Adventures of a Maude in Training

On our last full day in Florida we visited Fern Forest Nature Center in Coconut Creek. We all enjoyed it and were tickled to see armadillos, a burrowing tortoise and an alligator snapping turtle, as well as some really large spiders.


They look like leathery rabbits to me.

( more here )

Full set (including spider pictures) here.

On our second day in Florida we drove down to the northern end of Everglades National Park. We went to the Shark Valley area and took a two hour tram tour of a fifteen mile loop of the park. It was a great way to see that much of the park with a two-year old, plus said two year old was delighted to be riding a tram. We saw many, many alligators on the ride and just walking around. They were everywhere and I literally almost stepped on one while trying to take a picture of a bird (I was more careful after that as I value my limbs). Our most exciting alligator encounter was after the tram tour. We took a short walk on a boardwalk trail and heard a noise underneath us and realized an alligator was swimming towards then under the boardwalk. It was fascinating and surreal. In the park we also saw fish, turtles and numerous wading birds, not all of which I've been able to identify. The tram tour took us out to an observation tower and it was wonderful getting to see the park from so high up. It is dry season right now in the Everglades which meant next to no mosquitoes which was great for us. Anyhow, we enjoyed our visit. I didn't find it as majestic and breathtaking as Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska, but the Everglades is definitely special and magical in its own way. Oh yeah, we saw baby alligators too which was a treat. Here are a few photos--click through to see the set:

Baby Gators


( a few more here )
The whole set is here.