This was the first picture taken when we arrived at Disney. I love Tinkerbell!
Category Archives: Travel
Somewhere North of the Everglades
It was stepping out into a watery wilderness a mere 7 miles from the headwaters of the River of Grass. Anyone local will tell you that you are too far north for the Everglades. They think of the southern end, near Fort Lauderdale, Shark Valley, Holiday Park, but the shallow waters start somewhere and East Lake Tohopekaliga is a good a place as any to explore if you are near St. Cloud, FL.
We tried a smaller airboat ride than I’ve done before. We floated out with Wild Willy’s and it was worth the effort to get there. Located in a RV campground on a dead end road, Wild Willy’s uses 6 person airboats, smaller and more personal than the bigger airboats I’ve been on on the past.
Our captain said he was the one and only Wild Willy. I’m not sure if that’s true or just what they all say but he was a crusty fellow who did his darndest to give us a fun and educational ride.
Without a word he used the airboat to coax birds into the air or drift quietly past them so I could get the best possible photos. Big difference from the frustrating experiences trying to get photos on some of the big airboats.
Willy pointed out an eagle nest with two eaglets while Mon and Dad perched in the tree tops a few trees away keeping a close eye.
Baby alligators chirped for mama gator and birds were everywhere.
One of the first we spotted was an osprey with a fish for lunch half as big as he was.
A great blue heron “photo bombed” some smaller wading birds…just because he could.
We scared up a flock of white pelicans.
We spotted quite as few Purple Gallinules.
I got a predator bird in flight. It was hardly more than a spot in the sky when Willy pointed the airboat toward it. I heard him say it was very rare and that he’d taken birder’s out days at a time looking for one. But I didn’t catch what he called it. So here’s my mystery bird. Any idea what it is?
Time For The High Roller
We took our time over lunch at the Venetian but finally it was time to begin our trip back toward the Linq. We had show tickets and we didn’t want to miss out on riding that huge Ferris Wheel. The High Roller.
The High Roller is at the bottom of the Linq promenade which makes it fun just to get to it with all kinds of shops and fountains along the way.
We bought our tickets from the concierge at the Linq. The price changes from the daytime to nighttime rates at 5 pm. It was 4:30. We would get the day rate while enjoying a desert sunset.
From the first time I saw the High Roller all I could think of was Star Wars. The white pods just made me think of something from one of those movies. It only needed a storm trooper!
Inside wasn’t what I expected. I had heard of wedding parties renting the pods and bars set up in them but they hardly seemed big enough for a crows, especially a rowdy crowd intent on drinking. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never been on a Ferris Wheel enclosed like this.
The wheel is 550 ft high and the ride from start to finish is about 30 minutes. The pods move at about 1 ft/ sec and it never stops turning. Unlike a Ferris Wheel at a fair where it stops and starts to let passengers on and off, the passengers on the High Roller enter while the pod is slowly passing them by.
Inside is like command central with 8 monitor screens letting you watch the pods above and below your own.
Plus there the “talking head”. I found him very funny but Joe thought he was quite annoying. You’ll have to go and make your own decision.
But no matter what, taking this ride at sunset was a perfect time. It was relaxing and beautiful, The huge windows allowing an amazing view.
Alas, all things must come to an end and too soon we were back to the bottom preparing to step off the moving pod to good old terra firma.
I highly recommend this. Even for my sister, who says she is afraid of heights.
Back to Vegas
Before I move on to the remainder of our stay in Vegas I thought I’d flash back to the Venetian Hotel for one last glimpse of the boat ride on the canal. I was thinking since it had been so long (2/1) since I posted about the trip that a little photo flashback would help set the stage for the rest of the story.
Have You ever wanted to go to Venice?
Venice, Italy is called one of the most beautiful cities in the world. But with all the unrest around the world, terrorism, plane crashes not to mention cost to go jetting about, how many will actually get out a pass port to take on an international adventure. I’m told I’m a chicken because I want to stay within the confines of the good old USA. But if I do that How will I ever get to see Venice?
Why by going to the Venetian Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas. This wasn’t even on our to-do list. The concierge at the Linq told us it was not to be missed. She really gave it high marks so after our morning at the Mirage we headed back out to the strip to wander down to the Venetian.
I think I had to pick my mouth up off the floor when we entered the shops. The ceiling was a breathtaking mural! My head was back so far I almost fell over!
Strolling past the shops on the promenade we passed one of the human statues. The actor was very good. I got a good laugh when Joe jumped when he moved.
Once again the ceiling was painted as a sky and each shop had a facade making it appear we were actually strolling through Venice. They even had a canal. And just as if we were in Venice we had to take a gondola ride. We shared our gondola with a nice couple here on “holiday’. He was from Wales and she was from London.
The gondolier even serenaded us as we returned to the launch site at the end of our ride.
Our Gondolier and another couple that shared our ride.
I enjoyed our little trip to Venice so much I had to bring a Gondolier home with me to serenade me when ever I miss Venice.
