2007 Florida – February 2007

We met in Orlando and took a couple of days around the Central Florida area and the Gulf coast. It was one of Bruce’s better efforts and a good time was had by all. Perhaps the most significant event will be that this is the trip that I learned how to incorporate video into the record. Take a look at the movies… very, very cool.

Considering that the Kohlrabi video from the Houston adventure (Click here to see) was the inaugural effort, these are a huge step up in portability and quality.  Some day when I have the time I will go back into the archives and find more videos to convert and add to the pages. Until then, enjoy these.

Homosassa Springs Park

This is a Manatee sanctuary and animal preserve. It is really quite extraordinary. It was one of those little gems that Bruce comes up with and we got there early, just ahead of the rush. 

(Visit Their Website Here)

This is a one-eyed owl. The photo looks too weird with the bad eye showing but this shot of the owl and the trainer is very striking.

Look for the sign. It's hard to spot.
(If they tell you to make five rights out of the parking lot, take a left, then a left at the light, then watch for the parking lot on the left at the third light.)

Ever wanted to see a bald eagle up close?

Not from the springs but close by. This is were we had lunch. Long story... not interesting.

"Hey... bite me."

I'm sure this hippo has a name but I didn't see a sign.

An albino turtle in the reptile house.

Elenor is a greeter at the Visitor Center. This is her husband, who's name I forgot.

I liked Elenor a lot, which is why she gets three photos on this page.

Tarpon Springs Aquarium

They have some very interesting things in this small space. One cool thing is the fish feeding session in their 10,000 gallon central aquarium.

Click Here For Their Website

This is Christine continuing to feed the critters in the tank.

This is Christine, one of the divers, feeding a big fish.

Bruce, studying some of the little swimmy things.

Critters

Busch Gardens

We really went to Busch Gardens so Bruce could see the Herman’s Hermits concert. That’s what got us in the door. I had us stay for the safari ride so I could take some closeup animal photos since the last time we were someplace like this, I didn’t have the 80-200 2.8 lens. I love some of these photos.

Bobby Randolph

Once upon a time, Bruce owned a horse named Jackson Lake with a few other people. One of the women owns Canyon Cruze, the horse pictured below. Bobby Randolph is the trainer in Ocala where the horse is being boarded and treated for a broken leg. We went to visit and on the way, we stopped at a store to buy Girl Scout cookies. These photos are from the trip.

Bobby Randolph and Bruce discuss racing and horses.

Winter Park Florida

This is a pretty cool place. It began as a winter home for rich New York investors and is the home of Rollins College, where my across the street neighbors used to teach. Winter Park has a boat ride that takes you around the canals and lakes that make up the area. 

Historic Bok Carillon

On every adventure, Bruce comes up with something completely different and unexpected. This is one such place. A carillon is a “pipe organ” made of bells. It is many few stories tall and you sit around the base while the musician plays it. This one has a video feed that lets you watch the musician.

The place is a botanical garden with very interesting plants, too.

(Click here to visit their Website)

Honeymoon Island

Since I had a broken foot and was in a cast, Bruce was concerned that I couldn’t walk around this place. It was hard but possible. Most people were watching the dolphins in the water. I was watching the people watching the dolphins. Bruce was collecting shells.