This travelogue of Florida begins in the southern part of the state where now ubiquitous coconut palm trees would not have been if it not for a Spanish cargo ship washing ashore with a load of coconuts in 1878. Also now ubiquitous are the resort hotels offering a winter respite for northerners wanting to escape the cold from December to April, those hotels including in and around the metropolis of Miami. In addition to the many water based activities, another sporting activity popular is horse racing. The travelogue then moves inland to the Everglades, the largest swamp in the country. Another waterway in the area is the Suwannee River, immortalized in a Stephen Foster-penned folk song. The next stop is the Bok Tower Garden, which acts as a bird sanctuary. Another famous garden is the Cypress Gardens noted for their colorful blooms. The final stop is Silver Springs, known as one of the state's most unique natural phenomenons and which houses a reptile institute. This area from the Everglades to Silver Springs is the native home of the Seminoles, who now only number around five hundred in population. A number of underwater actors also reside in the area due to the large number of aquatic themed movies filmed here.