Becky and I always love to find a few additions to add to our home on our vacations. Not only does it add a little beauty to the house, but it provides a reminder of our travels. We found lots of work we liked along the avenue, but most of it was well beyond our price range. When we entered the first gallery and found works starting at $12,000, we knew we wouldn't be purchasing much art on this trip. However it was fun just to window shop, and we did find a few things that wouldn't force you to take out a second mortgage on the house.

We bought a serving platter in the shape of a fish, a star dazzler (a candle holder that creates stars on your ceiling and walls), and a miniature pottery cat at one gallery. They were created by a set of husband and wife artists from Door County Wisconsin named Judy and Larry Thoreson. They traveled to Naples about 10 years ago. The loved Naples so much, they decided to spend their winters there. They also opened up a gallery that operates year round. During the winter, they make their creations in the workshop in the back of the gallery. They are best known for their works with pottery lighthouses, but in recent years they have expanded their line to include all sorts of pottery designs.

After eating a quick lunch in Naples, we headed back up to the Fort Myers area. With it being off-season here, most of the attractions close by 4 or 5 pm. We located one that stayed open a bit later - The Shell Factory. In all the brochures we found at the local eateries, it sounded great. They have live animal displays, an aquarium, a shopping area, and other activities for the entire family the advertisements exclaim.

After our arrival at the Shell Factory, we quickly learned that it was the typical low-class roadside attraction. The animals were kept in cages too small to be humane. We immediately decided that we would not pay an entrance fee to this area and support their "animal display." The shops were closed for inventory, but looking in the windows we learned quickly that we only missed out on a bunch of kitsch. We did take advantage of snapping a few photos with their giant fiberglass animals. (A must-have for any "good" roadside attraction.) Amanda enjoyed the merry-go-round quite a bit, too.

We wound up the evening by dining at The Bridge. (Warning! Obligatory food talk coming!) It was a great seafood restaurant situated on the gulf side shoreline of downtown Fort Myers. In addition to fine dining, we also got a little entertainment. Right after we sat down, the table next to us was filled with 5 diners who had already imbibed way too much for the evening. Eavesdropping on their conversation was quite humorous. At one point, we even thought one of the women was getting ready to disrobe.

It doesn't look like I'm going to get to scuba dive on this trip. Thanks to all of the turmoil in the Gulf, the dive operations aren't running any trips. The water has been stirred up too much for any clarity, and you never know when the next rain deluge is going to begin. I was afraid that the diving might fall through this time around. Hurricane season is not the best time to schedule a dive trip.

Sharon and Jerry are headed back to the beach tomorrow. I've gotten a bit of a sore throat and cold, so Becky and I are going to explore Fort Myers instead. We'll hook up with the Picketts in the afternoon and check out the Imaginarium. I'll fill everyone in tomorrow. 'Night!Click here for today's pictures.

Today has been a long one, so I'll let the pictures tell the story. Be sure to check out the link to Sanibel and Captiva Islands to learn a bit more about these beautiful and quaint Florida vacation spots. I think we are headed out to Naples tomorrow. More details then...

After breakfast, we planned out our route and put it into Microsoft's Streets and Trips 2002. Using it in combination with my GPS we are able to preplan our day's drive and follow the car as it moves over the mapped out route. It has been great at keeping us on route and finding the various stops. Plus, it fulfills my need for Geekdom. As the icing on the geek cake, we have also been using our FRS radios to communicate between the two vehicles as we move from place to place.

Since we were driving straight through the now infamous Alligator Alley in the Everglades, we thought we should stop at a couple of the attractions along the way. We chose the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum and Billie Swamp Safari. Both attractions are in the Big Cypress Reservation which is controlled by the Seminole Tribe. Initially we thought both would be exactly what you imagine in a typical roadside attraction. We quickly learned that the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum was actually a very nice tribute to the Seminole nation and a great museum. The Billie Swamp Safari was more what we expected.

The museum tour started with an orientation film. You were then asked to walk through the gallery and see many dioramas outlining early Seminole life and displaying their artifacts. I think the best part was the one and a half mile nature walk behind the museum. It was through a cypress dome and gave you an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the Everglades and get an idea what it might have been like to live there one hundred years ago.

Along the walk, the museum had plaques pointing out the huge variety of plant life in the Everglades and gave you insight into how the Seminole people utilized those plants in day to day life. Plus, Amanda loved running from station to station and counting out loud as she discovered a new number. She informed us early on that she was the "line leader," and we needed to follow her.

After spending a couple of hours at the museum, we moved on to Billie Swamp Safari. This stop met many of our preconceived notions about roadside stops. It was more about displaying alligators, snakes, and crocodiles. They also have wildlife demonstrations, swamp buggies, and airboat rides -- for a small fee of course. (Their animal demonstrations include alligator wrestling - the most legitimate of all animal interaction...)

We didn't spend much time there. Jerry and I might have tried an airboat ride, but the rain started to come down hard shortly after our arrival. After seeing one soaked family return from the ride, we decided it might be best to wait for another opportunity to try out the fan-powered swamp boats. I'm sure the $12 for 20 minutes price didn't help either. (See, Stephen - I don't always spend like crazy!)

After our Everglades stops we got back on the road to Fort Myers. We stopped in Naples at Porky's Last Stand for some sweet tea and BBQ. (Look - food details again!) They even had Peanut Butter Pie. God Bless the South! To complete our food adventure for the day, we went to a Twistee Treat for an ice cream cone. I was more attracted by the building than I was the ice cream. After all, how often do you get to see a 20 foot tall ice cream cone? We forgot to bring the camera, but I'll get a snap before we leave. After all, since it involves food, I'm sure we'll be back.

It is getting late and I should run. We are headed to the beach tomorrow, so I'm sure it will be an early morning. Click here for the pictures we taken so far.

I love Southwest Airlines. More companies should operate like they do. I don't have any complaints about the service, the people who worked the flights, or any aspect of the flights. However, flying from Dallas to Fort Lauderdale was quite an experience. It really makes you appreciate direct flights! Damn the Wright Amendment!

We flew from Dallas to New Orleans first. Then after a two and a half hour layover, we jumped on the next 737 and headed to Tampa. We didn't have to disembark in Tampa, but it was another stop. The final leg was from Tampa to Fort Lauderdale. So - in total - we started at Love Field at 8:00 am, and we walked into our final airport at 4:50 pm.

After checking in at the Red Roof Inn, we decided it was time for grub. We returned to a restaurant we ate at last time we were in Fort Lauderdale - the Rustic Inn Crabhouse. (Although, when we left the hotel, we weren't sure if it was the same restaurant or not.) They have some of the best seafood I've ever had! Obviously crabs are their specialty, and we tried to take advantage of it. After stuffing ourselves to a point it was difficult to move, we headed back to the rooms for much needed rest.

We are headed for Fort Myers tomorrow. Look for an update of Texans Wandering Florida then.