Flamingo Gardens

For a very "wild" kind of guy like me wildlife in captivity is a no-no. But I really wanted to observe/photograph flamingos and seem to be about 35 years late.. 35 years of habitat destruction and development have left only a handful of "wild" (arguably) flamingos in the wild and they are in the inaccessible after the last hurricane part of Everglades, or who knows where.

Straight upon approaching with mixed feeling so far the Flamingo Gardens I immediately regret the total of 4-5 hours spent in traffic this day between Miami and Palm Beach (Riviera beach; back and forth and back and ..) instead of devoting at least part of that time to the sanctuary. A gorgeous peacock roaming free met me by the entrance.
The pay for ticket place, in the gift shop, is actually a bit away from the entrance and it's like voluntary to attend it, unlike most of the places where you know - pay before you even enter and even pass security guard. The already created feel of a very friendly, "natural" atmosphere is greatly enhanced by the friendly talk of one of the employees who has already seen me photographing the peacock and especially by the open suggestion of the cashier lady that I could stay as much as I wanted after they close with a short instruction which exit will be left open so I wouldn't have to sleep with the animals.
Needless to say, I take advantage of the offer fully: the sunset reflections in the lake harmonize incredibly with the flamingos' color..
I, enchanted, avidly satisfy and satisfy the unsatisfiable shutter bug to my finger and store ecstatic image after image in the camera and my mind... till the last possible light to capture - quite after the garden is closed to visitors for the day.
As I didn't carry a watch, or had much idea of the time (unless check the time of the last taken photo in the camera :), didn't even know when they had closed - no any pressure to leave but instead heard a friendly "Bye-bye" from somewhere far in the dusk while approaching the exit to which I reply back with sincere gratitude: "Thank you!!".
It was that "a little extra" showing everywhere which made me certain, that nice, easy-going and very warm attitude and concern about their visitors, would be easily extended to care about the animals. Just look at the ibis on top of the aviary trying to get in..
From the numerous places in FL that offer some kind of "wildlife" experience, and many of them claiming they have the best flamingos, I cannot recommend enough the Flamingo Gardens, 3750 Flamingo Road, Davie/Ft. Lauderdale.