Orlando without the Mouse

Orlando for me is a nice place to visit if you stay away from the mouse. It may be great entertainment for some but the crowds and over priced events are a real turn off for me. Recently Alex and I decided to take some well deserved time off by visiting Orlando and took some great pictures. So many in fact, that I will show them in three parts. The first part is a visit to the Sanford (Orlando metro) Zoo. As usual, click each photo for a better view.

One of the most interesting snakes on exhibit is this Red Spitting Cobra. Their chief form of defense is to spit venom in the eyes of an attacker. The venom is so powerful it can blind a man!

Notice that he came right over to the edge of his cage and began to focus on something to the left. As I was filming I moved my left hand out from my body and he was following that movement. It gives you an idea of just how focused they are in terms of mounting a defense.

Next, is a fairly famous snake. Famous because the Aruba Island Rattlesnake is featured on their currency and postage stamps.

Talk about blending into its surroundings, notice how this Southern Copperhead does just that.

And, just so you don't think it was only about snakes, I ran into these two Hyacinth Macaws who seemed to know the steps to take to get handouts from tourists.


They used their claws and beaks to climb the fence, and once at eye level, opened their mouths for any tasty treat you might be willing to provide.

This Zoo had something for everyone. They have a roped off section set up to let you practice your climbing and agility skills rope walking. Here I come!

Despite the fact they were not actual animals, I really liked this guy. I call him Poke-U-pine.

And just so you know, the entire day was not spent at the zoo. This particular area is loaded with lakes and I spent the remainder of the afternoon sitting out on this marina. The lake is so large you almost think you are near the sea. A nice end for the day...