After nearly two years being stuck at home we finally decided to take on the world again. For this instance we decided to go on vacation to lovely Cancun, Mexico. The resort we decided on was Excellence Riviera Cancun. To get a feel for the resort we made a video for you to enjoy.
Last weekend we decided to try a restaurant recommended by some friends. It is called Fruta Mix Mexican Kitchen and it is located at 15493 Stoneybrook West Parkway, Suite 120, Winter Garden, Florida. The food is great and the Margaritas are excellent.
The Margaritas are a whooping 20 ounces with many different flavors. So you can definitely get your drink on. We chose the standard House Margarita. Of course as typical at most Mexican restaurants we were given a tray of chips and salsa. The salsa is fresh made and just a touch spicy. Yum!
We ordered Supreme Enchiladas with Steak and their red sauce which also came with rice and beans.
We also ordered Camarones a la Parilla.
The restaurant also has a large selection of ice cream, smoothies, and paletas.
They also have a lovely patio to spend some time outside.
We will be coming back to this lovely restaurant as it has become our favorite Mexican restaurant.
Almost every Sunday we go out for lunch and we try to explore new places. Last week we went to Fish Camp on Lake Eustis. Normally, we do not go to the same place two weeks in a row. But this restaurant is well worth the drive and we went again this last Sunday. So… we decided to let all of you know about this wonderful place.
Fish Camp is located on the west side of Tavares, FL not more than an eighth of a mile from the junction of Hwy 19 and Hwy 441. All the food on their menu is locally sourced. The staff is friendly and the drinks are inexpensive. On Sunday’s they have $2.99 Bloody Mary’s and Mimosas. How can you beat that? Their martinis are always $5.00.
The restaurant is located right on the shore of Lake Eustis and the view is great.
On this trip we decided to try an appetizer we never had before. It was Gator Bites made from local farm fresh alligator.
We also had a Farm Fresh Salad with Grilled Grouper added to it. (Both locally sourced)
The other item we ordered was a Steakburger with French Fries. Even though this restaurant specializes in seafood we decided on the Steakburger because the beef for the burger was sourced from a farm in Tavares. We could not pass that up and we were not disappointed. It was one of the best burgers we have ever eaten.
So… if you are looking to take a road trip and wish to try something new. Take a drive to Tavares, FL and visit Fish Camp on Lake Eustis. You will be happy you did.
The holidays kept us very busy as we are sure the same for all of you. Nevertheless, we did venture out to enjoy the Asian Lantern Festival at the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford, FL. We were very surprised at how many people came out to enjoy this special event. We were also very lucky to go on a comfortable night. For all of you who were unable to attend here is a video for your viewing pleasure of the sights we enjoyed that night.
On the east side of metro Orlando just past Hwy 417 on the south side of Colonial Drive is this wonderful little Mom and Pop restaurant. We read about this place in the Orlando Sentinel. Since we live way on the opposite west side of Metro Orlando we decided to take a drive and give this place a try. Boy were we glad we did.
The menu has many selections so we asked the owner what she would suggest for our first time. She suggested their rice bowls. So we decided on two different rice bowls. We ordered the Churrasco Steak Rice Bowl
and the Fish Rice Bowl.
The food is cooked when you order it. So it is fresh!
They also have a large selection of juices. We tried the Passion Fruit juice.
Just before we finished we decided to give their Empanadas a try. Sorry, we got so excited with the food we were eating forgot to take a picture of those. They were very good. We had one beef and one chicken.
The best thing about this restaurant is that it is very inexpensive. It is a place we will drive across town for again and again. There is nothing better than cheap eats with a ton of flavor.
If you are looking to give this place a try here is their website: maritaslatinbites.com
and their address: 9446 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL
Right off Highway 27 in Clermont, Florida is a wonderful place to eat and have a few drinks. The place is called The Crooked Spoon Gastropub.
According to their website and Facebook page this restaurant / bar was started by Chef Saelg in August of 2013. This was after operating a beloved Orlando Food Truck for 3 years. The restaurant is located adjacent to Clermont’s historic Citrus Tower with Chef Saleg’s foodie favorites as well as an expanded menu with weekly specials and a wonderful Sunday Brunch.
The Gastropub is similar to a sports bar with TVs located through out and plenty of tables for a large crowd.
In all the times we have gone to eat here and enjoy a few drinks, we have never been disappointed. In addition, every member of the staff has gone out of their way to be friendly and accommodating.
Very near the Florida Mall in Orlando is a wonderful Mexican restaurant. The restaurant is called Garibaldi. It is located at 848 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL. The decor inside the restaurant is upbeat and colorful. There is plenty of seating.
The Margarita’s are well worth the price. In fact, we had just one margarita a piece and we could feel the buzz before our meals came.
The food was tasty authentic Mexican fare. You also have a lot of choices on the menu. So much so that we cannot wait to go back again and try something different.
We have traveled to many places and we have never found anything like Xcaret. This resort in Cancun, Mexico is a combination of all-inclusive resort, eco-park, and high excitement adventure activities.
Visitors can buy day passes to the activities at the location but the real bargain is when you stay at the all-inclusive resort. All your transportation from the airport to wherever you are going on the property is included. As well as admission to their parks, which there are several. There are zip-lines, river rapids to ford, caves to paddle through, and snorkeling.
There are so many things to do you forget that you can just lay on the beach or by the pool and relax.
Just one of our excursions we experienced while at Xcaret was an evening dinner party where we sat in floating dinner tables and enjoyed music and our dinner while cruising on their river. The evening cruise was topped off where all the passengers enjoyed dancing the night away. All the food we enjoyed while we were at Xcaret was delicious.
Xcaret pays so much attention to details that even their souvenir stands are very unique.
If you decide to go to Cancun, Mexico you should seriously consider visiting Xcaret even if only for a day.
Opened in 1998, the Oceanário was the centerpiece of the 20th Century’s last World Fair. The World Fair’s theme that year was “The Oceans, a Heritage for the Future”, and eternally binds Lisbon to the World’s Oceans.
The Oceanário’s mission is to promote knowledge of the oceans and to help the public understand about their duty of protecting this natural heritage, through changing their daily habits. While walking through impressive and unforgettable exhibits, visitors are encouraged to learn fascinating things about the oceans and, more importantly, how to make decisions in their daily lives that actively promote the conservation of nature. (The preceding paragraphs are from the Oceanário’s Web Site.)
It was our pleasure to visit this wonderful aquarium and explore its wonders. Please enjoy the photos we took and the video we made.
This year one of our adventures in the world was a trip to Costa Rica. We stayed at an all-inclusive resort called Riu Palace Guanacaste. It was a fabulous hotel with great service, excellent food, and wonderful entertainment. We can honestly say that this hotel was probably one of the best all-inclusive hotels we have ever stayed at.
The views from the hotel are beautiful and nature is only a few steps away. There are monkeys, iguanas, and all sorts of birds just a short walk down the beach.
In addition, there are wonders to be seen just a few hours away,
The best thing over all is the residents of Costa Rica are the most caring and hospitable individuals we have ever met in any country. As they always say and we say to you until our next post, “Pura Vida.”
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