In a lot of ways, the Florida landscape felt very alien to me - lizards clinging to the curtains, Spanish moss hanging from telephone lines, and the scent of saltwater forever on the air.
The feel and flavor of the Gulf is so very different from my landlocked Rockies home, and the local food was a deliciously exotic treat.
One word: Seafood. Oh my... peel n' eat shrimp, mango tuna tartare, oyster shooters, fried shrimp with hot sauce, raw oysters on the half shell, triggerfish tacos, spicy ginger shrimp ka-bobs, seared tuna with cilantro...
It's making me drool a little just thinking about all the seafood.