Nature

Miami – Art, Beaches, Condos and: Everglades! For the first time, Thomas and me booked a trip in the Everglades. Best weather, sunshine and light wind from the southwest.

Our – or better: the internet’s choice – has been ‘Airboat in Everglades’ and we were happy to get a private tour on Sunday at short notice. A 40 minutes drive later we reached our destination and we hastily sprayed tons of sun and mosquito protection on our skins.

Starting point with the airboat has been north of the Tamiami Trail, right into the Water Conservation Area of the Everglades with our guide Stanley. Saw grass prairie is the main plant cover, besides some gulf cypresses, orchids… The boats are fast, “cruising speed” is up to 25 miles per hour but they speed up to 75.

This is really fast and you feel like being part of a Miami Vice or James Bond movie… Fear of falling off the boat? No, not at all. And if you would fall into the water – it is hip high for me, so what…

And when the motor is off you feel the heat, hear the wind slightly whispering through the grass. Fine tones, almost quiet.
Alligators have been around – did not see the big ones but one year olds.

Birds and ducks around as well. No flamingos, they live in another part of the Everglades – the region totally infra-structured with the classic tourist sensations. One region out of several of course – lots to discover. Not to forget a mini tiny (compared to the rest of the Everglades) American Native Reservation in the North.

These reservations have a story of their own – what we did not know and Stanley told us, is the fact, that on the islands in the Everglades the American Indians lived. Used their canoes all over the Everglades (and in summer, when the Everglades sometimes dried out?). Relicts have been found on these islands, pottery e.g. We had the possibility to step on one of these islands – “Watch out there are pythons!” Stanley warned – and have been surrounded by trees even Stanley did not know the name of… and only met a gecko.

Stanley, thank you for taking us and having made this tour a really personal one.
This text is for you (and your son who takes care of the boat).

A propos relicts: Even in Downtown Miami they discover relicts – old houses built on stilts
(no tipis?). And in this very specific American “l’Art pour l’Art” an investor bought the land and schwuppdi another site specific attraction has gone. OMG – no learning effect that these relicts could be money bringers as well? Hey, may be not the billions you’re blinded with
(not with science or by the light like some singers pointed out before…), but regarding a more social money making
LEARN – understand and honor the land and the people who lived there ever since.