I’m not a dessert person. Really, ask around. Most times I skip dessert. Sammy’s Mediterranean Cafe was superb: From appetizers to dessert. As you can see from the photos, the desserts are eye catching. Small eatable sculpture. That is why I made such a big deal about the desserts. Save room or you will miss something!

The photo does not do the food justice.

The evening was an event. As we entered the restaurant, seeking shelter from the drizzle, a patron was standing by the door and exclaimed, “It’s so worth going, even in the rain, isn’t it? Oh wait, maybe you’ve never been. You are in for a treat.” What an intro!

Sammy’s is laid out more like a bakery with tables. We seated ourselves in this casual room at a small table. Our waitress, Rachel, brought us menus and later came by to take drink orders and answer questions.

The act of me taking her picture startled her. She was kind, helpful and attentive.

Many of the food titles are Lebanese and even with the descriptions, some questions came up. Spinach pie to me is spanakopita, a Greek delicacy of spinach infused in filo dough. I asked Sammy about his spinach pie. He described how it was made (photo shown) and that if I did not like it, he would not charge me. The pie was shaped like a three cornered hat and filled with spinach and other flavors. The dough was more unsweetened pastry, soft, but not cake like. More important, it was delicious and unusual!

I ordered a savory dish of sausage, mushrooms, grape tomatoes and rice. I apologize. I should have written the name of the dish. Nothing about the entree was ordinary. Even the long grain rice was flavored with thin wisps of carrot and seasonings. The colors were even more vibrant than shown in the photo.

Notice the Falafel  and the hummus.

Sammy was willing to join Ellen for this photo. His warm smile and great care to make sure that we (and all his guests) came a way with a more refined palate and appreciation for his Lebanese cooking made the evening very special.

Sammy’s Mediterranean Café

1130 20th Pl

Vero Beach, Florida

(772) 217-3897

Ellen declined an invitation to go biking along A1A in the Fort Pierce, Vero Beach area. I packed up my bike and threw it in the car and headed east and then north up Dixie Highway.  The bike was never taken out of the car. This area is a vast wilderness of planned and unplanned communities and oodles of undeveloped land bordering the railroad. After finally meandering my way to A1A, I finally headed south. That’s when I found Round Island State Park (2201 Florida A1A, Vero Beach, FL 32963).

The park attracts hikers and casual fisherman. What makes this park so attractive is its unique access to the local water.  I did enjoy my hike, but the view of the bridge was an invitation to explore this area by kayak. 

Leaning over the side I saw many fish, this one was about 10 inches long.

The bridge was part of an extended boardwalk over the water. There are several such areas that extend to either side of the trail.

Walking along further brought me to this tower. In fact, seeing this structure surprised me because they did not have to be there but added immeasurably to the visit.

The view from the top shows Vero beach homes along the Indian River.

These are large homes with extensive waterfront. 

There were some spectacular sightings of pelicans, egrets, cranes and other birds of prey, but most were startled and took off before I could raise my camera. I did get lucky with my next shot.

This brown pelican was more than willing to be part of my blog.

I was also able to capture this shot of a Common Buckeye butterfly. I was most pleased with this photo. It took 5 tries to get a decent pose.

I do not see anything “common” about this creature.

The path widened to a seldom used dirt and gravel road. The gravel abruptly stopped and the road became barely a path surrounded on either side by mangrove swamp. This finally emptied onto a field that had been carefully laid out by a land developer. Then the money stopped and all there was a bridge to nowhere and brick courtyard.

Notice the care to make a walkway as well as a bridge. Also notice the wall that would guard the estate from common folk. That was also a barrier for me. I had covered quite a bit of distance on a long meandering path and did not feel like doubling back and it was getting late. I walked toward the entrance and gate willing to do some climbing when I came to this access tunnel that went under the highway.

Graffiti was extensive and debris was heaped in random piles. The graffiti was shocking in its vibrant colors and also the language that expressed a vulgar aspect of existence.  Fortunately it was a private gallery, its contributors absent, at least for the present. The irony of the very wealthy and the very poor leaving their mark was strange and unsettling.

I hiked back to my car and headed home. It was good to get exercise and be rewarded for my efforts.

Great Outdoors RV Resort in Titusville is a 3000 acre community centered and surrounded by their golf course. Other features include a luncheonette, a fine dining establishment, its own post office, neighborhood laundries, neighborhood pools, lending library, etc. All the sites are owned privately and most include extended structures. Those structures can be as simple as a shed or gazebo. Many are home extensions with double garages large enough to house the dinghy and RV (and everyone has a golf cart). All sites are almost blemish free.

Notice the tiled driveway. The height of the garage would probably be close to 13 feet.

In order to maintain property values restrictions and rules are ever prevalent, none so onerous as a 15 mph speed limit enforced by the communities own speed Nazis. We renters are at the bottom of the privileged castes. For us there is no cable, no WiFi (except at the Welcome Center), no picnic tables (unless provided by owner) and no attendance to the many clubs (at least that was what I was told about attending the Sawdust Club for woodworking).

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There are positives to this area. You are close to Titusville which has a small but active historic downtown including a super bakery, brewery, live theater, restaurants and an excellent cobbler. Also nearby are big box stores (Target, Walmart, etc).

The fort lies to the northeast of Fernandina Beach at the entrance to the Cumberland Sound (Florida), in the northeast part of the state. The Spanish, in 1736, realized the necessity to guard this key entrance to St Mary’s River and Cumberland Sound. In 1847 the US built and named the present fort. It was used by the Confederacy during the Civil War and then abandoned, then occupied by the union in (1862) until the end of the war.

My intention is not to give you a history lesson but to explain why it is part of our journey. I do find the history fascinating. However, as I stood on the ramparts looking out to sea, I realize I have sailed by this fort when my daughter Jen and I sailed on the Schooner Virginia several Decembers ago as guest crew.

Today, I wander through the fort and become focused on small details. Contrasts between clear blue sky, worn brick, winding passages where in certain places the sun can never penetrate. At one point I am startled to see a small mound of feces left by some creature in one of these dark passages. Was it curiosity or terror that drove this animal up a winding dark staircase to be rewarded by a beautiful vista of sea, brick and cannon?

Ascending stairs to ramparts. Going from darkness to bright light.

Looking up. I like this shot. Notice the how the lower bricks were laid end to end, which would have made the wall thicker. The upper bricks are laid sideways and are brighter and more consistent in color. 

On the rampart, looking at the Cumberland Islands (GA)