At the Bayside we were herded off the bus and led through the complex of shops, stalls and retail outlets to the marina. Before we boarded our boat for the Boat Tour we had to have our lunch.

The Tradewinds was expecting us with special menus geared to quick preparation and service. The Tradewinds is outdoor dining on a covered deck. You are protected from a passing rain shower but not from marauding sea gulls , as I was about to find out.

I was sitting with a mother and daughter who was visiting America for the first time. We had a bit of a language barrier but there were still lots of smiles. I am not a big taco fan so I ordered the fried shrimp which came with tons of french fries. I’d just settled my plate and had a shrimp in my hand when I was dived bombed from behind. Something hit the back of my head and tumbled over my shoulder. It was a  big old seagull! (Mine, mine, mine).

It landed right on my french fries, grabbed a beak-full and took off. Everyone at the table froze in shock and then we started to laugh.  We spent the rest of the lunch on high alert protecting our meals.The restaurant wouldn’t replace my french fries but that was ok. I only wanted the shrimp anyway.

As everyone was gathering after lunch to get ready to trek over to the boat I went in search of the parrot man we’d passed on the way in. I love these beautiful birds but could never have one as a pet myself. They would outlive me for sure but I can enjoy them when I run across these folks who share their pets (for a price).

Time to board our boat for the views of the Islands of Biscayne Bay and the homes of Miami’s rich and famous.

Once again we passed the “Fast & Furious” bridge. The drawbridge was open this time.

As we slowly cruised by these beautiful homes our tour guide played the music associated with the stars, maybe a theme song from a movie or if the celeb was a musician one of their hits. He shared a snippet about each property. Everything from the price tag to the history of the ownership. It was relaxing and enjoyable although not being a big celebrity follower, I couldn’t tell you much about who owned what.

As we headed back to the marina everyone crowed the bow for pictures of the Miami skyline.

Meanwhile back at the Bayside some free entertainment was getting warmed up. It was time to salsa and I don’t mean on chips. I spent the rest of my afternoon there while my tour companions scattered to shop or drink.

Eventually it was time to catch the bus back to South Beach. It was a very nice day!