We went to the Everglades Wonder Garden which has been here since 1936. They were one of the old roadside attractions that used to be all over Florida before Disney came. Signs from the gardens, 200 crocodiles, world's largest collection of souvenirs, Mark your territory in front of the restrooms with arrows to womens and mens. And flamingos. They used to have tropical gardens and rescue animals. The hurricane devastated the gardens, but they still have the animals. They are rebuilding the gardens.
John in front of a huge banyan tree. The reason I wanted to come was because you can hand feed the flamingos. Here I am surrounded by flamingos and ibis's. I love flamingos and this was such a thrill.
John hand feeding the flamingos and me with a bunch of ibis. They were all so cute and gentle.
A tropical tree with thorns on the trunk, I love the way the flamingos drink, they have to turn their heads upside down to get water in their beaks, a green heron fishing in the alligator pond. The alligators with green duck weed growing on top of their pond, a wood duck, a tortoise eating an orchid and the flamingos have yellow eyes.
Orchids, a 16 foot python, and an alligator walking. Usually they just lay there. In the gift shop there were mermaid eggs, just add water and hatch your own mermaid friend!, red flowers, purple flowers and yellow ones-these flowers are from our next stop, not the gardens.
Before we left I sat down on the nearest bench to check my phone and a peacock strutting his stuff.
We next went to the Koreshan State park with historic structures from the 19th century Koreshan utopian society. A self supporting community with communal living and property. They made their own electricity, feed the whole camp, did all the laundry, everyone was equal, including men and women. They were heavily into the arts. They believed that if they were celibate and lived a clean life they would live forever.
Dr Cyrus Deed brought his followers here in 1894 to build the settlement called New Jerusalem for the Koreshans. It was to be a utopia, a life without crime, tobacco or drugs. He was a Dr who experimented with new methods of medicine including electricity. One night he electrocuted himself into unconsciousness, when he awoke he said he had a vision and he was to be the messiah. One of his beliefs was that they earth was like the yolk of an egg and the solar system etc was inside the shell of the earth and we lived underground. Illustrations above. They were going to build a city for 10 million people in the shape at the bottom of the photo. There were lovely gardens and this bridge was part of the that.
John walking on another of the bridges. After seeing the historic buildings we walked on the trail. The giant bamboo was part of the gardens.
Giant bamboo, poisonous seed pods of the rosary pea, a native plant, orange trumpet flowers and turks cap. Sunset in camp.
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