Day 23 - April 9th

We left Fort Myers and drove across the everglades towards Miami.  This road (we think) is the infamous Alligator Alley.  Two lane blacktop surrounded by swamp on both sides.  During the wet season (that's not now) people frequently see alligators on or beside the road.  Folks told us the alligators like chicken, so we took one along in case we were attacked.  We were approached by a large bull alligator and threw the chicken at him.  The chicken chased him off.  This was one bad ass chicken.  It was surly and mean spirited.  During the entire ride, it just sat in the back of the van glaring at us, making rude noises and dropping feathers all over everything.  We were glad to be rid of it.  I had argued for a french poodle as alligators are also fond of them.  Howard has a soft spot for small dogs though.  By the time the chicken left us, I think he regretted his stance.The first pictures below were taken at Big Cypress National Preserve along the way.  Ranger explained that the gators like to stay close to the water now.

Next, we stopped at Gator Park where we took an air boat ride through the everglades.  Saw more alligators in their native habitat.  Fortunately, there was a guide to point them out or I don't think we would have seen any.  He explained that alligators spend most of the day laying around doing nothing.  They are not very sophisticated and their entire life consists to five activities - eating, pooping, sleeping, hunting and reproducing.  Like many wild animals, they tend to be more active at night.  They are cold blooded and need the sun's heat to maintain their bodily functions such as digestion. 

The airboat ride was followed by a show featuring several gators, a giant scorpion, giant toad and a legless lizard (they look just like a snake).  It was very interesting and we learned a lot about alligators.  I won't bore you with everything, but we found out the the sex of an alligator is determined by the temperature while the eggs are incubating - not by chromosomes.  If it's under 84 they are all females, if over 89, all males.  The "sport" of alligator wrestling is actually derived from the Indian method of capturing them.  The object is to tie the mouth closed and then turn them on their backs whereupon they pass out.  This enabled the Indians to capture a gator, take him home, but not have to kill and eat him right away.  They could keep what they were able to catch until one was needed for dinner.

Next, we drove on the Miami and met Bev's sister Lynne for drinks and lunch.  She took us back to her place which is situated right on the waterfront with a great view of the city.  It is an old hotel which has been converted to condos.  Really nice, and ideally suited to her life style as a flight attendant.  Good security, good neighbors and a 24hr. a day center of activity.  While we were there, she  hooked us up with a boat ride around the bay and let us do some laundry while we went for a swim in the pool.  We had dinner at an Argentinian steak house nearby - unique and very good.  Then she arranged a hotel room for us at a nearby hotel using some of her frequent stayer points.  What a gal!  Everyone in the complex knows Lynne.  Not just the neighbors, but the staff.