Busch Garden Album

The "gorilla my dreams" consults with the real thing (or a reasonable facsimile) over the Busch Gardens map about what to see first

This is what you would see if you were going to swim up behind an alligator and bite HIM!
This little birdie captured my attention. All the people are outside the fences. All the animals are inside the fences. But this guy just sits ON the fence and can go where-ever his options are the best. There are lots of fences here, and there needs to be fences here. But it sure feels like it's a lot more about keeping the people away from the animals than the other way around.
I got a real "charge" out of this elephant!

Timbuktu! Finally I know where it is. It's where my parents always said they would send me if I was ever naughty. I never was! Although I can't prove that.
I loaded up my Land Rover and I'm all ready to go on safari. An "extra," the safari takes you by truck out onto the "Serengeti Plains" for an interactive experience with the critters that live out there. Unbelieveable!
No matter where you go to see animals in this park, there is always a world class roller coaster looming on the skyline...

This one, Shiek-Ra, plunges into water at 70 miles an hour.

By now I'm sure we hold the record for seeing more 4-D movies in a year than anyone ever has before. We have the stupidness self portraits to prove it! This time we saw, "Pirates"
I call this picture feeding the Lorys, "Scream Like a Girl." Which by the way is what I would do IF I were to go on the really big roller coasters- which I won't! Maybe something with a water shoot at the end suitable for kiddies!
Love the Giraffes! They seem to like us too- whether or not you have a piece of lettuce in your hand- although that helps.
This guy came over to the truck to plant one on Marilyn
Nothing like a Giraffe a few inches from your camera lens for a nifty shot or two...

They really did like Marilyn best. (me too)..even though there were about 12 other people in the safari truck with us.
I know it's not an action shot but I thought it was a pretty classic zebra shot
At the Hippo environment, you can see them above and below water at the same time. There were two adults and one young one who was nursing under water- you won't see that every day in Florida!
These Mayan Cyclids share the big pool with the Hippos. I like all animals but fish get top billing with me!
I went to the animal fair,

the birds and the beasts were there.

The big baboon,

by the light of the moon,

Was combing his auburn....

Oh, shucks, no baboons,

but just about everything else and way too much to talk about here. We had two glorious days and would have gone again if we had more time. What a great place.

As aways, click on photos to enlarge them and use back arrow to return to blog.....

Diving Into Tarpon Springs

One of my all time favorite Florida places is the sponge dock in Tarpon Springs. There you can learn just about everything there is to learn about the sponge industries, the Greek hard hat divers and Greek food as well. For a compulsive shell and sponge collector it is a place to fight the addiction! But since we have little more space in the coach I was on my best behavior and settled for a picture in the hard hat suit instead of that new shell and sponge- one of each of which I had my eye on!!! We came here many times in the past years to buy sponges for the art store back in Maine. While we always love coming here, this day trip had the extra added bonus of meeting up with Marilyn’s little sister Elizabeth and her husband David, who were down for a week visiting his side of the family. Their trip was waylaid by lousy weather and their luggage was waylaid by lousy air line service but they were in good spirits and looking great to us when we met them at the sponge factory. We had a really nice Greek lunch at Hellas (you gotta go there- opa!) I couldn't help but wish that other little sis Julie could be down here as well. I so very much want to see the three girls together under happy circumstances; they are all very special to me...
Check out the pictures of the Two Greek Beauties, the Two Old Ships, and Greg in full diver’s gear- you decide which is which!!! ( Just kidding)

A Day at the Florida State Fair

On a cold and blustery winter day- yes, we have those in Florida too from time to time- we ventured off to the Florida State Fair in Tampa. Considering the weather conditions, the place was packed. In large part we went to see the animals and the farming end of things but it was a disappointment in that regard for the most part. They did have a Florida panther and black bear there to see, but in truth, they are a lot more fun to see in the wild- which we have, though many who lived here a lot longer than we have did not. There were more food booths than I have ever seen at any fair anywhere and the steak-on-a-stick was the prize of the day @ 8 bucks a stick so I’m some glad it was tender and tasty. Considering what we could have eaten there, we done good!
Above are a few photos from the fair: “cold day, hot dog”, “swinging in the wind”, “hanging around upside down” and “steak on a stick off the stick.”

Finding a Hero in Pinellas

I’ve had a “to do” list of a few things that I was bound and determined to carry out as part of our motor coach touring of the country. Since our initial run up the Eastern seaboard to Pennsylvania and back (visit the parents, show off the new coach to family) we have mainly been hanging out hiding from winter in Florida and seeing our home state first so to speak. We haven’t really had a chance to knock much off the list at all. So yesterday was a great day as number one on the official list was accomplished- and wonderfully so!
From our area base at Tampa East, we traveled perhaps some 30 miles or so to Pinellas. Our mission for the day, was to try to locate Col. Neil Coady. Back in WWII, Neil Coady and another fellow POW of my dad’s by the name of Fred Puckett carried him on a forced march in the snow from one Stalag to the next. When he was shot down in his B-17, my dad’s back had been broken so he was in pretty tough shape to begin with. Finally the march became too much for him and he fell to the side of the road where, presumably, the enemy would either just let him die or perhaps even worse, sic the dogs on him. And as dad recounts it, he was prepared to die that day. He certainly did not intend to become an additional burden to the other guys who were marching in the worst of conditions just to stay alive. But Neil Coady was having none of that! He and Fred picked up my dad and carried him along, arm over shoulder, feet dragging when they could not walk. A slice of bread he had along the way, he put on my dad’s chest when there was an opportunity to rest and he told my dad, “Don’t worry. It will be there when you wake up.” It was.
But my aim is not to tell their story- only enough of it for you to understand that what I was doing was looking for the man who saved my dad’s life. And along with that, I was looking for the man, without who’s heroics in the war, I would never have come into the world at all myself.
I was a bit apprehensive when we pulled up to the address where we hoped to either locate Neil or learn of his condition and whereabouts. We were arriving unexpected and unannounced and surprise visits are not always the happiest of meetings. A strikingly attractive woman answered the door and I introduced myself to her and began to tell her why we were knocking on her door. My name had apparently not registered anything in particular (nor should it have) but as I started to explain that Neil Coady had carried my dad as a prisoner, her eyes lit up and I could see that she had heard the story and knew exactly what I was talking about. We were invited in immediately.
Inside stood Neil Coady (US Air Force, Col., retired). First order of business was to shake hands and thank the man for everything he had done for my dad….and of course my mother and my sister and me. Immediately I was passed the fear that he may already have gone the way of so many of the WWII vets and departed this world already. For Air Force men, the Wild Blue Yonder has always and will always be special, but no hurry to take that final flight! I entered that house that day with no preconceived idea of what I might learn or what I might see. But standing before me was a man, now in his mid-eighties, who I will tell you, in order for you to have some measure of the man at this age, immediately reminded me of both Ronald Reagan and Charleton Heston. Handsome. Strong and fit looking. Sharp and alert and articulate and instantly recalling “those days.“ Not looking nearly old enough to have done what we know he did for my dad. It was easy for me to see that this man could have accomplished all that he did.
I asked permission to take a couple photos. Granted. I asked if he would mind if I got my cell phone so we could call home and he and my dad could speak together. Granted.
We got to know each other just a bit. No desire to overstay any welcome. Saw some pictures and looked at walls of framed medals and uniforms and military memorabilia. Put my parents e mail and phone numbers etc. into the Coady’s computer for safe keeping. It felt like home to me. And in a way, I suppose it is.
Col. Coady: My family and I salute you, sir!

Col Coady and his wife Elisabeth reside near the base where he was stationed many times when in the states. If you are interested in the base or the area, try the following link:
http://public.macdill.amc.af.mil/