Just a couple more images from our airboat ride at Wild Willy’s. Here’s a shot of one of the 6 person airboats.
A Great Blue Heron
A Great Egret
First Day at Disney
This was the first picture taken when we arrived at Disney. I love Tinkerbell!
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?
Beautiful Bellagio
I don’t know Vegas well enough to say what is the most beautiful or the most sophisticated or the most anything. Everything we’ve seen and experienced so far in Vegas has been over the top but I did love everything about the Bellagio, from it’s dancing fountains to the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.
I have a video of the fountains but so far have not been able to complete an upload so until then here is a still photo to share the experience with you.
Chihuly in the lobby
The Gardens decked out for Chinese New Year.
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.