Shangri-La

 Shangri-La Springs is a hundred year old hotel and spa on Old Route 41 in Bonita Springs.

It is a curious combination of Old Florida and Asian statuary.  Shangri-La Springs is located on 8.5 acres of landscaped grounds, with champion trees and  the original Bonita Spring spouting through a fountain. There is a farm-to-table organic restaurant and a spa too.

Why all the Asian statuary?  It might be as simple as "The owner likes it."

There are two huge Mysore fig trees on the property.  This Mysore fig is the third largest of its type in Florida. It’s 85 feet tall and its crown spreads 120 feet.  A different Mysore fig on the property is even bigger, the second largest in Florida.

This fountain is in the spring from which the town of Bonita Springs derives its name.

Feast

This great blue heron isn't going to be hungry for a while after eating this whale.

First United Methodist Church

 

This was the first church in Naples, established in 1891.  The first building on the current site was built in the 1930s, and this sanctuary building was constructed in 1977 in Olde Naples.

Gulfshore Playhouse

 I attended some talks and a brief tour of Naples' new $80 million Gulfshore Playhouse.

Kristen Coury founded Gulfshore Playhouse as a professional Actors Equity regional theater about 20 years ago.  It is a testament to Kristen's relentless energy (and the wealth of the Naples patrons Kristen attracts) that the theater survived and grew during the banking collapse during its first decade and the recent pandemic.

James Bundy is dean of David Geffen School of Drama at Yale and the artistic director of Yale Repertory Theatre.  He gave an informative talk about nonprofit and regional theater organizations.

Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap is the theater's current show.  I don't have tickets but will try to get them.

Yellow House

 

I drove down an Olde Naples street that I rarely use and ran across this pretty house.

South County Regional Library

 Estero is  mid-way between Naples and Fort Myers.  South County Regional Library just reopened after a year-long renovation project.

The building is a former data center, built in 1996.  The library serves readers in Estero, South Fort Myers and other neighborhoods in the southern part of Lee County.

The children's rooms have brightly colored carpets that call to my mind, at least, the spines of books.

A big jigsaw puzzle is on a table, so neatly that it appears no librarygoers have worked on the puzzle.

The teen room has this interesting table and nearly circular bench.

Swamp Buggy Parade

 Swamp Buggy Races are among the most redneck things people do in Naples.  Three race days are held in January, February and March on a muddy track in a park on the east side of Collier County.  On Sunday, the Swamp Buggy Parade was held to stir up excitement for the coming races.

Dolly's is one of my favorite breakfast/lunch restaurants.  They sponsor three or four swamp buggies.

"Heat Seekin Rican."  

There are many different sizes and types of swamp buggies.

"Sky's The Limit."

She is this year's Swamp Buggy Queen.  

At the races, the driver with the most points grabs the queen and jumps into a pool with her.