Tag Archives: Orlando

“Pic of the Week”, December 1, 2017: Disney World’s Swan and Dolphin Resort

I attended a medical meeting at Disney World not long ago which was held at the award-winning Dolphin and Swan Resort complex. I’d never been to these hotels before and found them to be pretty impressive. Very massive modern structures, with over 2000 rooms between the two of them, they had interesting architecture, sitting beside a man-made lake. The resorts are near the Disney Boardwalk and very close to one of Disney World’s entrances.

Boat services on the lagoon allows guests to get from the resorts to various water-based destinations around Disney World, such as Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Each hotel has many restaurants and those I tried had excellent (albeit not cheap) food.

I was a little surprised that …

Karl on Nov 30, 2017 | Comments Off

“Pic of the Week”, November 17,2017: Palmetto

The most common palm tree in the United States is the saw palmetto, a hardy plant capable of growing in habitats as diverse as sand dunes to swampy wetlands. It is a fire-resistant and attractive low maintenance plant commonly used in landscaping, and is slowly growing and capable of living hundreds of years.

Saw palmetto can be low to the ground, like a bush, or grow into a tree 25 feet tall and 7 feet wide. What I and others find attractive about the plant are its leaves which earn the plant its name, being edged with small but sharp spines that can tear skin and cloth. Saw palmetto blooms from April to July, producing white flowers that ripen …

Karl on Nov 16, 2017 | Comments Off

“Pic of the Week”, August 4, 2017: Amphicars, Florida

You might recognize these cars from the movies, like Inspector Clouseau, but if you want a chance to see and ride one you’ll need to head to Florida’s Disney World, where I spotted this bunch. I’d never seen an Amphicar before and it was fun watching them drive in, around, and out of a large lagoon.

Amphicars were the first mass-produced vehicles to be driveable both on land and water. The car was designed by Hanns Trippel and production began in Germany in 1961. The Amphicar’s 4 cylinder engine was mounted at the rear of the craft, driving the rear wheels. For use in the water, the same engine drove a pair of reversible propellers situated under the rear bumper. Once …

Karl on Aug 3, 2017 | Comments Off

Orlando’s Harry P. Leu Gardens

Karl on Mar 20, 2016 with Comments Off

If you’re in Orlando and grow tired of visiting the many theme parks, with their attendant crowds and long lines, then consider a visit to a beautiful southern garden. In my research, the most recommended garden in Orlando was Harry P. Leu Garden, donated to the city by Mr. and Mrs. Leu in the 1960s.

Situated on 50 acres just north of downtown, the Leu Garden did not disappoint. It’s truly lovely, with a beautiful assortment of shade trees including gigantic ancient oaks draped in Spanish Moss (which have survived a number of hurricanes over the years). Orlando’s climate is conducive to a variety of temperate and tropical plants which the gardeners have arranged in a number of themed regions you can visit (a …

Tagged garden, Harry P Leu Garden, Orlando

.All Trips / Florida / North America / Southeastern USA

Gatorland, Orlando, Florida

Karl on Mar 6, 2016 with Comments Off

01 Gatorland 11-2015 (1) Classic entrance

Florida is home to lots of alligators, and there’s probably no better place to see your fill of them in one day than at Gatorland.

Gatorland was Orlando’s first large attraction, starting way back in 1949 when Disney and Universal hadn’t even thought of using the region for theme parks. Back then Seminole Indians would wrestle the gators for tourists, and the classic gator jaws at the park’s entrance (top photo) were photographed tens of thousands of times. Because of the extensive development of the Orlando region, there are many fewer gators around today but there’s still lots of them in the state.

Gatorland is a family-run, family -oriented place that reminded me a little of Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park …

Tagged alligators, family fun, Gatorland, gators, Orlando, swamp

“Pic of the Week”, February 26, 2016: A Potpouri of Gators

Alligators fascinate and repel me. They’re amazingly graceful in the water, powerful and agile, and are obviously highly successful predators. But it’s their predatory aspect I find repelling. When one of them turns its soulless eyes on you, it feels as though you’re being sized up for dinner. I’m reminded of the classic Gary Larson “FarSide” cartoon. Two crocs with bloated bellies are lying on a riverbank, a broken canoe beside them. One croc tells the other (and I’m paraphrasing) — “That was incredible. No scales, no horns, no fur — just soft and pink!” We humans are those soft pink treats they seem to desire.

Alligators are quite photogenic. Take a look at these shots from Orlando’s fun “Gatorland” park:

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Karl on Feb 25, 2016 | Comments Off

“Pic of the Week”, January 22, 2016. Macaws, Orlando

Gatorland 11-2015 (97) macaws and parrots

Macaws are beautiful birds — although at times, perhaps, a little temperamental! Watching a flock of them fly through the Amazon rain-forest is a sight you never forget, with flapping flashes of bright color against the green canopy. And, of course, as easy as they are to see they’re even easier to hear as they’re quite chirpy.

The best place to study these beautiful birds up close is in an exhibit. But beware those beaks — they can do serious damage to a finger pointed their way!

These photos were taken at Gatorland park in Orlando.

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