Post 22 Bradenton and Tampa

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Bradenton and Tampa Jan 18-25

We spent a few days in Bradenton, with plans to see Cindy’s cousin, Stan and his wife, Terry.

We connected with Stan and Terry and had lunch at their community’s golf course clubhouse. It was nice to see them as they were unable to make it back to Massachusetts for Cindy’s dad’s funeral service in December.  They gave us a tour of the area. The housing boom is still going on. A whole new community has been developed nearby just recently – not just apartments, condos and single-family homes, but coffee shops, a brewery, nail salon, gym, grocery store, daycare, schools and more! We drove down a new road and found an Open House to visit. Wow, now we know what $6M will buy you! We enjoyed checking out the 4 bedrooms (all with ensuites), exercise room, HUGE master bedroom with access to the infinity pool on the lake shore, big chef’s kitchen, covered lanai with outdoor kitchen, etc. with a wall of sliders to the pool.


  

Our campsite was at a KOA on a working farm with a large petting zoo.  We shopped for local veggies and fruit at their farmstand and treated ourselves with a visit to their ice cream stand. We haven't found many homemade ice cream places in our travels. Honestly, not much compares to Rota Spring Farm at home.








Our first trip out took us to Lake Manatee State Park, where there are no manatees because it’s a man-made lake with a dam that blocks the entrance.  It did have beautiful trees and a nice walking path.  Always birds to see and this day we were lucky enough to see an armadillo. We heard it rooting around in the bushes beside our walking path. Then, it headed towards us, crossed the path, even posed for a picture and disappeared in the bushes again. So ugly, but also so cute!










 The birds in Florida are really amazing.  Big, beautiful birds are just everywhere!  One afternoon, a pair of sandhill cranes was strutting down the sidewalk of Main Street.  On another day a pair greeted us at the door of the local brewery. Our bartender said the cranes were regulars. They have even pecked at the door wanting a drink, maybe?!  The osprey nests are too numerous to count. And don’t even get us started on the white ibises.  Anne calls them Florida pigeons.  They’re in fields, marshes, front yards, the Wendy’s parking lot, along the roadside and even sitting in a row on a wire. Crazy!






We booked an apartment in Tampa for the weekend.  Tiffany was going to join us, but couldn’t make it due to a huge winter storm along the east coast. Most Boston flights were cancelled. 

The apartment was in a great location - just 2 blocks from the water and a sweet walkway and park along the bay.  The weather was perfect so we did a lot of walking around the waterfront and took some time to make plans for the following 2 weeks. Our van didn’t move from her parking space for 3 days.



With a football team named the Buccaneers, Tampa takes its pirating seriously.  We were there for the Gasparilla Kids Pirate Festival- Parade, activities, stunt air show, music and fireworks- all happening at the end of the street.  The parade floats are all pirate ships made by local krews (mostly charitable organizations and businesses).  The grown-up version was happening the following weekend.  We hear people leave town to get away from all the shenanigans.  We took in a bit of the parade and the fireworks.










They’re predicting some cold weather here so we’re heading back south to the Everglades.

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