The Keys to Florida

Fine weather in Florida now!!
Just kick back and enjoying it!!
Some days just rest and do absolutely nothing, but a couple of others were able to see some neet things. Denice wanted to see the Butterfly World in Fort Lauderdale, so off we went on the 19th. Just scheduled in address of Butterfly World on jeeps GPS, and Suzy led us right there, although she did take us on a route via a Toll highway. Only a dollar for a car so not too bad. Many of the highways here are Toll, so you need to have your dollar ready, although they do have people manning the booths for change if need be. But be sure to go through the pay booth and not through the SunPass lane, ---- as I did on the Bay Bridge at Destin. Still have not paid that $2.50 bill. Wonder whats going to happen with that!! Anyway, back to Butterfly World.
Denice especially loved it, but me too. All kinds of butterflys there and colors and sizes, Also exotic birds, humming birds, and lots of others that very colorful.
Took lots of photos. There also was a Lorikeet enclosure, with about 25 of them there. Of course they want to land on you, and check you all out.

One was real interested in my camera, and put his head right inside the lens cap. Denice's pictures of same.

Then there were Macaws, about a dozen of them, also colorful and interesting.Another part of the complex was dedicated to exotic and sub tropical plants and flowers. Althogh not too many were in bloom, there were still enough to give an indication of the beauty in them. You could only imagine when they were in full bloom. There was a "Bug" house but we did not go through i as it held little interest to us. On the way home we took a short trip out the a conservation area off highway 27, right out in the Sawgrass Everglades. Interesting! Returned home a took a few more sunset pics. Always great with palm trees in forground.
After that busy day had to rest up until the 21st. On this day we headed down the Keys.
Left Okeechobee early in the morning and went south on Highway 27, and then 997 to Homestead, and then onto Highway #1
Drove all the way to Key West, a distance of about 120 miles over many,many bridges, the longest at 7 miles between the various Keys.

Arrived at Key West about 4:00PM, and checked into the Days Inn there. Seems clean and OK, but for $149, I guess it should be. Had a couple of hours until sunset so drove the outer perimeter highway around the Key, about 4 miles. Stopped at the most southerly point in the USA and took some pictures of the monument there.
Then sunset pics on way back to motel and dinner. The next morning drove along beach at sunrise to try for some sunrise pics. Some OK, but not earth shattering.

Then to breakfast at the Waffle House at Days Inn. Circle the Key again, and then head back along the Intercoastal Highway.
Several photo op stops along the way
Had planned on taking in a glass bottom boat ride at Key Largo, near the mainland, but it became increasingly clear that we would not make it for the 3:00PM sailing for a two hour ride, so we elected instead to visit the "Theater of the Sea" in Islamorada.
It was a 2 1/2 hour show that featured Parrots, Dolphins, Sea Lions, Alligators, Crocs, turtles, and more.
We had concidered staying a second night in a motel in Homestead, and then driving to Flamingo in the Everglades National Park, the farthest point south in the mainland USA, but Denice was contacted a rather nasty cold and I could feel one coming on so we just headed home to Lake Okeechobee. The next two days were a bit of a wash as we both came down with colds, an just felt Blah. Didn't feel like doing anything so we didn't.