Florida: Everglades National Park

Another day of the trip - here we are in Everglades National Park. The largest subtropicalwilderness in the United States, it contains the southern 25 percent of the original Evergladesmarshland region of southwestern Florida. It is visited by one million people each year, and it is the third-largest national park in the lower 48 states after Death Valley National Park and Yellowstone National Park. It has been declared an International Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage Site, and a Wetland of International Importance.

Our adventure through Everglades started at Everglades Alligator Farm. Spending $20 we were able to see all the alligators in the farm as well as the alligator and snake show plus the airboat tour. For those with huge curiosity as mine I found sth about the airboats tour: 'Shallow-draft, fan-powered airboats were invented in the Everglades by frog hunters who were tired of poling through the brushes. Airboats cut through the saw grass and are sort of like hydraulic boats; at high-enough speeds, a boat actually rises above the saw grass and into the air. Even though airboats are the most efficient (not to mention fast and fun!) way to get around, they are not permitted in the park -- these shallow-bottom runabouts tend to inflict severe damage on animals and plants. Just outside the boundaries of the Everglades, however, you'll find a number of outfitters offering rides. Tip: Consider bringing earplugs, as these high-speed boats are loud.' And it was really loud - we had to put on our foam earplugs.

After the airbout tour comes time for the great wilderness and trails of Everglades NP.
As we wanted to see much with lost of not much time, we drive trough all the the trails of Everglades pulling over just for quick view at the wildlife of the trails:
- Pinelands trail - 1/2-mile loop, explores the subtropical pine forest maintained by fire. The pinelands are the most diverse land habitat in South Florida.
- Pa-hay-okee Overlook with the great panoramic view ot the 'River The grass'.
- Mahogany Hammock - glades and loops through a subtropical tree island with massive mahogany trees.
- The West Lake Trail - 1/2-mile boardwalk, loops deep into the forest of salt-torelant, proop-rooted mangrove trees.
- To finaly get to 1/4-mile walk from visitor center in Flamingo (Bobcat Boardwalk), loops trough sawgrass prairie and bayhead.

Florida: St Petersburg

On 7th day of our trip, we hit St Petersburg - the Sister City of Takamatsu (Japan) and the Twin City of St. Petersburg(Russia).

St. Petersburg (often shortened to St. Pete - after 1994) is a city in Pinellas County, Florida (of course in United States). The city is known as a vacation destination for North American and European vacationers. St. Petersburg's nickname is: Florida's Sunshine City and the motto is: Always in Season - it is all because of the nice warm weather there(average temperature - 73.7*F/23.17*C, average days of sunshine per year - 361).


The short visit in St. Pete included Looper Downtown Trolley Route trip (from The Pier through Museum of History, Renaissance Vinoy Resort, Museum of Fine Arts, BayWalk, Florida Int'l Museum, Open Air Post Office, The Arts Center, Florida Holocaust Museum, Salvador Dali Museum, Hilton St. Peterburg to Chamber Visitor center). After the fast trip we moved to our next destination: Orlando.

Florida: Orlando

Finaly I've found more time to finish all my movies based on pictures from my trip to Florida. I know it was a long time since I posted something on my blog but you know: Christmas time and all those stuff around it!

But anyway I did finish my movies and I started to post it.
There are pics from Orlando (last two days off the trip) in that movie:


Orlando.... what can I say about it?... well if you have a lot money and time to go to DisneyWorld, Universal Studios and/or SeaWorld Adventure it will be propably a great place for lots of fun. Unfortunately, as I said before. it was the last day of the trip and I was already out of money; my friends and me have just decided to enjoy our fancy hotel (which we've got by help of Basia's host mom). The lazy river at the hotel was so much fun!!!
Besides being in the hotel, we went to Orlando Dowtown, which appeared as a very short visit (it was getting dark, when we get there).

Our trip was over and on sunday we packed ourselves and drove to the airport to return the car in proper time. It was my record there being at the airport 4 ,5 hours before the flight (it appear worse because of our flight delay).

Atfer all I can say it was owesome trip. Thank you girls for joining me!!!