The South Florida Experience
So our friends are visiting from Venezuela, again, and we tried to catch the Space shuttle launch but, unluckily, it got rescheduled ... which we have learned is not that unusual. So we decided to show them a real South Florida Experience.
Being a firm believer in Heller Keller's saying: "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing" I decided to plan a day full of new things and daring adventures.
We woke them up at the crack of dawn and drove to Knass Berry Farms where the Amish (actually it's the German Baptists) make fresh bread every morning.
Just as we had heard, the line reached outside the door and the wonderful smell of fresh baked bread and cinnamon buns filled the air.
We bought a loaf of fresh bread, cinnamon buns and herb bread and stopped at a supermarket near by and bought some ham, cheese, Orange Juice and Jelly and proceeded to having a wonderful picnic.
Then we started to make our way into the Everglades but I decided to make a detour and show my friends where I worked for so many years and they decided to shoot a round of Trap.
We continued on our way into the Everglades and stopped at Gator Park on Tamiami Trail for a show and an Airboat ride.
We toured the River of Grass with enthusiasm and had a great time sliding over the swamplands. Our Airboat Captain invited us to join him bare footed in the swamp in the middle of the everglades.
We happily declined but quite enjoyed the view.
Later, on our return we caught a Gator Wresting show.
The man then asked for a volunteer and the crowd fell in silence ... I felt an urge to go up there ... and being a complete fool I stomped my way onto the stage :)
The man handed me the 3 foot gator and placed a band around it's mouth and proceed to continue his presentation.
He left me carrying the very heavy baby gator for a while and even removed the tape from the gators mouth for a minute but I didn't flinch ;)
I was firm in my convictions and a 3 foot gator was not going to win!
I couldn't help but laughing as everyone's cameras flashed, on me, like (as they say) Japanese Tourists (No pun intended) and petting the gator as I held him.
My friend said "He feels soft!" as she pet him and then "I'm never buying anything made from Alligator again!" she whispered.
I had to laugh!
The place is set up like a tourist trap with many interesting trinkets and even souvenir gator heads for your office desk. The staff obviously enjoys what they do and are very helpful and informative.
Our tour guide was very pleasant and informative and told us all about that animals and history of the area.
He even made part of his presentation standing knee deep in the grassy mulch to illustrate that although the water looked 6 feet deep it was much shallower.
On our return we were called to a small area where a funny little man with a squint in his eye called us for the gator wrestling demonstration.
He let us touch the baby gator, only about a year old and even called us out to volunteer to hold a slightly larger older specimen for pictures.
Over all a much more pleasant ride and although more expensive, so worth it!
Get your tickets online for a discount!
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Mistakenly known as The Amish, it is actually a community of German Baptists who come from up North to escape the cold unforgiving winters and farm strawberries, tomatoes and other various fruits and vegetables.
They serve up fresh bread and THE BEST sticky cinnamon buns I have had the privilege to sink my teeth into.
Get up early because they open at 8am and the line always reaches out the door and when they are done for the day that is all there is.
The breads and sticky buns are best washed down by the fresh fruit milk shakes and with a quick stop at a near by grocery store you can put together a fabulous picnic.
Come prepared to loosen you belt and have a wonderful time!
