Day 4 - Tampa to West Palm Beach

Monday, April 5, 2010

We slept long. Mary had worked late on the blog while Caroly had managed to set out her sketchbooks, pencils, and by a magnetic pull ended up horizontal for the next 9 hours.



We got on our way, headed out to the The Florida Aquarium located at Channelside in downtown Tampa. We arrive and join hundreds of children (mostly elementary school children on field trips) and some adults as we wind our way through corridors of fish tank lined alleys. Darkened, with a distinct underwater diving theme. We studied the movement, form and personalities of multitudes of sea creatures. Caroly focused, intently, on the sea horses, sea dragons, and moray eels. Mary was impressed by the big turtles, swimming freely.Observation was key to experiencing the individual characteristics of this amazing collection of sea life.

We escaped the teaming crowds and took off for Ybor City, a bustling, cigar manufacturing district in the old part of Tampa. This very historic area flourished from the late 1800's to 1946. We had lunch at an outdoor cafe called "Gaspar's Grotto". Lunch included boiled peanuts (Cajun style), conch fritters, fresh fish and chips and delicious guacamole. Caroly made some sketches.

After lunch we explored the old city on foot, stopping to talk to a cigar maker, via a translator, finding out that cigars are held together with potato starch. We watch this craftswoman rolling her creations as she sits in the front window of her sidewalk shop as she has done for the last 25 years. We step into a large humidor to examine many different types of cigars, beautifully boxed and displayed. They smell fragrant, fresh, and enticing. The cigar parlor, itself, is beautifully decorated and appointed with antique tables and chairs, a long mahogany bar, original tin ceiling tiles, and a rich display of art work by local artists.

We drive on to Lake Wales and find our way to Bok Tower and Gardens. On our approach we find ourselves winding through orange groves...bearing fruit, some in full bloom. The fragrance is sweet and intoxicating. As we make our way through the visitor's center onto the small patio outside, we become immediately enchanted with the stone embedded walkway, ceramic ceiling tile, and surrounding architecture at the welcome center. We fortify ourselves with some pistachio gelato from the snack bar and then head out on a path that leads us through a beautifully landscaped, park like setting. We follow the path that takes us to the Carillon Tower. a soaring structure of pink and gray marble and coquina rock. Admiring the huge live oaks dripping with Spanish moss and the embellishment of beautifully crafted architectural art, we stand upon the highest point of the peninsular Florida landscape; 296 feet above sea level. Our outlook is a vista of the natural plains/landscape...Florida at its most beautiful. We quickly admit that there is indeed beauty to behold in Florida. The view is reminiscent of wine country.

We continue on, having only about 30 minutes before closing time. We want to record as much as we can about this place. We find the original dwelling of Edward Bok, a beautiful home with lovingly designed pathways, arches, woodwork, vista points and plantings. We hike back along a clay road. Caroly sees some white specks in the loose sand and collects 3 white shell fossils. Mary photographs a squirrel munching a corn cob in the parking area. On our way out of the sanctuary, Caroly can't resist the temptation of grabbing an orange from the grove as we drove through. She peels it...we eat it. A little tough but edible. Probably juice oranges, we conclude.

Bok Tower Gardens, a must see for all who doubt Florida's natural beauty.

We head south on US 27 toward Lake Okeechobee. The sun is getting low in the sky and as we reach the Clewiston area, darkness caresses us. The sound of bugs hitting the car and windshield is unsettling and we can't keep the windshield clear for more than a few moments at a time but the washer fluid is no match for these, glue filled, bugs. Occasionally, large gelatinous masses spread upward with the turbulence of the oncoming wind. For stretches it becomes quiet, with less frequent bug storms. We remember that Florida has been described as one big swamp.

At 9:13pm, as Zelda had promised, we arrive in West Palm Beach at the home of our friends, Gabrielle and Diane. Gabrielle, bright, humorous, gregarious and sweet, and Diane, golf champion, photographer, and team lead. Hellos and hugs, then everyone carries luggage into the house. After some delicious scrambled eggs and tea, we settle in for the night.