Everglades National Park

Everglades National Park: Our backyard National Park. We went camping in Long Pine Key camp area and  then hiked the Anhinga Trail. There are so many birds and alligators around now. The ones on the Anhinga trail don't seem to be too afraid of humans either.

Double Crested Cormorant

Turkey Vulture

Alligators

Female Anhinga

Penguin Pajama party

We went to Motes Marine Lab for the Penguin Pajama Party. Motes brought in some black footed penguins for a few months. It was a fun time, even if we slept on the floor next to a bunch of fishes. I was a little disappointed we didn't sleep next to the penguins, but they were outside and it was cold. It's a pretty cool place, they also have other marine rescues like manatees and a dolphin that they are taking care of. 

Trying out a fish net

Rudy is the curious one!

Coaster and Oswald

Feeding time

Hi, I'm South!

More Atlanta area National Parks

We went to two outdoor parks today : Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield and Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. It was a very hot day , over 100, and we mostly stayed in the visitor center at Kennesaw and did the JR program inside. At Chattahoochee we went in the deliciously cool water.

Canadian Geese rarely make it to S. Florida

We got chicks!

We went to buy food for the quail and brought these two chicks home! I wasn't planning on bringing any home, but another woman said they were silkies because they were feather footed, and I had it in mind that I wanted silkies.

Baby woodpeckers

There's a woodpecker nest at my parent's house. I think they are red-belled woodpeckers but may also be downy. I managed to get a picture. You can see the red top just starting. There's more than one chick, but it's hard to take a picture down their nest!

The Champa kingdom is gone but not forgotten!

Pet bird at at restaurant

We are on a road trip to Nha Trang, after our stop at Mui Ne. This whole area was once controlled by the Champa, and was taken over by the Vietnamese slowly over centuries. Their culture was much more heavily influenced by India, and you can see that in their statues and stele. Sometimes I wonder about my own heritage, how much Indic heritage I could have.

Roadside Champa ruins

How they keep their chickens from running around.

Kid powered devices! No padded surfaces for these kids.

Kids love to play under the mosquito net.

Putting up holiday decorations.

Sitting in the park in front of our hotel in Nha Trang.

Monkey in the park

More Champa ruins in Nha Trang

Tháp Bà Po Nagar - Temple to Lady Po Nagar


This is still actively used as a place of worship, for Buddhists now, but it was a Hindu temple. The Hindus seem to have a fondness for phallic objects, which I did take pictures of. Also there are plenty of breast sculptures too, and I brought home a souvenir for hubby that is both phallic and mammary.

Unknown fuzzy critter