MORE PICTURES FROM CELEBRATION



Anhinga.  They must dry their wings in the sun.  They look a lot like a cormorant, but they have a 'spear' shaped beak.  Cormorants have a hook at the beak end.

Snowy Egret.  He has a black beak and orange feet, while the great egret has just the opposite - orange beak and black feet.

Looking along dock at lake one, where people frequently are fishing.  The Celebration Hotel is in the distance.  My back is to the town center, just across the street from the Market Street Cafe.

2011 Fri. Jan. 28
After breakfast, we finished packing and checked out of the Star Island resort. To use up time until checking in at the Cypress Palms resort, we went to the Mall at Millenia. It’s smaller than the Florida Mall and has more upscale stores like Gucci, Tiffanys, etc., and is much prettier and less crowded. Lunch at Panera Bread. We shopped a little for Daniel’s birthday present, walked a lot, read our books, and (of course) had coffee and a cookie at Starbucks in the mall. We checked in at 4:00, and they said our room was not ready. After waiting 45 minutes, I went back to the desk, because I think they were busy and forgot we were waiting. Sure enough, the room was ready. Not a good start here. The room is very large, much nicer than the small one bedrooms. We booked this way so we can accommodate guests, and Ken & Nancy are coming next week. Lite supper here.


FL WEATHER: High 70, low 43, sunny.


FL NEWS: Gov. Rick Scott freezes contracts for SunRail:
Gov. Scott late Friday froze four contracts worth $235 million for SunRail, Central Florida's planned commuter train. The contracts cover $39 million to be spent on cab cars, $17 million for diesel locomotives and $168 million owed to Archer Western for design and construction of the rail line slated to link downtown Orlando with Seminole, Volusia and Osceola counties. It was unclear whether SunRail is in jeopardy, but Scott has said repeatedly he wants to ensure taxpayers get a return on their investment for both the commuter train and the proposed high-speed train that would link Orlando with downtown Tampa. The contracts are considered "critical" by the state Department of Transportation, which is charged with getting the $1.2 billion project up and running. SunRail supporters had hoped to begin construction by spring, but that date could be in doubt, depending on the length of Scott's review. Scott's action surprised advocates of the commuter train. SunRail has been controversial since it was first broached by former Gov. Jeb Bush. It was defeated twice in the state Legislature and passed during a special session in 2009.