More Than Birds

And the sign said,

Crocodile Crossing

Yes, despite what you may have seen here, Florida is more than birds, birds, birds, birds, birds, birds, birds, birds, birds, birds, birds, birds, birds, birds, birds, birds, birds, birds, birds, and more birds.

It’s also reptiles in unexpected and disturbingly close places.

It’s amazing bridges in its coastal cities, some of which are built on the deltas of impressive rivers, and 42 of which are built to connect the Florida Keys by road.

It’s lizards lurking in startling places, like under bridges where someone might go to take a picture.

It’s stunning contrasts: amazingly tacky coastal development and breathtakingly lovely coasts, along the same stretch of highway; and wonderful wildlife centers in the middle of built-up urban centers.

It’s special racks to stack boats.

It’s learning what these bumper stickers mean . . .

It’s the oldest city in the USofA, with an alligator farm that has been running continuously since 20 May 1893, or almost 125 years.

It’s a sense of history even in unprepossessing places.

It’s the southernmost point in the USofA.

It’s poetry carved into the sidewalk.

It’s the smallest church in the USofA. Oh wait, that was Georgia. But it could have been Florida.

It’s the start/end/Mile 0 of US 1, which may be the most-stolen road sign in America, no matter how many bolts they use.

It’s the first/last bar on that selfsame US 1.

It’s punny signs.

It’s feral chickens in the streets of Key West: Chickens, we were told, that were set free when cockfighting was outlawed, and which are now protected under “wild bird” legislation. Unintended consequences, anyone?

It’s cattle egrets everywhere. Everywhere. They’re the Florida equivalent of seagulls, or maybe starlings.

It’s the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere.

It’s eating key lime pie in its home: Key West FL.

It’s eating royal red shrimp in Titusville.

It’s never getting around to trying a lobster reuben, or to eating at Twisted Shrimp or at Ciao Hound.

Maybe next time.