Friday, November 20, 2009

Day Two – Birds, Fish and String Rays Oh My!

Up early and out the door the door. This was amazingly easy as all we needed was our swimsuits, everything else was to be provided (YES we did grab coffee at the Starbucks in the lobby, no way I was passing up an Americano). Discovery Cove does a nice job of hiding away on a mass of trees and bushes. everything there is designed to relax you, form the large tropical themed reception area, where they take your picture for your park ID tag that you hang around your neck for the day. Then the doors open and you enter into the lush park. IMGP0615-178

The hosts directed us to the suiting area. Wet suits IMGP0492-55or vests were the order of the day. we grabbed vests, masks & snorkels, then headed for breakfast. Basic fair,, muffins, fruit, etc. They even provide the suntan lotion as it’s an all nature by Panama Jack so that no oils can do harm to the birds and fish. first stop of the morning (overcast no sun yet) was the aviary. We were greeted by this guy. 

Then a few other feathered friends dropped in. This one “party mask” was like an 80’s punk rocker.

IMGP0474-37 then it was time for a swim around the tropical reef.

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there were schools everywhere.

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then it was String Ray time!!!

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Petting and feeding time

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I got a little close.

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I loved every minute of the day. An experience that I will not forget for sometime. Now I feel that I have to get Simmy down to the Keys and snorkel a live coral reef. She needs to see that this was but a small sample of the real thing.

 

Evening with an old friend

My wife’s friend Rosemary came up for the evening. I knew Rosemary years ago through a friend who dated and married a friend of Rosemary ( Hey Shelly! ). We headed back to Downtown Disney to one of our old haunts… Wolfgang Puck’s. You MUSIMGP0622-185T HAVE the Butternut Squash soup. We used to drive up some nights just for a bowl of this wonderful soup. 

After dine we walked through Downtown until we got to the bridge to Pleasure Island and back to House of Blues. Then it was over and time to fall into bed. The next day we were heading to my favorite Disney park… Animal Kingdom.

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