Anchored again at the Royal Park Bridge, we settled in to wait out John’s jury duty. He called every night for two weeks to see if he had to appear, and didn’t have to. That left us plenty of time to explore the neighborhoods in both Palm Beach and West Palm Beach, go kayaking, and even spend a day at the beach.
On one walk, near the Flagler Museum, we passed this amazing tree -- a Moreton Bay Fig. Wow. The buttress roots are taller than Patti.
Sitting on Anhinga next to the bridge, openings are a source of excitement...would we know any of the boats coming down the ICW? One day, an unusual sighting...
Really, a house on a barge? This was different. The tug pushed the barge over to the West Palm Beach side where it tied up for the night.
Next day, all kinds of activity as a crew rolled the house off the barge, over the sea wall, and onto the street. We dinghied over to join the spectators to watch as this historic house was ever so gently inched up and over.
Then, a couple of weeks later, on one of our walks through the neighborhoods of West Palm Beach, we saw the house! Still not settled, but waiting to be planted in Grandview Heights. So... the end to that story.
We took several walks along the pedestrian/bike trail on the Palm Beach side of Lake Worth, along the ocean, and through the neighborhoods. Some of these houses are gated compounds -- the main house, the guest house, if on the ocean side -- a beach house connected by tunnel under the road to the main compound, servants quarters, pool houses. Gorgeous architecture, statuary, fountains, amazing plantings and landscaping. Can’t say enough about the bougainvillea.
Many houses in the El Cid neighborhood of WPB are also beautiful...
Some people take their space very seriously -- though some afford themselves a bit of whimsy -- see the colorful alligator statue...
But really, this is like being on another planet. There is so much money here. Patti took such an interest that she read a thick real estate brochure cover to cover. Almost half the properties on the island seem to be for sale. Do people pay $35M for a house? We are anchored across from a house for sale -- has water views on three sides -- asking $30M. We have the same water views from four sides... worth $40M??? Gets you thinking...
Royal Park Bridge, West Palm Beach: 26d42.156’N 80d02.871’W
I like your water views better
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