Florida Everglades Adventure--2009
Jean, Audrey and I began our adventure in Everglades
City, a mile long mangrove island with crab houses, shops, motels and
marinas. After a frog leg basket lunch we took a boat tour of the
Thousand Islands from the Everglades
National Park. We then set off to find our evening lodgings, the Ivey
House, a lovely welcoming eco hotel filled with European
tourists We had drinks at the historic Rod
and Gun Club and stone crabs, good conversation and a beautiful sunset
at a little marina to end the day.
After a good breakfast we headed back to the Tamiami
Trail. Our first stop was H. P. Williams Wayside to see more
alligators. Then we headed east to Shark
Valley. There we boarded a tram for a two hour tour of the
park. A naturalist helped us identify the many birds and yet more
alligators. We lunched at the Miccosukee Indian Village and took our
first airboat ride. Audrey ended up with a cormorant in her
lap. We saw a plethora of birds and still more alligators.
After the ride we headed east again until we saw a tall building rising up
from the swamp. This was the Miccosukee
Indian Casino and our home for the night. The steak and lobster dinner
was $6.95.
Day three started with a massage and some quiet time by
the pool. We wanted one more airboat ride so we headed to the one advertised
as the oldest in the Everglades, Coopertown. We still had that
wind-blown look as we strolled into the Embassy Suites Miami lobby to join
our friends at the DoDDS Florida Reunion. We had a wonderful bus/boat tour
of the city. It felt strange visiting Miami Port without boarding a
cruise ship.
On the drive back to Bradenton we couldn't resist a stop
for some lucky alligator paws (for our Las Vegas trip?) and just one more
order of stone crabs in Everglades City.
Click on the links below to join us
as we travel
through the Florida Everglades. Enjoy!
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