Day 49 - Florida

Day 49

November 29

White Springs, FL

Dear Miss Smith,
          Today we spent a whole day at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park near the Suwannee River. We almost got lost trying to find our way there, we all tried to find where we were to go but soon we had to admit that we were lost, I will tell you this though, we really enjoyed trying to find our way there.

Suwannee River

 Anyway,  we did arrive and we rented some bikes and took the dogs with us down the trial. The trail is not more 70 miles, but as you can guess, we did not go all the way there and back. We enjoyed the splendor of it all, the trees full of chattering squirrels, and the birds calling to one another.   It actually wasn’t that cold and it wasn’t that hot, with a gentle breeze brushing our faces.


 We decided to go the Stephen C. Foster Museum hisorical place and see the desk where Stephen C. Foster finished writing the song, "Old Folks at Home." He actually never saw the Suwannee River, but he needed a two-syllable word, so a friend told him to use the Suwannee River.

Bell Tower

            We then listened to a concert of bells playing some of Stephen Foster's songs. It was actually quite lovely. 

            Also we went to a gift shop with one-of-a-kind things inside, like baskets, purses, children’s toys, jewelry, Leather works, and a few blacksmith stuff. Grace exclaimed that the purses were exquisite, Amy admired the artwork of the many workers, and I ought a beautiful woodwork with wolves. Personally, I like wolves, so it fit me. Grace bought a pink purse with a gold chain. Priscilla decided that she didn’t need any more hats so she didn’t buy anymore. I couldn’t believe that some many things were handmade, though, many of the workers there were experienced and stuff, so I guess, they could make such lovely things.

We are heading for home now, We have said goodbye to Amy and Priscilla, and they promised Grace that they would ship her six purses to her. The things I bought weren’t many so I just packed them into my bag. I can’t wait till I am home again!

Sincerely yours,

Mikayla

Day 47 - Florida

Day 47

November 27

Miami, FL

Dear Miss Smith,
            Today we had the fun of our lives! First after we left the Everglades we went to the Miami Sea Aquarium.
            We all wanted to do the Sea Trek Reef Encounter. We were told we were not to wear jewelry if we were going to be going to participate in going into the water. I almost felt disappointment when they asked for glasses, I mean, who would want to miss out on all the fun and only get to see a blurry vision of every thing you wished to have seen. But then they told me I could have my glasses but every one wearing sunglasses were required to not wear them.

Another group in the water.

            All four of us gasped when we saw the helmets we were to use: They looked like an old-fashioned helmet they wear when they go into the ‘deep’, they were white, and suctioned to your shoulders, hooked to a blue hose, and looked like you had a alien antennae on the top of you head.  They had us wear diving suits.
            When we were ready, all of us tourists slid into the water where thousands of fish and rays, quietly and peacefully swam.

            The water was actually very pleasant to swim in. We all gasped as we slid farther into the cool water.  Other people were on the other side of a glass window, looking in on us. I started when a turtle of large size swam right up to where every one else was gathered.

            Amy, Priscilla, Grace and I enjoyed it all, the rays coming up real close and seem to look at you strangely then wander off, the fishes would just look then dart away with their mouths would open with supposed, huffing and puffing.

            After 20 minutes underwater we all had to climb out.

           We went over to a show where a Killer Whale and streaked white dolphins playing together and performing. The Killer Whales name was Lolita she was pretty magnificent. She and her trainer ‘walked’ on water, the dolphins did their own thing too.

We clapped at the end of the performance; delighted at the wonderful and amazing tricks they continued to do till they disappeared into their own little pool away from the people. Also we were given shirts from a friendly tourist who accidentally bought the wrong sizes for his four children. When he noticed that we were about the right size for the T-Shirts he asked us if we wanted them.

            We had lunch at one of the cafeteria’s restaurants, and then walked over to all sorts of different exhibits. We saw sharks and clownfish,

dolphins playing in the water, nosing the glass and ‘talking,' went to the Shark Channel and stared at the shark’s cold blue eyes,

saw manatees lazily float above the water, and visited Discovery Bay. Who knew there were such pretty and exotic things living in the water? God knew of course.

             We were going to spend sometime at Salty’s Pirate Grounds, where you could cool off but we didn’t have the time so we just went to the gift shop.

Priscilla bought a beautiful seaside hat, with a blue flower and blue ribbon. I bought a tote bag with red, white and blue pansy design. Grace got a sea star tan, purse with ‘Cs’ all around it, well they looked like Cs.  We even saw a lovely pen stand in the shape of a heart. I got it for my Mom; she would love it for her next anniversary.  I also bought a postcard to send to my family.

            We had a wonderful time at the Miami Sea Aquarium; I hope I get to see it again someday.

Till next time,

Mikayla

Day 44 - Florida

Day 44

November 24

Florida Keys, FL

Dear Miss Smith,
            Today is Thanksgiving! You would NOT believe the time we have had hiking and all sorts of fun stuff. 

            I guess I should tell you about the first place we went to today, we went to the Florida Key Heritage Trial, which has over 70 of trail! It goes from Key Largo to Key West. Mind you, we only went on half of the trail, also we rode bikes the whole way. It was a splendid time, nice and quiet and beautiful. There were several places we visited on our bike ride though we couldn't spend much time anywhere, Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, Crocodile Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, and last of all, Key West National Marine Sanctuary. The crocs were fun to look at though they frightened me when some of them tried to climb up onto the high wooden path above them. I do believe Amy liked to watch the majestic White Heron’s rise lightly off the water they had been resting by. The Marine Sanctuary was pleasant and we loved watching the fish streak past us. Priscilla just loved to look up at the animals that skittered up in the trees above us and would ask us all sorts of questions, which about none we had the answers to which when we answered them wrong we just laughed and laughed at some of the answers we gave.

            Then we went to a lovely resort, called Hawks Cay; quite different from any I have ever seen.

The kids play area was huge with cannons that blasted water, and a ship slide! We are staying at Marina Village,

one of the three other different places to stay, Sunset Village, Harbor Village, and Sanctuary Village. We have a wonderfully breath-taking view of ocean. The room we are staying in is quite large, big enough for 6 people to sleep in that one ‘room’ if you could call it that. It has a rear porch, and a front porch, 2 bathrooms, 2 bedrooms, and even a kitchen! I imagine that many of who stay here rarely ever uses the kitchen.

             For lunch we ate at Tom’s Harbor House, set up to look like an old fishing village, they had a varied menu, and we enjoyed every moment there. We had ice cream after ward. 

            We spent the rest of the day wandering around, enjoying the ocean’s salty breeze; I even got an evening picture of the sunset. Grace and I even wanted to go deep-sea fishing, while Amy and Priscilla wanted to go snorkeling; but as it is Thanksgiving, we highly doubted that we would be able to so we just relaxed.

Till next time,

Mikayla

P.S. I am sending you my sunset picture.

Day 27 - Louisiana

Day 27

Afternoon

Nov. 8

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Dear Mrs. Smith,

            Today we went to the Enchanted Doll Museum where we saw dolls from the early years to the today like the Madame Alexander doll.

            When we got to the doll museum I was sure that if we were younger we might have thought we were in heaven.

            The exhibits were behind glass so little girls wouldn’t try and take the valuable dolls.  Some however were out so they could touch them. My favorite of the exhibits were the storybook dolls. I like the dolls' dresses mainly. 

            I think Amy liked the "Gone with the Wind." Grace liked the "Seasonal Walk Through," where there were dolls for all seasons of the year. Priscilla really liked all the exhibits especially the little baby sleeping on the moon.

            They had one-of-a-kind dolls that you can never see any more, like the Madonna and the Archangel Michael.

In the gift shop we saw little furniture and big furniture for all sizes. There were tea sets with the colors from pink to light baby blue. 

 They had dolls from newborn to teen. [For some reason that just does not sound right] but the smallest dolls were about the size of a grown woman’s hand. There were dolls that had from medieval times to modern clothing. I bought Grace a beautiful little purse, and Amy a hat, and 

Priscilla's Doll

Priscilla a doll for her collection. (The hat looked like something Priscilla would wear.)

I really enjoyed walking through the past to the future, even if it was represented with dolls.

                                                Sincerely,

                                                Mikayla 

Day 26 - Louisiana

Day 26

Nov. 8   

New Orleans, Louisiana

 Dear Mrs. Smith,

            It has been quite fun so far, and we have been to the Audubon Aquarium, Zoo, and Insectarium. 

Golden Lion Tamarin

            First we went to the Zoo where we saw Monkeys that looked like Lions, gorillas, Flamingoes, from a bright pink color to white, and Rhino Birds.

Malayan Sun Bear

            My favorite is the Malayan Sun Bear, but Grace’s was the Miniature Donkey. It was not more than 36 inches. 

Amur Leopard

Amy however, I think she liked the Amur Leopard while Priscilla liked the blue and gold Macaw.

Macaw

            Of course they had the common ferret, found in a pet shop. But still it was fun to see the giraffe’s, and see the Lions, the Lemurs, and the alligators.

            In the Insectarium there was the Underground Gallery where we were ‘shrunk’ to the size of a bug. Priscilla thought the huge bugs were interesting, though I thought the large worm was a bit much. Amy and Grace did not seem to mind the big bugs on the walls and in the hallways.

            When we came to where real bugs were I was glad that they were small and not as big as the other ‘bugs’.  One of the prettiest was the pink Katydid. I admit it was kind of pretty but… I just do not like bugs. 

But I did like the blue morpho Butterfly.

            What was really funny was that when we stopped at the Tiny Termite Cafe to eat since Priscilla had worn her Bee Hive hat the Honey Bees in the glass exhibit on our table tried to get into her hat! 

            Then we moved slowly from exhibit to exhibit, commenting here and there on the odd bugs and butterflies we saw.

            Priscilla and Amy decided that we should move on to the Aquarium before 5:00 pm.

As soon as we got there I saw a large White alligator. “Wow, he looks like he been painted, then bleached” Grace said softly.

            “Yes and look at those spots,” Priscilla pointed out.

             We saw penguins, “African Penguins!” I gasped, looked at the board again.

             “Yep, but they are on the southwestern coast of Africa” Amy said looking down and reading.

            Then we saw the fish: Blue Surgeon, the common Clownfish, Lionfish, Potbellied Seahorse, sea Anemones, and Sharks. 

There were also some stingrays and turtles.

Smile!

 I really thought for second that the Blue Surgeon fish looked liked Dory in Nemo.

The day ended all too soon. And, to tell you the truth, I wanted to stay there longer!

Sincerely,

Mikayla