A Late Night Stop @ Wawa in Clermont, Florida

After a busy night of partying a St. Cloud's New Year's Eve Block Party, I needed a nosh.

My cousin, Camellia, a former
Jersey Girl, told me that Wawa
makes really good sandwiches.






It's time try out Camellia's recommendation.

The cigarette prices here are

less than half the cost of a
 pack in New York State.

I skipped the Cold
Drinks...

.... passed by the pre-packaged

ready to go foods...

... & went to the

Sandwich Counter.

My Chicken, Swiss Cheese

Bacon & Spinach Panini

cost $6.23.

Mumble... mumble...

It's quite good!






Thanks Camellia, for recommending Wawa for sandwiches.  Eric and I now have another place to go to for a quick meal when we're "on the road."

Rockin' The Cloud: St. Cloud's 1st Ever New Year's Eve Block Party

Eric and I look at municipal Calendars of Events as we travel.  St. Cloud's New Year's Eve Block Party starts at 6:00 p.m. We drove to the Block Party after Wild Willy's Airboat Tour on Lake Tohopekaliga.

St. Cloud Water Tower...

Celebrating Small Town

Life.

Folk Hill Revival entertains
early arrivals with Country
& Bluegrass Music.

I must investigate the

Pink Fire Truck.

Pink Heals raises money for cancer research and treatment.  All the funds raised stay in the community where it was raised.  Pink Fire Trucks and Police Cars are used to attract attention to this all volunteer cause.

Food Vendors are on hand to feed the crowds.

Jimmy Bear's BBQ








There are lots of food choices here:

Pizza, Nachos, Pretzels,

Corn Dogs, Fried Pickles,

Lemonade

And more food choices are at other food booths.

Eric & I chose an outdoor
table at Stone Creek
Tavern.






The Tavern added a $3.00 Menu for the evening:  Beers, Boiled Peanuts, Chips and Salsa, and a Cup of Chili are available for New Year's Eve revelers.

Wilted Chilis played Rock 'N

 Roll Hits from the '70s, '80s

& '90s on the Main Stage.

The Cloud above the stage changes colors throughout the performance.

The Emcee welcomes 

the crowd.

Bill Johnston, Emergency Management Manager, reminds revelers of the AAA Tow To Go Program that will take them and their car home tonight, if needed.

There are survey takers circulating in the crowds asking for feedback to make next year's New Year's Eve Block Party bigger and better.

Auditory Armory Rocks the

Cloud with a fusion of Jazz,

Metal & New Age Music.

Some shops stay open late

to welcome  shoppers who

are Rockin' the Cloud.

A Cupcake Truck...  Must feed my Sweet Tooth....

The Naked Cupcake is

where you can "dress up"

your own cupcake.

I chose Vanilla Frosting on

my Confetti Cupcake.

Fire Water Lounge & Patio

set up a drink station for

Block Party attendees.

Eric and I didn't find a survey taker to provide feedback.  St. Cloud did a GREAT job Rockin' the Cloud. I hope they make their New Year's Eve Block Party an annual event.

A Wild Willy's Airboat Tour at Lake Tohopekaliga in St. Cloud, Florida

Eric & I drove to Lake

Tohopekaliga for a

 Wild Willy's Airboat Tour.

We signed in & waited
to board our boat.

Eric is ready to ride....

I put on my ear protection.

Captain Ed piloted our

Airboat onto Lake

Tohopekaliga.

A Great Egret takes off....

Captain Ed stopped the boat

next to Spanish Moss covered

Bald Cypress Trees.

Our fellow passengers are from Australia.

Those short, knobby growths
are Cypress Knees.







They provide an Oxygen Exchange system for the water covered roots of  Bald Cypress Trees.

Two Sand Hill Cranes

keep each other

company. 

One of the many watery
paths through the
lake's grasses.






Captain Ed knows where the Alligators are lurking on Tohopekaliga Lake.

Our first sighting.... 

An up close shot....

Eric wanted a photo of

 the Water Lily buds.

A Limpkin dashes across
the grass.

A male Bald Eagle

Two nesting pairs are tending their eggs in lofty nests at Lake Tohopekaliga.

 

Another Alligator lolls

in a shallow pool.

A Red-Tailed Hawk

 in flight.

This Alligator suns next

to a Water Lily root.

The last Alligator on our

tour is sunning from

head to tail tip.

Captain Ed returns the
Airboat to its berth.

Eric holds a small Alligator.

Captain Ed's tour was fun and educational.  Eric and I had a wonderful time!

The Holiday Light Show at the Citrus Tower in Clermont, Florida

The Citrus Tower was built
in 1956 as a tribute to
area Citrus Growers.











Standing at 226 feet, The Citrus Tower hosted half a million visitors during its heyday of the 1950s, '60s and '70s.  Theme parks have since been built in Central Florida providing tourists with more entertainment options.  Clermont has grown and many Orange Groves once seen from the tower are gone, replaced by housing developments and strip malls.

Journalist Carrie Alexander, of the Sun Sentinel, writes that The Citrus Tower's displays and Gift Shop are an homage to the earlier era of Clermont and surrounding areas.  British tourists now make up the majority of the 15,000 visitors who take the elevator ride to the Observation Deck on the 22nd floor.

After eating at Uncle Kenny's BBQ, it's dark enough to watch The Citrus Tower Light Show.

The Tower is specially

lit with holiday lights.

The front of the Tower
has festive displays.












Cars pull into the parking lot.  This evening's visitors include families and couples.  The children dance in front of the display and play musical tag.

The lights flicker & change

colors in time to a holiday

 themed sound track that is

 broadcast from the building.

Dinner at Uncle Kenny's BBQ in Clermont, Florida

Eric & I are eating dinner at

Uncle Kenny's BBQ, beneath

The Citrus Tower.

Uncle Kenny's Chicken won
1st Place at the 2011 Planes
& Trains BBQ Competition.

Uncle Kenny's was named Grand

Champion at the 2015 Planes &

Trains BBQ Competition.

Eric chose the Beef Rib Special
with Coleslaw, Baked Beans &
Texas Toast.






The meat is "fall of the bone" done.  It's delicious!  The sides are very good.

My choice is BBQ Pork, with the

Roll on the side, & Coleslaw.

BBQ is a matter of personal taste.  I'm not a fan of this BBQ Sauce.  If we return, I hope it's a day when the Beef Ribs are being served.