Bok Tower Gardens

Because of my interest in anything related to works of Frederick Law Olmsted, we decided to explore Bok Tower Gardens. Olmsted spent a good portion of his career working with Bok creating a pleasing sanctuary for the preservation of some of Florida's remaining sand plains ecosystem.






The Bell Tower






Sandhill Crane



The sun dial




- Posted from my iPhone 4

Canaveral National Seashore

This National Park was really a spinoff of the space program. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was formed of the land not needed for the space launch program and joins with the "north unit" National Park to comprise the National Lakeshore.

Today we toured the whole thing by auto and foot and saw wildlife in only a few locations. Even with recent rains the area is in drought and wildlife is concentrated around the few water sources.













- Posted from my iPhone 4

Universal Studios Citywalk

What a crowd! And this is shoulder season.



NASCAR restaurant (for George).



Another view



The dinner venue. This is the largest HRC in the chain.



All around the walls are memorial displays to famous musicians - many of the more modern ones have played here. The group Chicago plays tomorrow night.










Dinner was awsum, as usual for HRC.

- Posted from my iPhone 4

Airboating on Lake Kissimmee

Today we decided to do an airboat ride on Lake Kissimmee through the edge marshes.















"Cruising thru the cypress looking for gators.



One of the active osprey nests on the lake. We could see the babies.



No, Dottie... you CAN'T take it home!

Tonight it'll be dinner at Hardrock Cafe.

- Posted from my iPhone 4

Chillin at the Fountains

The Fountains



Campfire circle. They think of everything.



Boat rental and fishing pier.


A composited panorama of the pool area. Air temperature 83 and water temperature of low 70s.






Corona Cigar Company - the largest integrated sales floor and lounge in the country. The entire store is kept at 67-70% humidity by cooling and active foggers.



Dinner tonight at Landry's.

- Posted from my iPhone 4

Andersonville

This morning we visited Civil War Fort Sumter, known commonly as the Andersonville War Prison. At the end of the war, the fort enclosure was over 21 acres of Northern Armies prisoners who had been reduced pretty much to skin and bones and riddled with lice, dysentery, scurvy, and smallpox. They were dying at over 300 a day.






Living conditions were abdominal.



The original stockade encompassed most of this open field.



The attached cemetery is still used for dead soldiers who have spent some time as POWs.

This National Historic Park is charged by Congress to interpret and preserve the whole POW story (all wars and actions.)

- Posted from my iPhone 4

On The Road - Day Two

This morning we toured around Cumberland Gap National Park (yes I got my Parks Passport stamped.)







Inside the visitor center is decorated typical southern hills decor. The upstairs is totally devoted to a sales and display area for local artisan craft objects.







We finished with a trip up to the scenic overlook (Pinnacle Overlook.)







Tomorrow we will be touring Andersonville Civil War Prison (a National Park property.)

- Posted from my iPhone 4

On The Road - Day One

We made it to Corbin, KY (home of Kentucky Fried Chicken) We ate dinner at the Sanders Cafe - the original. It's a National Historic site now.






Dottie was hoping to get the recipe for the original spices, but he was mute!







Ross and Dottie

- Posted from iPhone 4

First trip of 2011

It's right around the corner -- our first major trip of the year. What's on the agenda for this trip? Coming in April, we plan to visit Cumberland Gap NHP and Andersonville NHS on our way to Orlando. While in Florida we plan on catching the Shuttle launch on the 19th, Canaveral National Seashore, Bock Gardens, Hard Rock Cafe (of course!) and perhaps a nice restaurant or two (or 6). While in Orlando, we will stay at the Fountains (a Bluegreen property) near Universal Studio. Keep checking this blog starting about April 18 for parts of the story.