Cinco de Mayo !!!!!!!
Trip Start
Apr 24, 2005
1
12
13
Trip End
May 06, 2005
West Palm Beach,
Florida,
United States
Thursday, May 5, 2005
The Customs officer is all business. It could be that we rang the service bell twice, as we wanted to be sure he was not hearing impaired (he was not !!). He took all our passports and told us to have a seat in the waiting area. About 15 minutes later he returned, handed us our passports, and told us we were free to go. The passports had not been stamped ... I wonder if he was just making us wait as a penalty for ring the bell a second time
"Big Easy" Casino Boat
.As we leave, we ask the security guard to recommend a restaurant for lunch. He tells us that there is a Miami Subs in one direction and a KFC in the other. We can also go to the Tiki Bar at the Rivera Marina. We took a look at the Tiki Bar, and decide to find a place back in W Palm Beach.
After driving around a bit we find E. R. Bradley's Saloon, nearly in sight of out boat in the marina. The restaurant is at the edge of the restored central city area, adjacent to the Intercostal Waterway. http://www.erbradleys.com Read about E. D. on the web site, it turns out to be a really cool place. Judy had the best meal; a ¼ pineapple filled with chicken salad and surrounded by fruit.
After lunch we go hack to the boat, and it is raining hard. Judy and I walk to the Bank of America a couple of blocks from the marina. We have on orange ponchos and are soaking wet. The look we get from the bank guards and tellers is priceless. They think a couple of street people have wandered in their lobby to get out of the rain. I hand them my bank card, and ID. When they see I have five accounts with BAC their attitude improves a bit.
It is nap time, it is raining, and the boat is gently rocking. When we wake up, the rain ahs ended and we decide to explore and then get dinner
Yes ... there is money in WPB
. We hear a Mariachi band and head for the sound. There is a HUGE Cinco de Mayo celebration in the city park behind E.D. Bradley's. There are thousands of people and the food at the street vendor's booths smells great. I am talking to my Son to arrange our transportation from the airport tomorrow. Sudden there is the thunder of drums right behind me. My phone call is over, since I can not hear. The sound is a Cuban band with 5-6 drums and several guitars. The band is really good. We decide to eat at Bradley's again, and join the Cinco de Mayo celebration on their veranda. There is a Rolls Royce and a Lotus parked at the door. Yes, there is a bit of money in West Palm Beach. By the time we leave the streets are clear. The bands and the vendors are gone. It is only 9:00 pm. I guess it is after the bedtime of most of the WPB residents. Oh well, I have to get up early to fly back home in the morning.
