Florida July 2000 Trip

Just 3 days after we got back from R2K we took a short 1000+ mile trip down to Florida to see my parents and relax just a bit. We drove down to the west coast of Florida and stayed in New Port Rickey.  It is not easy to find hotels which allow fuzzy little people on the beaches :(  We spent a day each in Tarpon Springs, Weeki Wachee and Homosassa Springs.

Tarpon Springs has a wonderful Greek Community, Sponge docks and great Greek food.  We went through the little Aquarium, took a boat cruise, toured the museum and ate a wonderful Gyro.

The second day went to Weeki Wachee and saw the Mermaids. I was disappointed, the park has been downsized and the mermaids have been modernized (if that is what you call it).  In the past, they treated it has a myth and tried to maintain that image, but now the costumes are multi-colored and non-realistic.  They even did most of their show without tales at all. I enjoyed it much more when they had real mermaids :)  The water park was nice, it was definitely refreshing to get wet in the 100+ degree temperatures.

That night we went to my parents for my dad's birthday. My nephew & his girlfriend were there. After dinner we headed out for the fireworks display.

The next day we went to Homosassa Springs, home of the Manatee. They have a small zoo type thing there, with only animals native to Florida except a hippo from the movies.   

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Georgia border 		fl70072S.JPG
Chattahoochee River 		fl70073S.JPG
Florida border 		fl70074S.JPG
Cute old bug in Tarpon Springs
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Alligator 		fl70079S.JPG
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Eel 		fl70083S.JPG
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Tarpons Springs docks 		fl70089S.JPG
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Sponge diver 		fl70092S.JPG
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sponge boat 		fl70008S.JPG
sunset on honeymoon island
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Naomi 		fl70047S.JPG
Mitch 		fl70249S.JPG
Weeki Wachee Park 		fl70250S.JPG
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Otter
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Raccoon 		fl70267S.JPG
Goat
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Manatee
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