On The Road: Miami Open

Immediately following a victorious match, players at the Miami Open usually spend some time signing autographs and mingling with fans. When Bethanie Mattek-Sands emerged from the grandstand court she was a completely different person than the one who had just been playing!  Her face lit up when she saw spectators waiting to greet her. She was quick with a big smile, laugh, and happy to take selfies and interact with fans. Quite gregarious!

I particularly liked this interaction with a fan in a wheelchair. Bethanie squeezed her hand and chatted for a bit before moving along.

And this is Big John Isner signing autographs in the same area, just outside the grandstand court.  Look at that smile!  So nice.  I'm not sure if you'll see this kind of close fan interaction with any other professional sport nowadays.  I love this aspect of tennis -- hope it doesn't change.

On The Road: Miami Open

For those who like action and a good photography challenge, this is the place to be! No matter what court you're on, typically there's a good seat close to the action (especially on the smaller courts). This is American John Isner who currently is ranked #26 in the world. Big John has the distinction of winning the longest match ever played in Wimbledon history -- 11 hours and 5 minutes -- in 2010.  Whew! When Isner is on the court, it's pretty much guaranteed the match will go the distance!  He pulled off a victory here against Brazilian Thomas Belucci with a second set tie break (of course).  

And, this is American Bethanie Mattek-Sands.  Although this was a singles match, the way she was prowling at net you could tell she's an incredible doubles player.  I'm not a big doubles fan, but it turns out, she's the #1 female doubles player in the world. How about that! With her black compression socks and shorts, Matter-Sands is known for her unique style on the court.  What I didn't know is that when she walks off the court, she trades her game face in for an infectious smile and fun, outgoing demeanor.  More on that tomorrow!

On The Road: Miami Open

Those who've followed SDP for awhile know that every March I head down to Miami to watch a  professional tennis tournament on Key Biscayne.  This was the 11th straight year I made the trip -- so much fun!  The tournament has gone through some name changes over the past few years and now it's called the Miami Open.  Whatever it's been called, every year, I've seen lots of great tennis and experienced close encounters with top tennis players.  One thing I've never seen is this:  an iguana clinging to a practice court fence!  (Yes, it's real!) Look at the length of that tail!  Lots of us were keeping a watchful eye on this unexpected spectator.  Even Roger Federer posted on social media about encountering it! Iguanas are not indigenous to the South Florida area, but they've become increasingly prevalent over the years.  Now, somewhat surprisingly, they've made their way to the tennis park on Key Biscayne.  Welcome to Miami!

Urban Living

This is Hart's Landing, a popular destination on Sarasota Bay where live bait is sold, seabirds loiter for fish scraps, and boaters briefly moor. A very short distance away is downtown Sarasota. So...this, believe it or not, is urban living Sarasota-style! Glad I had my wide angle lens with me on this beautiful evening last week to capture a broader perspective of our city on the bay.

On The Road: Galveston, Texas

Who could resist this little guy -- a white-faced saki monkey?!  When the SDP Junior Editor and I visited the Moody Gardens rain forest in Galveston, Texas, recently, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that some of the inhabitants roam freely around the spacious rain forest area.  Apparently, white-faced sakis tend to be shy and prefer to spend their time in the trees, so I was a bit surprised to encounter this guy just hanging out on a rock, as if he were waiting for his close up.  As surprised as I was, I think a young employee there was even more so --- and strongly encouraged us to stay back back and give him his space.  Done! We also spotted two sloths high up in the trees....and I'm now thinking sloths may have a bad reputation because one was on the move!

Making our way through the rain forest, we also encountered a colorful compact garden with oodles of vibrant butterflies flitting about, including this zebra longwing -- another great surprise, since I love these kinds of photo opps.  Great visit!

On The Road: Galveston, Texas

Recently, while in Houston, the SDP Junior Editor and I took a road trip to Galveston, where we visited the Moody Gardens rainforest. We were there during shoulder tourist season, so when we arrived, the place was pretty quiet...and, I really didn't know what to expect. Imagine my surprise when we walked in and immediately saw this stunning creature! A scarlet ibis.

The birds -- and many of the animals, like sloths -- have full reign of the rainforest. So, when you're strolling through the area, which is a sizable pyramid-shaped structure with lush foliage, you'll encounter animals wandering around -- very cool! (The snakes and bats etc., naturally, are in more confined areas.) It was a great experience -- would highly recommend it, if you're ever in Galveston. 

Between work and travel, it's been a busy start to 2017! Hope everyone in the SDP world is doing well. Look forward to catching up soon!