5th Rock from the Sun

Currently in Jupiter, Florida. This is the first week since we have been gone, that we have done absolutely nothing! No pictures to post no stories about close calls with wildlife and no death defying hikes. Each morning we go on a long walk and then swim the dog at the beach across the street. Afternoons are spent by the pool with a mai tai. I think after 6 months we are finally getting the hang of this.

When in Rome...uh...Naples

While in Naples, our closest stop to the everglades, we took a 30 mile drive down a narrow dirt road in the middle of the swamp.



At every possible stop there was...you guessed it...alligators.



Dory had to stay in the car as we were fearful of letting her out even for a moment. This was reenforced when Donna stopped by the ranger station for a map and saw a photo of a gator eating a german shepherd (the dog not the nomad). In fact one of our guides on a later trip made a point of saying that if you get out of your car, make sure to leave the doors open so you can jump back in in a hurry. No mention was made of what to do if a gator had crawled in your car while you were away.

The day before Thanksgiving we took a boat tour of the Everglades 10,000 islands.



These mangrove (not to be confused with mango) covered islands are teaming with birds dining on fish....



and Pacific bottle nosed dolphins that rode the wake of our boat and jumped out of the water...






Tomorrow we leave for the Atlantic side of Florida, ah Palm Beach...Boca Raton.... the only alligators there are on izod shirts.

Gators-Galore

Ok, we chickened out on kayaking and opted for an airboat tour. There were hundreds of birds ....ho hum... more beautiful birds in flight....



...and of course gators...



...gators....



...gators...



Each time we passed one, it would enter the water and swim towards the boat. I think our decision not to paddle in our inflatable kayaks was a wise one!

Duck, Duck, Goose...

Or as they play it here in Florida...Turkey, Turkey, Gator. We watched this guy sneak up on a meal only to turn away at the last minute. I think he figured out that they were turkey vultures. Besides Thanksgiving isn't for another week.



We hiked on trails surrounded by palmettos...



...and brightly colored birds like this Roseate Spoonbill...



I'm trying to convince Donna to rent kayaks, but here is a picture of the launch area...



We might have to take an air boat ride instead.

pagers....cellphones...you know what to do with them.

....a post for all our friends currently working at Oracle OpenWorld.

Alas, I can't bring myself to post a picture of us here is Sarasota Florida, 82 degrees, sunny, our barefoot feet caressed by the warm Gulf of Mexico, while you all slave away, that would be too cruel. But rest assured I am raising an umbrelled drink in your direction and hoping it's as painless as possible. Our thoughts are with you....well at least until the second drink.

OK I lied.... here's a picture:

In the Garden of Gump and Evil

Our search for the warm weather took us first to Myrtle Beach, SC. where it was 80 degrees and we had the beaches to ourselves....



....not to mention the, all you can eat, crab leg buffetts....(yes, they're lowfat!)



The weather turned cold and windy so it was on to Savannah, GA., were we we took an open air bus tour of the historic district and saw block after block of manicured town squares including the one where Forest Gump sat on a bench telling his story to any one who would listen. There were also several buildings from the book/movie Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil.



We opted to stay in Skidaway State Park where we hiked through trees draped in Spanish Moss...



...and filled with wildlife (no gators yet)...



...as well as the remains of a moonshine still, I guess we're finally in the South.

The nights and mornings are still chilly so tomorrow we have decided to head to Florida.

Other than that Mrs. Lincoln...How was the play?

Other than the emergency room here are some other things we did while in the Shenandoah Valley:

A tour of the Luray Caverns provided spectacular scenery...



...as well as a recital played on an organ more than 150 feet below the surface. Hammers strike stalactites in perfect pitch.



There was also a classic car and carriage museum. Here Donna checks out an original gas saver...the Stanley Steamer.




A mere 4 days after my surgery I was fit enough to hike in the Shenandoah National Park and view the fall colors.



While in Staunton (pronounced Stantan), home of Woodrow Wilson and the Statler Brothers, we attended a Shakespeare theater performance of Romeo and Juliet.

This area has definitely made our short list of places to live.