Virtual Vacations

One of the great things about the internet is its globe-shrinking capability. And being a visual person who loves to travel, the idea of virtually revisiting places I've been to gives me a particular kick. My first webcam thrill back in the late 90s came from the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce site, where this camera atop a favorite hotel almost had me feeling sand between my toes again. Tween Waters.

For another beach a little south of that: Sanibel cam

Also in Florida, the cam at Mallory Square in Key West is fun. In the daytime you can watch passengers disembarking from cruise ships, and at night comes the sunset-watching, busker-loving crowd. Here's one with streaming video from Duvall Street, where at the moment people are wearing everything from shorts to winter jackets. Key West Yahoo weather says it's 65 and windy there, at 9:30 p.m. EST.

The one I love most at the moment, though, was sent to me by my ornithologist brother in law - Brazlian Birds. This site is run by a guy who puts fresh bananas out every day from his farm on the edge of the South Brazilian rainforest. The video stream isn't on during their nighttime, but after 2 a.m. PST, you can have these tropical blues, greens, reds and yellows flitter around your screen in real time. What a wonderful way to bring color and nature from far away into your living room!