Three Things I Learned On My Birthday Trip To Florida

I had a wonderful birthday celebration this year, that included a trip to the Florida Keys. If you have never been, you can imagine the absolute paradise that I was thrilled to experience! However, there are a few things that I discovered about myself on said trip that I had never known before. 

#1-I have a terrible fear of pelicans! Funny thing, clearly we don't see any around these parts, so I never really knew this. Cut to being on the beach in Florida and they are all over the place, especially near the folks who are fishing. Pelicans EVERYWHERE, waiting to swoop in on the catch of the day. I never experienced anxiety before this trip, but being around pelicans really did a number on me.  I don't care what anyone says, pelicans are not afraid of people, they give zero you-know-what's when they are hungry!

#2 I like conch fritters. I tried them for the 1st time in my life in the Keys, where apparently they are a thing. Friends insisted that when I took my trip, I needed to try them, so I did, as you can see in this photo. A conch fritter is 'the meat of a large snail. Most of the conch comes from the Bahamas. You take cut up conch meat, mix it with jalapenos, other stuff, corn meal batter, deep fry them and eat them.' To me they looked like hush puppies but trust me when I say they don't taste like them.

And finally I discovered I have been saying the word conch wrong my whole life. I have always pronounced it CONCH, the way it is spelled. However, I learned from a Key West native that the correct pronunciation is conk and they are those pretty shells that you have probably seen in photos at some point in your life, (if you have not seen one up close) and it is the home of a sea snail. Since I returned from my trip, I can't stop saying the word. lol
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