Off Topic Trip to the Everglades

[msl529]

We went to the Everglades Nat'l Park in FL this weekend. Saw lots of amazing sights. Yes, there were lots of alligators! See below...

This guy was inside the Nat'l Park, on a guided motorboat tour...pic taken by me from the boat!

This guy (below) was one of the hundreds (yes, literally!) we saw as we drove down the highways to & from the park. They were all just lolling around on the sunny side of the banks of the the roadside-canals. I had no idea there were so MANY of these guys here! I have officialy had my fill of alligators, but it was still a sight to see!

 

[Robindq]

wow that's so cool
we don't get many of those in ontario
sound like it was fun! i know i'm jealous.

 

[msl529]

wow that's so cool
we don't get many of those in ontario
sound like it was fun! i know i'm jealous.

Don't be jealous! Seeing all of these guys along the road actually gave me kind of a sick feeling after a while, I don't know why, LOL! Halfway thru the day today, I just began to feel overloaded on creepy creatures everywhere, & I could not wait to get inside my house! I'm such a city girl, it was a stretch for me!

 

[gymmomntc2e6]

That looks like it was a great trip. We may have to do that next time we are in Florida.

Although - I would probably join you in the creeped out group after too many !!!

 

[bogwoppit]

Wow great pics, what were you thinking. I hope you used a zoom lens!!!

 

[I-Heart-Beam]

WOW! I didn't know you could get crocodiles in America! I thought you only got them in Africa or places like that! That's so cool!

 

[msl529]

Wow great pics, what were you thinking. I hope you used a zoom lens!!!

You'd better believe I used a zoom! But we were still only a few feet away from the Alli's inside the Nat'l Park. Somehow I felt pretty safe inside the boat... And we were maybe 15 feet away from the roadside Alli's, but on a raised walkway. Plenty close enough, as far as I am concerned!

I have a vid of one alli swimming toward us in the boat, but will probably not get it onto You Tube until after Thxgiving. We are off to Texas tomorrow, yeehaw!

 

[msl529]

WOW! I didn't know you could get crocodiles in America! I thought you only got them in Africa or places like that! That's so cool!

We sure do! I guess what we get here in South FL is the 'American Alligator'. And there are also some small ones called 'Caymans' here in FL also, as I understand it. I don't know if we get 'Crocs' or not....?

 

[msl529]

P.S.--if you check my album in the 'Gallery' you will also see some pics that dd (gymmie) took of some other creatures, including a cute little caterpillar she named 'Bobby".

 

[bogwoppit]

Have a great rip to Texas, I hope you'll stop in to visit us. It could be very quiet here with all you Americans dong the turkey fest thing!

 

[msl529]

Thanks! I am sure I will get a chance to sneak onto a computer at some point!
Can't be without CB for more than a couple of days, I go into withdrawals...


We'll be at my in-laws. Lovely people, but still...it's the whole 'family' thing...eeek!

Anyone in the greater Dallas area have any tips for us on good things to visit? We will not want to sit around the house all day for several days, that is for sure... !

The dd's would probably like a nice Mall. Hubby & I would like a nice restaurant to escape to & have a cocktail & appetizer...and don't tell me there's only chicken-fried-steak...!

 

[msl529]

Sorry editing mistake!

 

[NYgymfan]

Anyone in the greater Dallas area have any tips for us on good things to visit? We will not want to sit around the house all day for several days, that is for sure... !

The dd's would probably like a nice Mall. Hubby & I would like a nice restaurant to escape to & have a cocktail & appetizer...and don't tell me there's only chicken-fried-steak...!

I've never been to Dallas but my dad has. He says if you are into History, check out the Texas School Book Depository and all the JFK related stuff in town.

He also says that there are plenty of amazing Texas BBQ restaurants in Fort Worth which is right next door.

 

[NYgymfan]

Nice pics! My friend went on a boat ride with gators and crocs around. They didn't give him a life jacket. They said if the boat tipped over, the only thing the life jacket would be good for is to stuff it in the gator's mouth as he's eating you for dinner !!

 

[msl529]

Nice pics! My friend went on a boat ride with gators and crocs around. They didn't give him a life jacket. They said if the boat tipped over, the only thing the life jacket would be good for is to stuff it in the gator's mouth as he's eating you for dinner !!

That's funny! Sounds like he went on one of those commercial-type tours. I think they probably over-hype the whole gator thing on those particular tours. We were inside the National park and in a motorboat (not a noisy fan-boat), and the guide as pretty mellow. There were only 6 of us in the boat so he wasn't putting on a 'show' or anything, just explaining the sites.

 

[NYgymfan]

That's funny! Sounds like he went on one of those commercial-type tours. I think they probably over-hype the whole gator thing on those particular tours. We were inside the National park and in a motorboat (not a noisy fan-boat), and the guide as pretty mellow. There were only 6 of us in the boat so he wasn't putting on a 'show' or anything, just explaining the sites.

Actually, I asked him where it was, he says it was in Australia, and they were salt water crocs, and that they would definitely eat you if you fell in. THey had special flat bottomed boats that would be near impossible to flip though. Now fresh water crocs, they don't eat people for some reason. So he actually went swimming in a river with fresh water crocs. They were nice as long as you don't provoke them! But they did have a big net across the beginning of the river to keep the salt water crocs out. That would be bad!

Now I really want to go on one of those boat tours in FL! You seem to do lots of cool stuff, between gator tours and watching space shuttles take off. Do you get to the amusement parks in orlando much? Can I join your family? (just kidding!)

 

[msl529]

NYgym, come on down! LOL!

We are acting like tourists in FL for a reason. We figure we'd better see what we can while here, (while juggling a busy gym schedule, eek!), until hubby's work takes us elsewhere....you just never know!