DUCK TOURS

There are many ways for tourists to see the sights in our city. This particular operator, FORT LAUDERDALE DUCK TOURS offers "amphibious tours by both land and sea" in the same vehicle. This group was picked up from THE DRIFTWOOD BEACH CLUB. They were treated to "a fully interactive and narrated adventure by DUCKtainers." It is a great way to see the historical sites, spectacular waterfront homes, and Mega Yachts. If you plan to visit our city and need a place to stay and something to do, click either of the above links. You won't be disappointed.

SKYWATCH FRIDAY-DANCING WITH THE GODS

The placement of this statue is most unique. You can't help but view it while looking at the heavens both day and night. It is a nice addition to SKYWATCH FRIDAY.

HOW MANY SIR?

People do a lot of things to draw attention to their business. They also do things to differentiate them from other similar places. This is a cafe in an otherwise nondescript building. As you are driving down the street, one cannot help but notice this little gal out front. Just a little slice of Americana.

DODGEBALL

I'm not quite sure about this. If you are like me, you probably played Dodgeball in the schoolyard. I never thought that there could be a tournament or that it had a life beyond the third grade. Well, if you have any interest in participating, the number is on the sign.

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL

This is for all the viewers in the Northern Hemisphere who are suffering thru the worst winter in a generation. Keep the faith, spring is coming. This was shot yesterday in our garden. You may view other MY WORLD TUESDAY participants by clicking the link.

RAILROAD BRIDGE

This is, obviously, a photo of a railroad bridge. We have many bridges that go up for boats to pass under. This one is lowered for trains to pass over the New River. What is not so obvious, This bridge is in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale. From this angle, you cannot see any buildings or landmarks to indicate that.

MOTHER AND CHILD

A small, unobtrusive piece of art I saw. While it does not rival what you might see on the other side of the "pond," it is pleasant to look at.

17th STREET BRIDGE

This is another shot from underneath the 17th Street Bridge. There is a small park area where you can sit and watch the bridge go up and all the boats go by. It really is quite nice and something most residents are unaware of.

SKYWATCH FRIDAY-17th STREET BRIDGE

This is a shot from underneath the 17th Street bridge. It is a draw bridge and those are the barricades that come down to prevent traffic from approaching. It is certainly a different view of the bridge. You can see more SKYWATCH participants by going here.

CINEMA PARADISO

This is Cinema Paradiso in downtown Ft. Lauderdale. It plays host to the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. It also shows films from around the world many in their U. S. premiere. It is named for the Italian movie of the same name. It celebrated youth, friendship, and the everlasting magic of the movies. A great place to spend an evening.

THE PHILEMON NATHANIEL BRYAN HOUSE

This is another of the original houses constructed in our city. It was built using locally made hollow concrete block. The style is Colonial Revival which was very popular at the time. During World War II, it served as a boarding house for young women whose husbands were in the service. It is, also, the oldest remaining example of residential masonry architecture in the city.

THE NEW BEACH-FRONT

Fort Lauderdale Beach used to be comprised of many small one to three story hotels and motels. As more and more people escaped the type of winters like this year's, a lot headed here for a little warmth. The old places were bought out and larger and larger ones arose. This one is brand new and has some interesting lines. Unfortunately, you won't find any college students renting rooms here over spring break. The rooms are far too expensive for that.

PLAY TIME

This is one of the flag poles on the side of PARKER PLAYHOUSE. For over 40 years it has been the site for many a Broadway touring show, concerts, and other cultural events. There are many interesting statues on and around the building. More will be seen here from time to time.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

This is another of our unusual mailboxes. There are quite a few of these Manatee style mailboxes around. People dress them in seasonal or holiday costumes which adds a bit of whimsey to the day. 

SKYWATCH FRIDAY-PARROTS

Today is the first day of THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT. Today is also SKYWATCH FRIDAY. 

LIFEGUARD STAND

The ocean was a little rough the other day. The wind was blowing ESE so there were strong rip currents. Many a strong swimmer has drowned not knowing how to deal with them. This time of year we also get Portuguese Man o' War. If you have ever encountered one of these, you won't soon forget it. Their sting leaves red welts and intense pain. These are the reasons for the red and blue flags.

VICTORY GARDEN

This is how we grow vegetables in our backyard. Our growing season starts in fall and ends in spring. The summers are simply too hot. Our soil contains pest Nematodes that make it difficult to grow a vegetable garden in the ground. You may learn more about Nematodes by going here. 

We simply use 5 gal. containers, drill holes for drainage, add soil and seed. As you can see, my wife is having good luck with tomatoes this season. We also have beans, radishes, and other things. The product is organic, delicious, and rewarding.

RUBY PRINCESS

This is the newest ship in The Princess Cruise Line. She is just a year young and cost over $400 million dollars (US). She is 951 ft (290m) in length, has 19 decks and can do 23 knots (43km/h). With a crew of 1200, your ever wish can be met. 

She cruises The Caribbean in winter and does the transatlantic route to Europe in the spring. You can set sail from here to Barcelona on April 11 and/or return from Venice on October 11. 

All the ships in the Princess line have live webcams on their bridges. You may follow this link to their site and page down to BRIDGE CAM  and have a look. And one more thing, to get a better idea of the size of the Ruby Princess, click the above image and look directly under the bow. 

MOOVING SALE

Alright, no mooving jokes! It is amazing what people will do to draw attention to their place of business. It probably didn't help this particular store. They lost their lease and will be mooving in spite of the cow. He was hard to miss.

SAINT DEMETRIOS

This is a follow-up to yesterday's post. This is a full shot of the back of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church. It really is a beautiful building from this direction more so than from the front. The festival last night was filled with good food, lots of dancing, and constant shouts of OPA!

MURAL

Churches have historically been the repository of great art. There are countless examples in DAILY PHOTO. The one downside is that they are usually inside the church. This particular mural is located outside. I like the way that JESUS appears to be balancing on the post. There is a lot of symbolism there if you care to indulge. This is a Greek Orthodox Church that happens to be having their winter festival this weekend. Guess who is keeping an eye on the events? Opa!

SPORT FISHING

This is the time of year when  Sailfish are prevalent in our offshore waters. Many of the "well healed" enjoy this questionable sport. Most anglers practice "Catch & Release" with these magnificent creatures.  If you have ever seen one come out of the water chasing his dinner, you won't soon forget it. You too can partake but your going to need one of these. You can buy  or charter one. Our Marinas and homes are loaded with them. The Sailfishing is best when the winds are blowing and the seas are rough. If you want to join in, bring your Dramamine and your credit card. I, personally, wish the fishermen would just leave them alone. 

HISTORICAL HOMES

This is THE KING-CROMARTIE HOUSE. It was built in 1907 by Edwin T. King. He was a boatwright and an early citrus grower. He was also the town's first builder. This was his third home which he built on the south bank of the New River. It remained in the King family until 1968. It was constructed with Dade County pine. The house is a four-square Georgian style. It was originally one-story, a second floor was added in 1911. It was barged to this site in downtown in 1971 to save it from demolition.

ART

I was driving down the street the other day and caught this out of the corner of my eye. It is not the type of thing you would see on PARIS or ROME DAILY PHOTO. It did get my attention and I did stop to look at it. Isn't that one of the purposes of city art? 

BUILDING ART

I saw this on the side of an otherwise nondescript building. It is in a neighborhood that has warehouses and small businesses. Very unexpected but greatly appreciated. It adds a lot to the area.

PATHS & PASSAGES:SUNDAY MORNING

People have many different things to do on a Sunday. This couple picked a good spot on the New River to watch the boats go by and people watch. This section of downtown is called Riverwalk. A very pleasant way to spend a lazy Sunday.