Railway links are not in English
Welcome to this picture book from our journey to USA July 2004. This site consists of 10 pages, from each page you will find a link to the next at the bottom. Do you wish to jump, use the index below.
We wish you a lot of joy. Notice that all pictures are formatted to this presentation on the net, but if you wish a high resolution copy, please call upon me.

Orlando, Florida Williamsburg, Virginia and Washington dc. Maine and Chicago
Iowa Across the continent to Sacramento Oakland and San Francisco
Northern Californien and Pacific Oregon The Cascades in Oregon Tacoma, Washington

Miami, Everglades
1. - 4. July.



We left the Danish summer when it was cold and wet. First morning we arrived at the Ocean Drive at Miami Beach. This is the place to be seen and to see. And then the tourists like us, just looking at it.


Miami Beach. But Miami is also a busy harbour, both for freight and cruises. Container ships look so strange and even stranger from this point at the beach. It is still early morning, and the rental of decks and umbrellas has a slow beginning.


The absurd 20 dollars for rental of two chairs and an umbrella was well spend, considering the merciless sunshine. But the ocean was perfect, the sand white and nice.


The ladies have got their sunglasses on. The daughter approached shortly after an unpleasant jellyfish during the swim, and she got burned a few places.


Houses and hotels from the 30-ties have got fresh paint in the art deco fashion, including happy colours.


It was not a big surprise that Simon got sunburned. Here he lies with ice cubes on the red, burned shoulders. And of course we did use suntan lotion with a high factor. But is fragile skin just arrived from the cold north – it was meant to go all wrong.


We took the bus from Miami to the beach. Here we admire the busses. They were plenty, and they took gladly bicycles and disabled along.


This ingenious mechanism is remotely controlled from the drivers seat, and the driver dont move from his seat!


An elevated railway cruised around Miami Downtown, and all free of charge. The gates are left from early time, where someone bothered for the 25 cents they charge each passenger.


Here it comes. The Metro Mover in a single car version. The train is without driver and uses rubber wheels. They don’t move very fast or over long distances, but since we stayed at a hotel close to a station, they became very handy, especially when the heat diminished the pleasure of long distance walking. The local sheriff had an eye on the train to prevent homeless people to use the air conditioned trains too much.


Walking downtown Miami. The town centre turned very deserted on evenings. Notice the office on the right, advertising assistance to new immigrants. The half of Miami is Hispanic, and many are first generations immigrants from Cuba.


The view from our terrace at Port of Miami Hotel. Except from the noise from the Biscayne Blvd in front of the hotel, it was a fine place and is recommendable for the location and reasonable prices. It even had a rooftop pool, but we did not use it.


An evening thunderstorm over the Everglades. The setting sun accentuates the height of the cloud. The picture does not include some of the lightening, illumination the thundercloud in the middle.


Evening atmosphere at Key Biscayne, an island south of Miami Beach (and south of the luxurious and very private Fisher Island). This place is for common people.


Key Biscayne.


In a rented car on a one-day trip to the Everglades. The sign warns against the very rare Florida-panther. It did not show up this humid and hot day. But many other species appeared.


In the wet freshwater area right inside the East gate we reached the Royal Palm. Now we would meet the famous alligators! And yes, from the wooden footbridge we could observe a lot of alert heads but just visible.


Both big and small species appeared. In the centre of the picture you can observe a baby alligator on dry land.


A bird has strayed into the water and is caught by an alligator. It provoked a disturbance between the alligators, but the lucky one got its meal well positioned in the mouth before the friends could arrive and eventually interfere.


This fellow would have liked to get a taste. Only on full speed on this deep water the whole body will appear – else only eyes and nose.


This alligator is on shallow water, that why it is so visible. Notice the raindrops from a nearby thunderstorm. Lucky about this thunder, with a little rain the mosquitoes kept away and it was nice and cool.


This colourful giant grasshopper (12-15 cm. long) was more frightening to Nina. It was close, here on the fence, it means on THIS side and not the OTHER side.


West Lake is a brackish lake near the south most point of Florida. We went for a short walk in the mangrove. But the mosquitoes came out in a big number and made long studies of this nice area impossible.


Near the small township Flamingo there is also a small artificial lake. The birds are seen as small white dots around. The very active mosquitoes made the moments out of the ceiled and air conditioned car very short!


On our way north to Orlando. Amtrak’s second class Coach is providing us with good space also for long legs.


A view around the coach. Notice that all passengers are seated in the driving direction. They simply turns the whole train around at the terminus station.

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