Day Trip: Matlache and Pine Island

I have more pics than I can possibly post at one time, so this will probably be broken into two blogs.

Matlache (French, pronounced Mat-la-SHAY) is a small, comma-shaped island between the mainland and Pine Island. It’s a total tourist trap, and I loved every minute of it except for the lack of obvious parking. This is what I think of when I picture Florida: colorful, happy, tacky. Heh.

This first pic is a panorama made from two shots. Click to see full-sized. The man sitting there? Isn’t a man. 😉

Here’s a shot of shops farther down the street. Again, click to view full-sized. I love the colors! Why not be bright and cheerful? I always thought houses up north, where it’s cold and snows a lot, should be painted like this. I believe Norway does this, but if you dare to paint a house bright yellow and blue in the Midwest, your neighbors look at you like you’re crazy. How silly is that? Why shouldn’t we have something colorful to look at during the long dreary months of winter?

On the opposite side of the street was this place. Love the human forms on the roof. 🙂 As it happens, I believe the woman who owns (owned?) this shop is selling her house, which is just down the road, and what a wonderful, beautiful house it is, too, with gorgeous landscaping surrounding a small courtyard, and a generous backyard. It’s also on Matlache Pass; she can look out her back windows and see the ocean. 

When I finally hit Pine Island, I turned north for Bokeelia, at the very tip of the island. I passed some gorgeous scenery (those pics will show up Friday) and talked to a couple from Wisconsin. Because it was after eleven, I decided to grab some lunch. There is only one restaurant in that area, Captain Con’s Seafood Place, and I do not recommend it. I ordered a salad and bowl of black beans and rice, and both were nearly inedible. The lettuce was brown and wilted, and something tasted off with the beans and rice. I left hungry. 😦 (And later stopped at Subway!).

However, the views were amazing! This is one of the two fishing docks. Notice the dolphins on the gate near the end? Only fishermen are allowed beyond that point. The other dock has the same rule. I didn’t see anyone catch anything while I was there, but I’m sure there were fish (sharks!) in the area. It’s the ocean, after all. A different angle of the dock opposite the one above. 

And finally, a shot of both docks and ocean. I, of course, was on shore. 

What a beautiful day I chose to make this drive! More pics of the trip next Friday. 🙂