We had a smooth flight to Houston, the Unites airline southern hub, where we needed to catch our next flight to Destin. Houston is a huge new modern airport but it took us over an hour and a half to get through all the immigration and clearance procedures and be ready for our next flight. Before 9/11 we would have applied for a US visa and be given a five year multiple entry visa. Now you have to go online before your travels and make an electronic visa application and after they have all your information it is up to the immigration officer at the booth to decide if you can enter and for how long. We were asked why we were here and when we said we were going to visit friends at Destin on the coast he got very excited and told us all about the place. We had photographs taken and fingerprint scans of both hands.
After a couple of xray checks our bags were handed over to an officer, beside what looked like another xray machine. The bags disappeared and when we went behind the machine we realised they had been sent down a chute and automatically checked onto our next internal flight. We were most impressed and found somewhere to sit and wait for our next flight.
When John worked for the Association of Wall and Ceiling Association of NZ we met Art and Cecelia who used to come and represent a computer estimating software company at the conferences. Once they knew we were coming to the US they invited us to visit them at their condo in Destin.
They have a gorgeous place overlooking Henderson Beach. We made a few walks along the beach and its squeaky white sand. The sunsets were gorgeous and the water very warm and clear. Just before sunrise the beach was set out with its loungers and umbrellas.
One day we saw dolphins andlater had little fish nibbled on our ankles like they do in the fashionable fish spas. One liked John so much he kept bumping his back.
John enjoyed a spin in Art's new F-type Jaguar-540hp with 9000 miles on the clock.
We enjoyed a coastal drive to Pensacola where we visited Joe Patti's seafood store. What a place! It was full of locals stocking up. There were displays of all kinds of fresh and frozen fish as well different shrimps, craw fish and lobsters. They spiced and steamed some of the shrimps for us, which we took home to have with our seafood chowder.
The store has all sorts of homemade dishes as well as all kinds of imported and local ingredients that could ever accompany a seafood dish. In the background were lines of skilled filleters preparing the fresh fish for display. The store has a long history of being in the same location for several generations.
Another day we drove along the coastal housing strip to Panama City, Florida. There are lots of developments along this stretch of the 30A highway. With so many condos and resorts it is important to have entertainment for those wet days and we spotted these two places.
We even had time to do some more shopping at the outlet stores where we got some toys for the grandchildren. It was a wonderful time with Art and Cecelia and hopefully we will get to join them at their winter home in Canmore, Canada before too long.
Next stop Houston and the story of space adventure.
After a couple of xray checks our bags were handed over to an officer, beside what looked like another xray machine. The bags disappeared and when we went behind the machine we realised they had been sent down a chute and automatically checked onto our next internal flight. We were most impressed and found somewhere to sit and wait for our next flight.
When John worked for the Association of Wall and Ceiling Association of NZ we met Art and Cecelia who used to come and represent a computer estimating software company at the conferences. Once they knew we were coming to the US they invited us to visit them at their condo in Destin.
They have a gorgeous place overlooking Henderson Beach. We made a few walks along the beach and its squeaky white sand. The sunsets were gorgeous and the water very warm and clear. Just before sunrise the beach was set out with its loungers and umbrellas.
One day we saw dolphins andlater had little fish nibbled on our ankles like they do in the fashionable fish spas. One liked John so much he kept bumping his back.
John enjoyed a spin in Art's new F-type Jaguar-540hp with 9000 miles on the clock.
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| The famous city was settled by the British Spanish and French |
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| Some of the Pensacola shops |
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| Pensacola |
The store has all sorts of homemade dishes as well as all kinds of imported and local ingredients that could ever accompany a seafood dish. In the background were lines of skilled filleters preparing the fresh fish for display. The store has a long history of being in the same location for several generations.
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| This brought back my memories of working in the fish factory in Iceland! |
We even had time to do some more shopping at the outlet stores where we got some toys for the grandchildren. It was a wonderful time with Art and Cecelia and hopefully we will get to join them at their winter home in Canmore, Canada before too long.
Next stop Houston and the story of space adventure.
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