Reptilian Souvenir Paradise

Been a while since I've posted, but we've been looking at houses, I've been trying to finalize the job hunt and generally been distracted. I'll post some recent stuff to stir the pot. We stopped by one of the hundreds of tourist shops just of I-95. This one has a taxidermied 13'6" alligator, several of his smaller friends (just the heads), and a handful of babies that get to swim around all day and look at their elder sibling's heads. In all my travels across this great country of ours, and even across several parts of the planet, I have yet to find a more densely packed, consistently cheesy, and brightly colored place for tourists to buy trinkets to remind them of their great visit. I say this with a big smile because I love cheese!!!

Florida Sportsman Expo and the Gheenoes

I took the kids to the Florida Sportsman Expo yesterday. Lots of industry representation and a few boat manufacturers were present to provide info on their products. Lots of lure companies - Stinky Fingers with the scent sponges, DOA, Unfair and some locals like J&T. Where I really learned some things were at the boat vendors. Beavertail, Maverick and Gheenoe had some really nice boats. I am hooked on the Gheenoe Low Tide 25 - I'm thinking of a tiller steer with covered front and back decks. I have to buy a house, some new furniture and other things in the near future, but this is close behind ;)

Orlando Outfitters

On the way back home, we made a pitstop in Orlando. We checked out some Asian markets (big and full of produce, fish and dry goods like yummy gummy candies), and since it was along the way, the flyfishing shop servicing the Central Florida area - Orlando Outfitters. I picked up some materials that I have not seen in some of the other shops I've been to recently (and usually had to order online) and an Abel lube kit. This is a nice shop with a lot of character - definitely stop in if you are in the area.

The Shell Factory

On our weekend trip down to Port Charlotte, we stopped into a tourist place called "The Shell Factory". This was classic roadside tourist catering at it's "Florida Finest" - you come for a shells (of which they had plenty)... And you stay for the fluorescent tshirts, Christmas ornaments, pirate equipment and the hundreds of taxidermied animals. Marlon spotted a jackalope amidst the lions, warthogs, deer and other animals (but we didn't get a picture). Good time!!!

The View from La's Camera

Same Englewood (Blind Pass) trip, but from La's phone.

Beach Combing at Englewood

We are visiting family down in Port Charlotte. We decided to check out another Gulf Coast beach at Englewood. It was super windy and that limited the shelling and fishing. Fun day nonetheless!