hello From Orlando - Part 5: The Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour

The Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour, founded in 1938 and situated just 15 minutes north of downtown Orlando, is a beautiful part trips that combine beautiful scenery, a bit of local history, some exposure near the local wildlife and vegetation taking a relaxing stroll slowly by 18 passenger pontoon boat, complete with expert (and sometimes humorous) narration provided by the ship's captain. The route takes you through 3 lakes: Lake Osceola, Lage and Virginia Lake Maitland. In this wonderful day with bright blue skies, the ship hit us past hundreds of beautiful water-front estates, many of which were originally built in 1920 and initially sold for $ 20,000, while the recovery of between $ 500,000 and more million boom Today Central Florida housing market. Even sheds are priced between $ 30,000 and $ 40,000. On Lake Virginia we came near where Rollins College, one of the top rated private liberal arts college in the southeastern United States, founded in 1885 by New England Congregationalists. Rollins College is the oldest recognized college in Florida, with a small student body of 1,700 students, located on 70 acres of beautiful Mediterraean Revival Campus. Our expert captain / guide, said the classes at the university is $ 38,000 and the ratio of pupils to teachers is 12:1. Apartments are located right next to the university today to sell between $ 450,000 to $ 1 million. As we approached the narrow Venetian canal leading from Lake Virginia Lake Maitland, our captain made us aware of all the vegetation growing interest along the canal: Egyptian papyrus, Spanish moss (a Airplant and not a parasite), Princess Flower, colored bougainvillea and resurrection ferns. We saw a great variety of birds such as osprey eagle, a bird, snake, great blue heron and great egret, which was to be the bird of good luck for the Seminole Indians. On Lake Maitland we learned that there was a cave from which 150 alligators were removed from the alligators in the Everglades of Florida to avoid a collision, in a dangerous place among the local wildlife and civilization. Along the Venetian Canal we saw varied ginger and banana trees, as we slowly passed under the arch Palmer Avenue Bridge. Philodendron, palmgrass, bamboo, a plant called firespikes and an interesting combination of "air potatoes", round tubers hanging from a tree branch, adorned our journey through the canal. At 450 acres and 30 feet deep, Lake Maitland is the largest of the 3 lakes covered by the boat trip. A dam water level control and interesting, all the lakes of northern discharge of St. John in the river, which flows into the Atlantic near Jacksonville. Kraft Azalea Gardens, located on Lake Maitland on Alabama Drive exit off Palmer Avenue, feature thousands of azaleas, tropical shrubs and trees. The azaleas are in full bloom from January to March. Our expert captain also pointed out several buildings that have been used as a backdrop in several movies and commercials. Lake Maitland also features several small islands with naked trees instead of searching the house colonies of cormorants, fishing birds that consume up to one kilo of fish per day. We slowly the way back from Lake Maitland to Lake Osceola, where our relaxing and scenic boat trip came to an end. This was a wonderful day that provide a fabulous trip proper historical context for a discussion of the beautiful city of Winter Park. The scenic boat trip, an institution in Winter Park for almost 70 years, is at the end of Morse Avenue, on Lake Osceola. This is a very comfortable trip $ 8 for adults and $ 4 for children (under 2 years travel free). Boat tours depart daily from 10-4 (except Christmas). For more information contact the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour To read the entire article, including photos, please visit the http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/orlando_winter_park_boat_tour.htm