It is Friday and Dad and I are determined to see some alligators and the Everglades. Boy do we ever....

We head out of Naples and are ready to see the Everglades! We decide not to drive the interstate but to take highway 41 and the scenic route. Oh my goodness....

Once into the Cypress area and this particular highway we come across a state park. We decide to take a tour of the park. We pay our fee and ask the attendant what there is to see in the park. Instantly she swats at a mosquito and says.... we have mosquitos. YES THEY DO!! We get out long enough to look at a huge dredge that was put into place to build the Tamiami Trail. The highway that runs from Tampa to Miami. I have so much respect for the people that made this highway a reality. You will come to understand why ... shortly.

The mosquitos here are annoying and make our visit of the dredge very short. But this piece of machinery is very impressive. They used it to pull up dirt from the swamps so that a highway could be put into place.

From here we drive and find an airboat operator. Dad and I are both curious and decide to check it out. When I go into the office there are two drivers and the front desk person present. The back door to this building is open and the lady at the desk tells me to take a peek outside. Right outside the back door... not six feet away is a lovely 7 foot alligator basking in the water. Further out in the lake is another alligator and in another body of water nearby is a small baby alligator. Ok.. alligators spotted!

We take an hour long airboat ride and that is a blast. We see a huge snapper turtle that our driver tries to catch, bald eagles - 2 of them, and a baby gator. It is great fun! The driver, Frank, was born and raised out here and tells us about his fishing hole, frog gigging, and various other outdoor activities enjoyed in these parts.

Now.. in these parts... when a mosquito monitor has its arrow pointed to "High", for your own sake, take this monitor very seriously. Dad and I decide to take our cameras and visit this boardwalk. Not six feet past the mosquito monitor we are annoyed by mosquitos. By the time we get to the boardwalk we are covered in mosquitos and walking at a VERY brisk rate. I really want to check out this walk but the mosquitos are beyond belief. Dad and I both are covered... literally black.... with mosquitos. I have the goosebumps right now just thinking about it. We try to outwalk them but they are calling in reinforcements.

I was walking in the front... taking the lead and the spiderwebs out of our way. Dad tried to stop and take a picture of a swamp lily..... wrong choice. As I turned around to see how he was doing all I saw were the bottom of his white tennis shoes! He was trying to yell but his mouth had been taped shut, his hands were tied, and he was a good 6 feet in the air! Those damn mosquitos had bound and gagged him while I wasn't looking and were flying away with him! There was a squadron beginning to get me in their crosshairs. I grabbed Dad's shoe, pulled him out of their grasp, untied and ungagged him and we ran! Those damn mosquitoes were not getting us.

We barely made it to the car and sped out of the drive for this boardwalk. Two other visitors were turning in just as we were pulling out.... they were our diversion. We did not warn them.... may god be with them.

Mosquito carcasses covered us and we had taken some serious hits. Today I look like I have chickenpox or something from all those bastards bites. I will never again take a mosquito monitor lightly.

After the Cypres area there is an Indian reservation. No disrespect but this part of the highway is kind of like the twilight zone. No homes, no businesses, gas stations are shut down, nothing but water, alligators, and water. We do manage to find the smallest roadside National park service run visitor center.

When we do manage to find a restaurant we are more than pleased. We step inside and enjoy some food. I had an Indian taco and Dad had an Indian burger. They were fabulous!

Just as quickly as we found ourselves in the middle of nowhere.... so did we find ourselves in the middle of Miami.

We got checked into our hotel, got showered and went to find a place for dinner. We found a lovely little italian restaurant - Basilico´s. Our waiter informed us that emails had been sent out to explain that only fresh pasta dishes were being served that night. In case we did not get that email, implying that this too was a locals dining destination, he explained that the chef was making fresh pasta (which he was - right in front of the entrance he was there with his pasta maker and displaying raviolis and linguinis being made VERY fresh) and these were the only menu items. Plus they had an exquisite center cut pork chop dish. Dad got the pork chop and I got the ravioli. Neither of us were disappointed. By the time we were leaving the place was filling up fast. All of the waiters knew everyone by name and shared short friendly conversation. Ok... Dad and I know how to pick a place to eat.

We both retired to our room and at least one of us was fast asleep.... Dad. I tossed and turned and thought on the events of the next day. My trip to Guatemala.