Exploring Florida - part 1

January 8, 2019 - January 22, 2019

We traveled quickly down the east coast of Florida From Yulee in the north to Florida City in the south - putting us in a good position to visit the Everglades and the Florida Keys.

Stopped in Jacksonville to see our friends Alice and Bill.  Alice, Laura and I went for a walk on a trail near a beach.

Alice and Laura on the trail.

Short break before we head back to the car.

Jacksonville at night.

We drove all the way downtown one evening to see this fountain which was supposed to be all lit up in multiple colors!
Very disappointing!

Alice made these little Alligators for us - completely by hand!
Aren't they wonderful!!! We just love them!

 On to the Everglades

Marina at the end of the road into the Everglades (i.e. Flamingo, FL)

Manatees playing in the waters off the marina.

Above and below: Hurricane damage to walkways in the Everglades.

Much of the area is grass with bumps of land which support trees and bushes.
They call them Hammocks (Hummocks would seem a better word to me.)
Depending on the rainfall the grass stands in 0-3 inches of water which flows from Lake Okeechobee to the Gulf.

Typical vegetation on a Hammock.

 Enjoyed our drive and our time in the Florida Keys.

Our campground at Marathon Key.
We paid the most we've ever paid to stay here.  It was even more expensive than the campground across from Manhattan!

Key West
Everything grows to unbelievable sizes here.

Beautiful orchids in pots tied to palm trees.

Ever so beautiful Royal Palms

There are chickens and roosters running everywhere in Key West.

Cruise ship leaving port in Key West.

Ernest Hemingway's House in Key West

Front Entrance

The house is surrounded by beautiful gardens.

This pool was built by one of Hemingway's wives.
The area originally was the site of a boxing ring which she hated.

The famous cats living at the Hemingway House.
Many, but not all, have 6 toes on their front paws.
Two of them have 6 toes on all four paws.

Harry Truman "Little White House"

Rear of the "Little White House."
We were not allowed to take pictures of the interior!

The gardens surrounding the house are really beautiful.

The most southern route across Florida passes through the Big Cypress Natural Preserve where there are lots of Alligators.