See You Again Soon Florida!!

It was fantastic spending time with my family in Florida. Home is where the heart is, and for me that is always where my family is, despite me not being there on a regular basis anymore.

I had mentioned previously that I will be studying for my Masters degree at Maastricht University in The Netherlands. The program I am in starts during the first week of September. I made the decision to go to Copenhagen, Denmark for the remainder of the summer, before continuing on to Maastricht in August. So for now, I am saying "See ya lata Alligator" to Florida. I'll be back soon, I am sure, but until then I will continue my adventures in Copenhagen and Maastricht.

I am excited for my new adventures, and will be keeping you updated on what transpires!

As always keep on the look out for new posts.

Arts

If one goes to the Gulf Coast of Florida it is difficult to miss the Art scene present, particularly in Sarasota, which prides itself on supporting the various arts. From art by the bay, to the theaters, and various museums in the area, Ole and Birgitte's trip to Florida would not be complete without visiting a couple of the areas best art museums.

Having grown up in Sarasota, I grew up with visits to the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. The Ringling family made their fortune from roaming with the circus, but when it came to choosing a location for the Ca' D'Zan mansion they had designed based on their worldly experiences, they chose to come to Sarasota. Though the family is long gone their impact upon Sarasota has remained. In Sarasota, you grow up with visits to Circus Museums, and with students learning the circus arts. Sarasota has been a winter home to many an acrobat, juggler, and circus clown. In fact, it was such a home to the circus that Sarasota still has a law requiring you to tie your elephant to the parking meter and pay for it as you would a car.

The influence of the Ringlings did not just support the circus, for they had a knack for collecting art, such a knack that when they passed away, a large art museum had been formed from the works of art the family had collected. In the 1920s, John Ringling had constructed the museum in order to house his ever growing art collection and help perpetuate his wife's legacy. The building itself is quite a work of art, and its courtyard reminds one of antiquity, with its columns, fountains, and sculptures.

The grounds of the Ringling estate are quite a thing to see. With lush gardens, and a waterfront view, one can imagine that living here was quite a treat. The Ringlings themselves lived on the estate in the Ca' D'Zan, a gorgeous mansion right on the water.

It was quite nice to return to this beautiful art museum where I had gone so often as a child. The six of us had a fantastic time touring the Circus Museum, the Art Museum, the various Gardens, and the Ca' D'Zan. If you ever plan to go, make sure you allot enough time to see everything, for the art collection alone is quite large and that is one of many things to see on this property.

If you are a Salvador Dali fan, when you are in Florida you must go to the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg. Close in location to Sarasota, it houses one of the largest collections of Dali's work and can quite easily take up the better part of a day. This is another place I frequently went to as a child. It was fantastic to go during my time in Florida, for since my childhood that museum moved to a new specially designed building which allows for one to thoroughly immerse yourself in everything Dali; from a Dali inspired master staircase, a Dali enthusiast's dream gift shop, a cafe offering tapas, and a garden. With a maze, melting clock bench, wishing tree, and a giant moustache, the garden is a great new addition to this incredible art collection.

I encourage anyone going on a trip, or living, in this part of Florida to go see both museums. You must bear in mind that these art museums hold a special place in my heart since I grew up in Sarasota, but if you have any fondness for art, like I do, check them out.

Everglades And Key West

With Ole and Birgitte in Florida, there were two places we really wanted to take them, if possible. The first  was the Everglades National Park. Commonly known to be a favorite spot for many of Florida's Alligators, the Everglades is a way to see Florida largely untainted by mankind. The second place was Key West. Key West, most assuredly the most people friendly of the two, boasts the most southern point in the continental U.S.. For visitors like Ole and Birgitte, these places are on the list of must sees. So we packed up a van and the six of us headed down to south Florida for several days of family adventures.

The Everglades National Park is incredibly extensive, yet there are only a handful of entrances. Most of the Everglades remains undisturbed by the tourists, which is a great thing for the land and those living there. In the United States it is considered to be the largest subtropical wilderness area. It is said to be home to as many as 36 animal species that are considered to be threatened or protected, including the Florida Panther, the West Indian Manatee and the American Crocodile. The Everglades is best known for its reptile inhabitants, particularly Alligators and various snakes.

In the Everglades, one can really feel the heat of Florida. You also, in the appropriate season, gets well acquainted with how to properly rid yourself of Mosquitoes. At the time of year that we went, we got to experience both the heat and the bugs. Nonetheless, it was great to see this national park that one always hears about. From taking a family bike ride on some of the trails, to taking a boat through a series of canals, we enjoyed our time in the Everglades, despite the ever present odor of sunscreen and bug spray.

On the last day of our excursion to southern Florida we drove to Key West. A large tourist destination, Key West is full of shops, restaurants, and ample reminders of one's location. One such reminder is at the Southernmost point. With a statue marking this spot, it is no wonder that there are long lines to assemble and get one's photo taken. For, when you are standing roughly 90 miles away from Cuba, and can boast of having been at the most southern spot in the continental U.S., evidence must be taken.

After seeing what there was to see in Key West, our small trip south came to an end and we headed back to Sarasota.

A Day On A Boat

On the 14th of May we headed out on the boat for a day of enjoyable horizons and fishing. With my Dad as the boat Captain we couldn't have been in better hands for cruising around. It was quite relaxing to be out on the water, in the warmth of the Florida sun with amazing people besides you.

Aside from seeing a manatee, and a dolphin I was quite excited to see a pair of Roseate Spoonbills. These pink colored birds are actually rare to see, yet they have been known to occasionally nest in the Sarasota area. The pink color occurs due to their diet, making them fairly easy to spot when they are among the mangroves.

For lunch, we stopped at one of my favorite restaurants, The Old Salty Dog. With its dockside tables, and the marine themed atmosphere, it is a relaxing place to come to when the weather is nice. What is terrific about the restaurant is being able to pull up on a boat, tie the boat off, get lunch and then go straight back to boating.

After lunch we started fishing, and together we caught 5 fish. 

All in all a terrific day spent on the water! 

Being Tourists in Our Own Backyard...

After my graduation from University of Richmond, Ole and Birgitte joined my family in Sarasota, Florida for a family vacation. We really took the time to live the Florida lifestyle. We went boating, fishing, took walks along the water, went to the best beach in the country, and took the time to go to local museums. It was incredibly nice to have everyone together in my hometown. Too often we forget what an amazing and unique place Sarasota is, so taking the time to explore was perfect. Instead of putting all the sights of our vacation in one post I shall split it up. 

When people hear me say that my hometown of Sarasota has the #1 beach in the country, they think that I am simply biased. Though I may prefer the sands of Siesta Key beach more than any other beach I have seen, it was actually rated as the #1 beach. 

My favorite thing about Siesta Key beach is, as I mentioned before, the sand. With a higher percentage of Quarts than the typical beach, the sand here is very fine grains, that are white in color. The only way to describe it is that it is like baby powder. 

I love watching the birds at the beach. From Laughing Gulls (commonly called seagulls), to several types of Pelicans, Herons and other wading birds, it seems like there are always a few entertaining birds at Siesta.

At Siesta Key beach there is an interesting tradition. Every Sunday, right around sunset there is a drum circle. It is not an elaborately planned or organized affair, yielding spontaneous rhythms, and entertainment for those who happen to be at the beach.

And people still wonder why I am picky when it comes to beaches!