gras party!!!  The party was hosted by the RV park and although we attended with some trepidation, it turned out to be a pretty good time.  We showed up over an hour late as

Tall and Skinny!

We have noticed a trend here on the Gulf Shores, particularly in the Dauphin Island area.  Home rentals for tourists is very common, of course (and big business), but a different

Truck Stop Restaurant Where Trucks...

...are TABLES?!

This truck stop is where we recently had breakfast.  What a hoot!  The truck stop is off the I-10 in Robertsdale, Alabama, has a huge store and well-known diner called the Derailed Diner.  The food is surprisingly good and

Need a little break?

Try our new Hangman game!  It's easy!  Just click on "New Game," type a letter in the middle of the interstate sign, hit "Enter" on your keyboard, then see if you picked a correct letter.  If you did, it will show up on the dotted line(s).  If not, you will see the hangman's area begin to build, piece by piece.  Enjoy!

We're Back!

It is times like these when we realize how we take computer technology for granted!  The day before yesterday, there was a nasty electrical storm in our area which affected the phone lines, and in turn knocked out our internet for two days.  We were lost!  Of course, we missed being able to communicate with everyone back home, but mostly it was the connection to the outside world which we missed.  When it was finally repaired today, we were excited;  it felt almost as though someone had given us a gift!  How sad it that?!!

Cool Find!

Walking along the beach can yield some pretty unusual stuff...but I found something I never thought I would: A blowfish! Perfectly formed, tiny fins and funny lips included.

Of course, this is not something you take home and add to your collection of cool treasures, so we snapped a picture to share with you!

Peanut has a brother!

Yes, friends and family, we have adopted an American!  Yesterday, we brought our new baby home!  He is an 8-week-old Chorkie, half Chihuahua/half Yorkie.  He weighs all of 1 pound at this time and

Dauphin Island

What a lovely place to visit!  Dauphin Island is a barrier island off the coast of Alabama - 11 miles long - and, on average, the width of three to four city blocks.  Although we crossed a bridge to get there, residents and visitors also have the option of crossing by ferry. 

Town of Fairhope, Alabama

We recently visited the neighbouring town of Fairhope, approximately 25 km from the RV park. I had been wanting to see it since our arrival, to check out the beaches and surrounding area.
The beaches were a disappointment, but the pier

Dining On The Fly!

On our travels, we stopped for lunch at Lambert's, a family-style restaurant with a very rustic look.  Even the restrooms were made to look like an outhouse!  It was a loud place, with wait staff rushing around and

Just a tip...

For those of you who, on occasion, post a comment relating to one of my entries, if you wish to sign your name, as opposed to "anonymous," simply choose "NAME/URL," enter your name, press "CONTINUE," then press "Post comment."  There is no need to enter something under "URL."

A Piece of American History...

As Canadians, we are used to seeing cornfields as we drive along our country roads.  Here, in the south, most fields are filled with cotton.  And what a sight it is, too!  Although it is late in the season,

Not Much Has Changed...

We took a nice, leisurely drive to the Gulf Coast today,  our destination Fort Morgan, the very tip of Perdido Key, west of Orange Beach.  This scenic road offered some of the most beautiful sights we had seen in a long time.  The homes along the way were lovely, of course,

Big Lagoon State Park

It was back to nature for us this past week.  Big Lagoon State Park is located in Pensacola, Florida, practically on the Florida-Alabama state line.  The park is well maintained and the lots are large.  We had very few neighbours during

We Are Back!

Yes, we have rejoined the rest of the world and are once again online!  Although we were "disconnected" for a very brief period of time, it felt like an eternity.  We missed the connection with you, our friends and family.  The internet connection here seems much more powerful than at Emerald Beach, so for those of you who have MSN Instant Messenger or Skype, we should be able to chat much more easily.  See you on the web!