Sept 14: Fresh Perspective

I'm in Day 3 of my Fort Lauderdale staycation. Having a swell time and wish you were here and I'm sure you wish you were here too. One of many things the beachside break already has given me is a fresh vantage point on this city. Literally. You see, when we checked in at our hotel we found all the oceanview rooms were taken. The place is that busy with tourists, which is cool. Except, well, I've always had an ocean view whenever I've done these close-to-home getaways by the sea. So, yes, I wanted my same inspiring ocean scenery, darn it. "Sorry, sir, but we just don't have anything available." We did the computer checking and re-checking routine but in the end the answer was just another polite "sorry sir." As it turned out, though, I'm really enjoying the other side of the coin. Er, building.

Gwendolyn and I are perched on the 11^th floor overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway. It's a perspective of Fort Lauderdale I've never had before during any extended period. And it's beautiful. And just as inspiring as the sea view in its own different way.

This morning I woke up to an especially impressive scene. It was still early, around 7:30, and the sun had just risen high enough to cast its first beams of the day on the downtown skyscrapers. There was a low, broad smudge of violet clouds directly behind the buildings, a dramatic backdrop that lightened into a dome of bright blue sky. The skyscrapers were gleaming in the sunshine, their details intensely highlighted even at a distance of several miles. Gorgeous. But I've also been inspired by the lovely Intracoastal and the yachts and the boats and all the activity there. Our room looks down on the water from just north of the Las Olas drawbridge so Water Taxis drift by frequently along with fishing boats and cigarette boats and every other kind of boat. Then there are the grand multi-million dollar yachts that are so common around these parts. And since we're on the subject of how the other half lives, I might just mention that I also have a great view of five canals lined with massive mansions. Even when you're a Fort Lauderdale resident, you tend to forget how many wealthy folks there really are. At night, I can see the canals shimmering from the mansion lights all up and down their length. The city spreads out around me in light as well, streetlights and houselights and lights from those downtown skyscrapers. This may not be quite the perspective I'd expected when checking into our hotel. But it's amazing all the same.