I’ve probably been here a dozen times over the years, but I still have a good time whenever I’m here. Everyone who knows me knows that I like snakes and gators, so this place is like Disneyland for me. 🙂 So, some photos from a visit to Gatorland.

I can see right away that some things that used to be routine for me will be different for a while. All of the Walmarts here are no longer 24-hours, and one of my favorite parking spots here–a 24-hour Walmart–is now also listed as “no parking allowed”. So I’ll be bouncing around between a few … More Greetings From Orlando

[NOTE: I’ve blogged all these “how-to” posts before, but now that I am back on the road again WOO HOO! I am gonna re-run them on occasion, since folks may have missed them, and many of them have been updated or expanded since they were first posted.] There are two basic types of people who … More Life in the Van: Why Live in a Van?

As some may recall, the Canon Powershot SX60 that I had been using for years has gone to that big camera shop in the sky, and I wanted to replace her with a Powershot SX70, which is the latest model. Alas, nobody had it and everyone told me it would be on backorder for at … More Trying out the NEW New Camera

Between 1890 and 1930, if you purchased “Cuban cigars” anywhere in the United States, the odds are good that they didn’t really come from Cuba, but from Ybor City in Tampa Bay. In 1856, a young Spanish immigrant in Havana began making cigars. Vicente Martinez Ybor (pronounced “eeh-bore”) had left Spain at age 14 to … More Ybor City

So, after what is probably the worst year I will ever have, I am fully vaxxed, the pandemic is retreating, things are re-opening, and I’m ready to get back out on the road. The mobile home I have been in during the pandemic will now serve as my base camp. I’ve done a couple of … More I Should Be Back on the Road Soon …

My sister is down from Pennsylvania to visit for a little while, and since we can’t get to Disney (she’s a huge Disney fan but they are still under covid restrictions) I’m taking her to visit some other local stuff. One spot we went to is Zoo Tampa, and we did one of the Backstage … More Penguins!!!

My sister is down from Pennsylvania to visit for a little while, and since we can’t get to Disney (she’s a huge Disney fan but they are still under covid restrictions) I’m taking her to visit some other local stuff. One spot we went to is Zoo Tampa. Some photos.

My sister is down from Pennsylvania to visit for a little while, and since we can’t get to Disney (she’s a huge Disney fan but they are still under covid restrictions) I’m taking her to visit some other local stuff. One spot we went to is Bok Tower Gardens. In 1921 publisher Edward Bok decided … More Bok Tower Gardens

This National Memorial marks the spot where Spanish conquistador Hernando De Soto is believed to have landed in Florida in 1539. By 1536, with Ponce de Leon dead and Panfilo de Narvaez missing and presumed dead, King Carlos V of Spain needed a new Governor in the New World. The man he picked was Hernando … More De Soto National Memorial