11/28 thru 12/2/21
Clearwater, Florida, and a visit to Tarpon Springs 11/26 thru 11/28
We stayed at the municipal marina in downtown
Clearwater. After our much needed naps,
we decided to walk downtown and have some dinner. There is one main street, made into a pedestrian
only street, along which there were quite a few restaurants. We picked a Mexican restaurant, and had a
good dinner. The next day we decided to
take a ‘Jolly Trolley” trip to Tarpon Springs.
This town was settled by Greek sponge divers. Therefore, there were Greek restaurants
galore and many places who sold sponges.
The ‘dean’ of Loopers, Herb Seaton, rhapsodizes about this town, and
said we must go there. Well, we went
there and spent a few hours. There is
one main street where the sponge boats come in – We didn’t see what Herb is so
enthusiastic about. But, we enjoyed a
Greek dinner, bought some sponges, and headed back on the trolley to Clearwater
and the boat.
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| Sunset in Clearwater |
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| Poor owner of this boat will return to a mess! |
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| Lovely downtown Clearwater |
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| Mexican restaurant where we ate |
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| Pretty walkway from one block to another |
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| Pretty building |
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| fountain in Tarpon Springs |
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| closeup of the boy sculpture in the fountain |
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| Statue for the sponge divers |
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| boats decorated for Christmas |
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| Sponge boat |
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| Sponge boat with their wares displayed |
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| Impressive display! |
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| Another sponge boat |
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| NOT a sponge boat! |
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| Beautiful homes along the ICW |
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| Pelicans' favorite perch on a bridge fender |
St. Petersburg, FL.
11/28 thru 12/1/2021
We loved St. Petersburg!
As we pulled up to our assigned slip, we found ourselves right behind
Alegria, with Clarke and Rosie, whom we had met and re-met several times over
the recent months’ cruising. It was no nice to see them, catch up, and have a
nice dinner.
Our marina was right next to a huge pier, at the end of
which was a several storied building with restaurants, bars, and souvenir
shops. The whole ‘peninsula’ with the
pier was a long and wide walking/skating/biking path that was very nice.
Downtown St. Pete has a number of museums, plus a big
beautiful hotel, The Vinoy. Unlike the
Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, the Vinoy doesn’t restrict non-guests from
wandering through to admire the place. I
did just that, and loved the décor and the garden.
St. Pete also has a free bus that makes a circuit around
downtown. We took advantage of
that! There’s a small commercial airport
right downtown, and there was a restaurant there, The Hangar, that was highly
recommended for breakfast. It did not
disappoint!
I visited the James Museum.
One of the bus drivers had said that if there was only one museum we
could see, it should be the James.
Wow. It contains the extensive
collection of western and native American art of Raymond James and his
wife. I was especially struck with the
bronze sculptures. Some were life sized,
and some were about half life size. What
struck me was the absolutely lifelike faces – I even took close-ups of several,
and they really do look as though they could speak! I probably took more pictures in the museum than is usual!
The other feature downtown was the art displayed all over
the place. We could have spent more time
in St. Petersburg!
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| Love this little pile of racoons |
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| Majestic moose |
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| Fox kits closely observing a turtle |
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| cowboys at the poker table |
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| I just imagine the artist forming this, first from clay, then bronze..wow. |
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| Cowboy getting ready to saddle up |
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| cowboy breaking an unruly horse |
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| musicians on horses |
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| Love the detail! |
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| Again, the detail in this bronze is amazing |
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| very sad sculpture about 'the long walk' |
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| beautiful life sized goddess |
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| All of this is made from bronze! |
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| The motion depicted is so realistic |
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| adorable children |
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| horse and rider |
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| all brass - the textures of the parts of this sculpture look like anything but brass! |
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| that face! |
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| riding free on the plains |
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| almost looks like he could speak |
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| the emotion in his face - is it fear, determination? |
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| striking sculpture |
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| his age is apparent in the wrinkles on his face |
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| smaller than life sized... |
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| here is his face close up |
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| row of smaller than life sized... |
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| the faces.... |
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| determination |
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| stoic |
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| self assured |
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| speak to me.... |
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| proud |
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| ready |
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| small size |
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| close up |
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| pride |
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| small sized |
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| the detail.... |
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| ready for rain or sun! |
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| playing his fiddle |
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| love this sculpture beside the waterfall |
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| life sized sculpture |
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| life sized |
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| proud warrior |
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| Garden at the Vinoy |
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| outside the Vinoy |
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| side entrance at the Vinoy, into the garden |
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| walking into the garden, to the fountain |
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| fountain in the garden at the Vinoy |
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| Historical place settings at the Vinoy |
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| beautiful tile flooring in the lobby of the Vinoy |
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| lovely cabinet and decoration |
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| relaxing area off the lobby |
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| sit here and have a beverage delivered... |
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| lovely hallway off the lobby |
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| beautiful sculpture |
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| outside sitting area |
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| over the entrance |
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| long shot of the hotel |
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| closer view of the entrance |
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| tower on the Vinoy |
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| St. Petersburg park, decorated for Christmas |
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| The prettiest municipal building for restrooms! |
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| Newsboy statue outside a museum |
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| Sunset view from our slip |
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| Beautiful St. Petersburg skyline at sunset |
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| splash park on the way out the St. Pete pier |
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| splash park and St. Pete skyline |
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| from the pier walkway |
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| cool bar out on the pier |
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| I loved this piece of art, a photo, in one of the restaurants on the pier |
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| building out on the pier |
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| That tower, viewed from our marina, is the city airport |
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| part of the pier - that building is the Discovery Center |
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| building at the end of this long pier |
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| Art along the sidewalk to the pier |
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| royal palms lining the walkway |
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| view from our boat at sunrise |
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