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Hope the new year has started out with a bang for you too. We could see the fireworks show happening at the parks from our hotel, the Rosen Inn in Orlando, Florida.
We started out December with a couple quickie road trips and a family visit to Birmingham, Alabama. BUT the highlight was Orlando and the Citrus Bowl. It’s not very often Michigan plays Alabama and it has been since 1997, the Outback Bowl in Tampa, that we have battled. Alabama edged us out, 17 -14. We never made it to the Orange Bowl in 2000, where Michigan beat Alabama, 35 – 34, in an overtime showdown or their first meeting was in 1987, where we won 28 – 24. So, 2 out of 4 games ain’t bad. 🙂
BUT…before the game, we had some things to do.
THEN, it’s off to see some birds and gators…at Gatorland.
Mr Wonderful hunted down the pic from the Outback Bowl in Tampa in 1997. Nice comparisons. We haven’t aged a bit, have we? LOL
We stayed at the Rosen Inn and were in walking distance to the pep rally’s and all kinds of eateries and entertainment. Jim Harbaugh was supposed to show….but we all know how that goes. 🙁
Mr Wonderful is a babe magnet. LOL
We did a little tailgating before the game. A guy was going through the parking lot selling these baby yoda T shirts and I had to have one.
You can see the flyover HERE.
It has become hard to carry my SLR cameras around, so we shot with our phones. Not too shabby. We left for home right after the game. We had a great time and I’LL BE BACK WITH MORE ADVENTURES, SO STAY TUNED. Until then, happy journeys to you.
So many wonderful photos. It looks like you all had a great time! “Trespassers will be eaten,” haha, there’s NO WAY I’d trespass at Gatorland!
we went there back in ’97 i believe and it has become much more touristy, but i love seeing all the wildlife and great photos are to be had.
I lived in FL in the 90s, and I went to one bowl game, the Gator Bowl, since I lived in Jacksonville. I hope your husband was gentle with you after the game. The fact that your two teams were matched up is quite a coincidence.
i know. we started out so well, but i feel our coach has to go. for some reason he can’t quite make it happen and if we can’t beat ohio state…well…..
Looks like you had a great time! I didn’t realize Hooters were still a thing, lol. They closed up shop in NH years ago.
they closed the hooters in the city, but there is still one on the beach that we go to all the time. a great place to watch sports
What a great set of photos of all the birds and crocs! I also like the ones of you both in the cooking pot and similar! These are the kind of places I love to visit. Looks like you had a great time!
i love visiting them too. fun times….
These pictures are great! It looks like you had a great time on your trip. I went to Gatorland years ago and had a good time. I am so glad you were able to spend some time just having fun!
thanks carole. glad you have had the gatorland experience too. 🙂
I love all the bird photos. We have those white cranes (egrets? something else?) here in Texas, but ours aren’t quite so show-off-y, and I wish ours were. What adventures you have had!
there are egrets and herons, but i only saw the one pink bird, a roseate spoonbill
Great trip! I love Michigan football, which sometimes gets me into trouble in Nebraska, because of 1997 and all. BUT, I am from Minnesota and at the time Michigan and Nebraska were not in the same conference, so…
things change, but i am glad you are still a michigan fan. it gets me in trouble sometimes too, though they don’t play each other often.
Thanks for sharing your photos! 📷
I love miniature golf! That Santa is hilarious. Ha ha. ⛳o
Honestly, I would have gone to the gator park just to see the birds, those herons are gorgeous. 🐊
Happy to see you pulled out all the stops and had a great time. 👍✨
sometimes i feel like mr wonderful has me running here to see this, and running there to see that. lol we pack in as much as we can.
Love all the pics! Looks like you had a great trip!!
for sure. we did a little bit of everything in this fast paced road trip.