Bald Eagle at Merritt Island

Although far from a good photograph, I was still excited to capture this shot of a Bald Eagle on Merritt Island, shortly after exiting Black Point Wildlife Drive! Less than half an hour before I saw a Bobcat running across the road --the first time I have ever seen a Bobcat in the wild!

Despite dreary weather, it was a great day of adventure!

Blue Spring State Park

One of the day trips we took from Rockledge, Florida was almost 80 miles north to Blue Spring State Park in Orange City, near DeLand.


Blue Spring is the largest natural spring on the St. Johns River, has a constant temperature of 73 degrees, and is a refuge for manatees from mid-November to mid-March. Most of the manatees were gone last week, but we were still able to spot a couple while we were there.


To give you a perspective of one of the spring's natural swimming areas, click on the photo above and you'll discover the white and red object in the upper right corner is actually a snorkler!


The water is crystal clear and you can easily spot fish and manatees.


If you are going to be visiting central Florida, please be sure to put some of the state parks with natural springs on your list to check out.

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park

I have been wanting to see the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park for a long time and it did not disappoint me. This Scarlet Macaw strikes a 'Groucho' pose. (Actually, he was just scratching his head.)


As much as I love birds, this Blue and Gold Macaw was a foul-tempered fowl. It didn't like cameras or even those who stopped to say hello. It didn't take long for people to move on once it let out a couple of deafening squawks and leaned in to give you the evil eye. Beauty was definitely only feather-deep on this bird.


There are several species of alligator, caiman, and crocodiles on display at the Alligator Farm.


As well as a Komodo dragon.

This fellow was much more people-friendly.

Look at this awesome Bornean Crested Fireback Pheasant!

Sunning.

A Galapagos giant tortoise.

Other large tortoises take a lunch break.

You may click HERE to see a list of the exhibits at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park.

Ponce de Leon Springs State Park

Less than one hundred miles east of Pensacola Beach are stunning natural springs located within Ponce de Leon Springs State Park.


As you can see, the water is crystal clear, and it stays at a constant 68 degrees year round.


A large area is available for you to 'swim with the fishes' in nature's own swimming pool, created by the convergence of two underground water flows and which produces 14 million gallons of water per day.

And look what beauties you'll see when you visit this 'fountain of youth'.

You may learn more about Ponce de Leon Springs State Park, as well as other Florida State Parks, my clicking HERE.

St. Augustine Lighthouse

The beautiful St. Augustine, Florida Lighthouse and Museum is another great historical site to visit.


Approximately a six hour drive from the Pensacola area, this historical is open seven days a week.

Also impressive is The Keeper's Blog which is a collection of 'musings' and so much more from those who work at the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum.

A U.S. Lighthouse Station marker.

The St. Augustine Yacht Club located across from the lighthouse property.

Teotihuacan, Mexico

The name Teotihuacan, site of mysterious ruins less than 50 miles outside of Mexico City, is generally translated as the 'place where gods were born'.


We entered first through the Palace of the Jaguars.


The original designers/inhabitants of the massive site are still unknown and debated.

Mortar of the walls is decorated to resemble spots on a jaguar.

It is still possible to see color in the many murals throughout the site.

Incredible stonework.

Pink and green mural of a jaguar with feathered headdress holding a conch shell which appears to have been converted into a musical instrument.

More of the murals in the Palace of the Jaguar.

Temple of the Feathered Conches.

Murals of parrots within the Temple of the Feathered Conches.

If you look closely at the photo above you can see the head of a parrot.

Excavation and restoration continues.

In the Palace of Quetzalpapalotl.

Lintels, or rooftop ornaments, atop the courtyard of the Palace of Quetzalpapalotl.

Joaquin, our wonderful guide that day, show a treasured piece of obsidian he owns.

Pyramid of the Moon.

A series of platforms in the Plaza of the Moon.

One demonstration especially intrigued me. We watched as a beautiful crimson dye was made from cochineal insects who feed on certain cactus such as prickly pear.

The white clumps you see on the cactus are from insects which produce carminic acid to protect itself from other insects. It is that carminic acid which produces the color.

The gentleman smears circles of rich color on a piece of paper.

Here is a closer look. To read more about this method, you may click HERE.

Standing...I mean, sitting guard.

Plaza of the Moon.

Not for the faint of heart, climbing these steps. If you think it's difficult walking up, wait 'til you start walking down!

I wear a size 7.5 shoe and my feet barely seemed to fit these steps.

Avenue of the Dead

Pyramid of the Sun.

Giant agave plants were used for shelter, fiber, medicine, etc. For an excellent site which gives detailed information about how the pre-Columbian people in Mesoamerica cultivated agave, as well as more of its uses, you may click HERE.

Adobe bricks baked hard by the sun.

Tourists make the steep ascent to the Pyramid of the Sun.

Pyramid of the Sun.

The site stretches out before us. It continues to be excavated and studied for new clues to this once-immense city which may have had as many as 200,000 inhabitants.

Stopping to rest, I'm still in awe at details such as this on an ancient platform's steps.

I could spend days, exploring this vast complex, but it's time to say farewell and head south toward Puebla and Villahermosa.