| The Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour, founded in | | | | Bridge. Philodendrons, palmgrass, bamboo, a |
| 1938 and located just 15 minutes north of | | | | plant called firespikes and an interesting |
| downtown Orlando, is one of these lovely side | | | | arrangement of "air potatoes", round tubers |
| trips that combine beautiful scenery, a bit | | | | hanging down from a tree branch, adorned our |
| of local history, some close-up exposure to | | | | journey through the canal.At 450 acres and 30 |
| local wildlife and vegetation with a relaxing | | | | feet deep, Lake Maitland is the largest of |
| outing in a slow-moving 18-passenger pontoon | | | | the 3 lakes covered by the boat tour. A dam |
| boat, all complete with expert (and sometimes | | | | controls the water level and interestingly, |
| humorous) narration provided by the boat's | | | | the lakes all drain northwards into the St. |
| captain.The tour takes you through 3 lakes: | | | | John's River which flows into the Atlantic |
| Lake Osceola, Lage Virginia and Lake | | | | near Jacksonville. The Kraft Azalea Gardens, |
| Maitland. On this gorgeous day, with | | | | located on Lake Maitland on Alabama Drive off |
| brilliantly blue skies, the boat whisked us | | | | Palmer Avenue, feature thousands of azaleas, |
| past hundreds of beautiful water-front | | | | tropical shrubs and trees. Azaleas are in |
| estates, many of which were originally built | | | | full bloom January through March.Our expert |
| in the 1920s and originally sold for $20,000, | | | | captain also pointed out various mansions |
| while fetching between $500,000 and several | | | | that have been used as backdrops in various |
| million in today's booming Central Florida | | | | movies and commercials. Lake Maitland also |
| real estate market. Even boathouses are worth | | | | features several small islands with rather |
| between $30,000 and $40,000.In Lake Virginia | | | | naked looking trees that house colonies of |
| we came up close to the grounds of Rollins | | | | cormorants, fishing birds that consume up to |
| College, one of the top rated private liberal | | | | a pound of fish a day.We slowly made our way |
| arts colleges in the South Eastern United | | | | back from Lake Maitland to Lake Osceola where |
| States, founded in 1885 by New England | | | | our relaxing and scenic boat tour came to an |
| Congregationalists. Rollins College is the | | | | end. On this gorgeous day it was a fabulous |
| oldest recognized college in the state of | | | | outing that provided an appropriate |
| Florida with a small student body of 1,700 | | | | historical context for a further exploration |
| students, housed on a beautiful 70 acre | | | | of the beautiful city of Winter Park.The |
| Mediterraean Revival Campus. Our expert | | | | Scenic Boat Tour, a Winter Park institution |
| captain / tour guide mentioned that tuition | | | | for almost 70 years now, is located at the |
| at the college is $38,000 and the ratio of | | | | end of Morse Avenue on the shores of Lake |
| students to professors is 12:1.Condos are | | | | Osceola. It is a very affordable outing at $8 |
| located right next to the college, selling | | | | for adults and $4 for children (children |
| today for between $450,000 to $1 million. As | | | | under 2 ride free). Boat tours run every day |
| we approached the narrow Venetian Canal that | | | | from 10 am to 4 pm (except Christmas). For |
| would take us from Lake Virginia to Lake | | | | further information contact the Winter Park |
| Maitland, our captain made us aware of all | | | | Scenic Boat Tour.Susanne Pacher is the |
| the interesting vegetation growing alongside | | | | publisher of a website called Travel and |
| the canal: Egyptian papyrus, Spanish moss (an | | | | Transitions ( Travel and Transitions deals |
| airplant and not a parasite), the Princess | | | | with unconventional travel and is chock full |
| flower, colourful bougainvilleas and | | | | of advice, tips, real life travel |
| resurrection fern. We saw a variety of birds, | | | | experiences, interviews with travellers and |
| including an Osprey eagle, a snake bird, a | | | | travel experts, insights and reflections, |
| great blue heron and a white egret, which | | | | cross-cultural issues, contests and many |
| used to be the good luck bird of the Seminole | | | | other features. You will also find stories |
| Indians.On Lake Maitland we learned that | | | | about life and the transitions that we face |
| there was an alligator cave from which 150 | | | | as we go through our own personal life-long |
| alligators were removed into the Florida | | | | journeys.Submit your own travel stories in |
| Everglades to prevent a rather dangerous | | | | our first travel story contest ( and have a |
| collision between local wildlife and | | | | chance to win an amazing adventure cruise on |
| civilization.Along the Venetian Canal we also | | | | the Amazon River."Life is a Journey Explore |
| saw variegated ginger and banana trees, as we | | | | New Horizons". |
| slowly passed under the arched Palmer Avenue | | | | |