King of the Wilderness

Coming from the cold and harsh wilderness of Alaska, arriving in this color-saturated hormonal paradise, the stark contrast made him feel as though he had been transported to another world.

He stayed on the beach for more than half an hour before continuing his city exploration.

Attracted by a strong aroma of coffee and baked goods, he turned into a small street.

At the corner, there was a unique shop called "Ann’s Florist & Coffee Bar."

Half of the shop was a florist, and the other half a cafe, with the entrance lined with blooming orchids, birds of paradise, and hibiscus, vibrant in color.

Lin Yu’an went in and ordered an iced Americano and a local specialty key lime pie.

"Nice choices, young man," said a middle-aged lady behind the bar, beaming a smile with a floral headscarf on, in a friendly Southern accent, "This recipe has been passed down from my grandmother, guaranteed to be the most authentic taste you’ll find in Fort Lauderdale."

"Sounds great," Lin Yu’an replied with a smile, "I’m looking forward to it."

"Is it your first time in our city?" she asked while swiftly operating the coffee machine, curiously eyeing Lin Yu’an, "You don’t look like the regular tourist."

"Yes, it’s my first time," Lin Yu’an admitted, "I plan to stay here for a while and learn something new."

"Then you’ve come to the right place," the lady said, pushing the coffee and pie towards him, "Fort Lauderdale isn’t lacking anything except fun."

"Later, you can take our water taxi, it’s much more pleasant than inhaling car exhaust on the road. Let it take you to Las Olas Boulevard to stroll around, you’ll fall in love with that place."

"Thank you for the suggestion, I had this in mind." Lin Yu’an picked up the plate and sat by the window.

The pie’s taste was refreshingly sweet and sour, with a strong citrus aroma, perfectly balancing with the heat of Florida, truly living up to its reputation.

Saying goodbye to the enthusiastic cafe owner, Lin Yu’an adopted her suggestion.

He didn’t return to the main road to catch a cab, but instead followed the guidance on his phone map, passing through a path lined with hibiscus, arriving at an unobtrusive dock beside the inland waterway.

A yellow sign with an anchor symbol stood at the dock, marking the water taxi stop.

A yellow open boat soon approached, much larger than a regular taxi, and tourists sat around the seats enjoying the cool breeze from the waterway.

Lin Yu’an bought an all-day pass, meaning he could hop on and off at any stop. He found a prime seat at the bow with a wide view.

Once the boat left the dock, a distinctly different experience from the land began.

The sound of car engines and horns was replaced by the splashing sound of the boat cutting through the water and the wind brushing past his ears.

The scenes along the banks presented themselves in an unprecedented perspective.

The boat’s guide was a retired old captain, his skin tanned to a deep bronze, wearing a Panama hat.

He seemed to know every inch of these waters well, holding a microphone, commencing his stand-up show in a humorous and slightly exaggerated tone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the real Fort Lauderdale!"

He pointed to the left bank, "See that boat? A 150-foot Feadship, worth... well, probably worth more than all of us together could afford!"

"Its owner is an old shark of Wall Street, only comes to live here for two weeks a year, and the boat’s main function most of the time is basically to tell the neighbors, look, I’m richer than you!"

The tourists on the boat burst into a chorus of good-natured laughter.

"Now please look to your right," the guide’s voice sounded again with a hint of mystery, "This canal, we call it Billionaire Street."

"The total value of the boats docked here could be higher than the GDP of some small countries. Tom Cruise once filmed a movie here at that Spanish-style red-tile roof house..."

𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Lin Yu’an looked over the most luxurious mansions and yachts, but felt little emotional stirrings within.

In the wilderness, he had seen grander snow mountains, more magnificent ice rivers.

These human-made wonders piled up with wealth were undoubtedly amazing, but what truly moved him was another kind of scene.

Right in the shadow of a priceless giant yacht, he saw ripples appear on the water’s surface.

Then, a huge gray snout lethargically surfaced, exhaling a moist breath.

"Oh ho! Look! Our old friend has come to say hello!" the guide exclaimed excitedly.

It was a giant manatee, seemingly indifferent to the steel giants around it, just gently and awkwardly flipped over in the water before leisurely diving back down.

Its appearance added a touch of nature’s gentleness and wild fun to this money-scented waterway.

The tourists on the boat took out their phones to take pictures, exclaiming with surprise.

The water taxi stopped at a place called Las Olas.

This is Fort Lauderdale’s most famous shopping and arts district, with the surrounding architecture becoming more exquisite and elegant, and many uniquely decorated restaurants appearing along the banks, where people sat outdoors enjoying lunch while watching the passing boats.

Lin Yu’an disembarked here, ready to explore this renowned boulevard.

The brief water journey just now gave him deeper insights into the city.