Shopping in the US

Best Buy - Port Charlotte, Florida

Shopping in the US is an experience.  Apart from the obvious savings on many products, despite the state of the economies, you are simply spoilt for choice.  Shopping malls and shopping strips or plazas abound,all with plenty of free parking.  I reckon we must have visited very shop in Port Charlotte at least once over the years.

Sports Dominator, International Drive, Orlando, Florida

With the demise of the Circuit City chain (although they are still trading on the internet), Best Buy moved into their slot.  It is technological heaven - computers, laptops, cameras, camcorders, iPods, iPads, itunes, cookers, fridge freezers, satnav, software, hifi, wifi, printers, TV's, videos - you name it, it's here. Rebecca bought herself a new camera here, a Nikon P100 and saved about £100.  I have in the past bought my Kodak cameras and camcorder from here.  Again, helpful and informative staff who know their stuff.

One of my favourite stores is Walmart.  The supercentres are amazing places and you can buy just about anything here and soooo.... cheap.  I guess part of the attraction is the fact it was the first bg store I ever went into in the US.  Buy goods, food, have something to eat and get your car serviced at the same time.

Sports Dominator is based on International Drive in Orlando.  This is a huge sports retail outlet and offers products from Reebok, Nike, Adidas and more.  It sells products for all the mainstream sports including football, soccer, hockey, golf, etc.

Bed Bath & Beyond, Port Charlotte, Florida

Bed Bath & Beyond is an Aladdin's cave of treasures - bedding, furniture, glassware, cookware, bathroom fittings, curtains and more.  I defy anyone who goes into these stores to leave without buying something!

Another favourite of ours is Office Depot in Englewood, Florida. A national chain, they offer computers, furiture, stationery, packing materials and much more.  A good shop to browse and buy with helpful and informative staff.

If you are into art and crafts, you'll simply love Michael's Arts and Crafts in Port Charlotte.  This store is superb with a huge stock of art materials, gift ideas, seasonal ranges, pictures and framing, flower arranging and they even undertake classes in the store.  Another of those stores that I suspect you will not leave without making a purchase!

My other car's a Jaguar..!

Having negotiated arrivals, customs and immigration, we quickly make our way to the Car Rental offices. The main rental firms have offices on site at the airport, rather than having to get transport to an outlying area of the airport. So it's collect luggage, quick exit from main terminal and into one of either Hertz, Dollar, Budget, Enterprise etc - we opt for Hertz again this year. Within 5 minutes, the pre-booked forms have been signed, car collected and we're ready to leave the Airport. Just a few minutes to set up the TomTom - I know the way after all these years but it is reassuring to hear and see the route confirmed.

Most car rentals offer SatNav but we are lucky to have a UK and US version of TomTom so use that instead. After a quick upgrade of vehicle - we get a Mazda CDX SUV that greets you with "Hello" and "Goodbye" when you switch on and off the engine, a check all is well with lights, wipers, breaks etc and we're off. Before long we are on the interstate heading south - I want to get over the Sunshine Parkway bridge before dusk.

It's holiday 2010...!

Almost a year on and we are embarking on our latest trip to Florida. I have already mentioned how I like to break the trip down into components, each with its unique bit of familiarity and tradition - this year is no exception. Our usual taxi firm collects us as 7am and we are on our way. Check-in at Gatwick is quick and easy and whilst we may get there a bit early, it's worth it not having to wait in queues. BA check-in staff are their usual helpful selves, polite and reassuring and we soon have our cases checked in and and through Security etc. Just time for some browsing through the shops for those last minute forgotten items (!), and up for breakfast at Cafe Noire.

A good breakfast, brief wander round some more shops and a light beverage before we wend our way down to the departure lounge. Clearly the gate staff are on a mission today as boarding starts almost at once and before long we are on board the BA 777 and seated. Take off is on time and we have soon left UK airpspace and are cruising at 38,000 feet. The mood on board is good, lots of families on their way to Disney no doubt. The nine and a half hour flight seems very quick once cabin crew start serving some complimentary drinks, lunch, in-flight entertainment and afternoon tea. I have to say, BA's in-flight entertainment system is really good - latest films and TV programmes, a film library with a good choice of films, music, quizes and even surveys. And the moving map tops it all of nicely. Well done!

We soon arrive in Florida but our landing is held up by some really bad storms around the airport so we circle round for 35 minutes or so waiting for a clear spot in the clouds and weather.

Storms - the way we used to have them

Ok, brief interlude from our ramblings on our trip to Florida. August usually brings the late afternoon storms - bit of thunder and lightning, and plenty of rain, which the locals crave as the earth needs it. We have just reurned from Venice, about 30 miles up the road and this one today started at about 4:30pm and it rained, and rained AND RAINED. The thunder was loud, hmm, very loud and the lightning was spectacular.... forget about theme park firework displays, this was the biz.... !

I rather bravely stood out on the pool deck to film it - I say bravely as standing in a few inches of water, out in the open in what can only be described as God's Thunder, Lightning and Rain Test Zone is perhaps not the smartest thing to do - heck, even the golfers had scurried off in their golf carts back to the club-house for a well-deserved cold beverage, ready to recount tales of "some damned fool they'd spotted waving a camera about....!" They know we're Brits - we've got the flag up on the posts!

The footage is not brilliant but you'll get the drift. The loud thunderclap at 01.02 actually made me jump which is why the camera shakes. I'm not prone to bothering about such noises usually but this was a particularly long, loud and wet storm and was right over the top of us. The joy is, it clears up after an hour or so and is as hot as hell again...!

Oh, and do come to this site again, there's much to go the blog between arriving in Orlando and today's entry... not least I realise my ambition to pilot a "Shuttle" and experience a launch as an "astronaut". For those who know me may recall, one of my childhood dreams was to become an astronaut. I even applied to NASA - got turned down as I had no flying experience and was not a US Navy Marine aviator. The fact I was only 11 years old at the time may also have had a slight influence in the decision by NASA but I hold no grudges. This opportunity was amazing fun, very real and thoroughly awesome to use the oft-overused adjective! I was joined at the controls by Rebecca who was the Flight Commander for the launch and journey to Mars!

Anyway, play the film below for the thunder storm, and come back to read our musings later!

Orlando - ah, we arrive..

There's something very satisfying about coming back to somewhere that you know and are known by staff (and I do mean that, some of the staff here are old timers and have been trained to remember people. That coupled with my natural desire to find out what makes the locals tick, the fact that we are Brits (yep, there are still places in the World who like us) , and that I also lost a rather nice white towelling robe here on my last visit, means they don't forget easily! The Regal Sun Resort Hotel, formerly The Grosvenor in Orlando is just such a place. We've visited this hotel some six times over the years and in the past two it has been upgraded to a "Hotel in the Disney World Resort" - not in Disney, but just yards away from its threshold.

So what? you may ask. Well, even when it's busy, it appears quiet and unhurried. You haven't got hoardes of screaming guests - and that's just the adults, it has good bars, good restaurants, a concierge and cafe that is open 24/7, Disney Character themed events, a Disney shop and free transportation to all the Parks and other attractions. That coupled with friendly, courteous staff, comfortable accommodation, TV, wireless interent, pools and spas, tennis courts, games room and free parking, you're made!

Just 500 metres from DownTown Disney, it is ideally situated close to the theme parks, International Drive and all the shopping. Our rooms, on the 11th floor of the towers overlook DownTown Disney and from here you can see the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, MGM Studios and more and at night the fireworks displays are spectacular.

We check in, settle into our rooms and decide to enjoy a swim in the recently refurbished swimming pool. Simply relaxing - it's 7pm, the light is fading, the pool is like warm bath water and the lights are coming on. It's still busy but quietly so. The bars are serving cold cocktails - the Mojita's are superb - and we decide we'll eat in the hotel this evening, which gives us some more swimming time.

Simply glorious... and tomorrow, we hit DisneyWorld...!!!!

Orlando via Arcadia... part 2

We decided to journey up to Orlando - about 160 miles up through the central parts of the state, thus avoiding where possible most of the Interstates. As much fun as it is driving on the UK motorway equivalent, maintaining 70 miles per hour and watching that you do not slip below 50mph (a traffic offence), can be very tiring, very boring and keeping a constant alert for traffic merging from your right, lorries that seem to have super engines as they power past you, and the occasional lunatic driver, is a drain.

TomTom Sat Nav is really good here in the US and the speed reminder, traffic updates and other points of interest are eerily heralded by a doom-laden gonging sound.

So we opted for a quiet, leisurely drive up through countryside, following the emergency evacuation route through to Arcadia and beyond. Not that the evacuation route was much use in August 2004 as Hurricane Charley, originally expected to hit Tampa and cross through the State over to Orlando, decided to wobble, made landfall at Port Charlotte, just 18 miles from us, tore up the Peace River, and followed the poor souls who had left their homes in Punta Gorda and were dutifully following procedure and the road to Arcadia.

You may recall seeing the image on the top left of the Arcadia water tower. The hurricane devasted the area with many homes and businesses literally disappearing in the space of minutes.

In some earlier footage I took during that hurricane we witnessed a speed boat that had been parked on a driveway hovering some three or four feet off the ground as the storm took hold before it was zipped across the river and through the pool deck cage some 500 yards away.

Anyway, this is a nice journey on a quiet road, with lovely countryside on either side passing through some small towns (village-size) with their very old Floridian-style houses. We also saw huge cattle ranches (NB., at one stage there was a greater herd of cattle in Florida than there was in Texas and much of the land around our home in Rotonda was once owned by the Vanderbilt family and used as cattle grazing land).

We headed in a north easterly direction passing through interestingly-named places such as:

• Zolfo Springs (population 1642 at 2000 Census)
• Bowling Green (population 2,892 at 2000 Census. Second photo shows the historic train station dating back 1911.)
• Fort Meade (3rd photo shows Christ Church about 1889. Fort Meade is the oldest city in Polk County, dating its origins to 1849 when it was an old military road from Tampa (Fort Brooke) to Fort Pierce during the Indian wars. The 1880s business district was located on old Wire Street (now Broadway), which was a casualty of 4 devastating fires. The Future Confederate General Stonewall Jackson, was stationed at the fort in 1851. The town was burned by Union forces in 1864 and all of the original structures were destroyed, except the 2nd fort which was dismantled in the 1890s. Fort Meade has over 300 hundred homes on the National Register of Historic Places and a handful that date to the late 1800s).
• Haines City and back on to the I-4 to Orlando.

Orlando here we com..via Cracker Barrel - # 1

Ok, you cannot come to Florida and not make at least one attempt to get to the theme park centre of the world. Love 'em or loathe 'em, there is still nothing like the American theme park experience.

We decided to have four days up in Orlando and set off early on Tuesday morning to have a breakfast at a Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. These are a real culinary experience - all kinds of breakfasts either from the menu or to suit your taste. They also do lunches and evening fare.

The Cracker Barrel restaurants are usually located just off the interstates or at busy state route junctions. The one we go to is at Jacaranda Boulevard, nestled in amongst the pines and palms of the countryside. Eggs done anyway you want, Grits, Hash browns, sausage patties, bacon strips, whole meal toast, various preserves, pancakes, ice cream etc - you name it, you can have it. Your meal is complimented by a mug of good coffee that keeps being refilled.

You then walk back into the shopping area of the restaurant and can find all sorts of trinkets, books, confectionary and any manner of gifts.

Or sit outside on the stoop in one of the many rocking chairs (that are also for sale) and either indulge in a game of checkers or solitaire or simply sit and watch life pass by.

The car by the way is a Chrysler C300 - a superb car to drive. You can see them on the roads in the UK, but they look way better over here!

No sales tax free week

Despite its outward wealth, lavish homes, boats, fine restaurants and expensive golf courses, Florida's real residents are not awash with money and many struggle to make a living. The average weekly wage is $756 based on Florida State statistics and ranks the State as 27 in the US. The avaerage weekly wage in Charlotte County is between $501 and $700. I feel this is based on "professional workers" rather than your, builder, sales assistants and waiting staff in resturants and does rather give the impression of a comfortably well-off population.

The state was one of the few states to not have a state minimum wage law until 2004, when voters passed a constitutional amendment establishing a state minimum wage and (unique among minimum wage laws) mandating that it be adjusted for inflation every six months. Currently, the minimum wage in the state of Florida is $7.21 as of January 1, 2009. With bread costing anything from $2.50 to $5 for specialty bread, ponder on that one, my fellow Brits...


Unfortunately, the State of Florida has not offered its usual sales tax free week during 2009. In the past, the sales tax holiday was voted upon in the State Legislature, but the measure was not brought up for a vote this year. This event has in the past proved to be very popular with parents - and tourists I guess.


However, good to see some of the bigger stores doing their bit to help, including Walmart, Target and J C Penney, with good discounts and incentives.


In the UK we are fortunate that our education system provides for essentials such as paper, books etc in lessons. Ok, we have to buy glue sticks, pens, pencils etc for our children, but just imagine if we had to also purchase exercise books, folders etc.

OZ meets US

Australia comes to America. The latest restaurant chain to pop up in the shopping malls and plazas is "Outback" and offers an interesting choice of meals at competitive prices. Surf and turf but with a twist - nice sides, good sauces, slick service and an atmosphere that is heightened by the bizarre wall-carvings and decorations and the very subdued lighting.

We enjoyed a quick early evening meal at this one. The steaks were a good size and well cooked and the shrimp was mouth-watering. Instead of the usual fries we plumped for some jacket potatoes which were excellently baked and accompanied by a fine sauce based on Dijon mustard, lovely cherry tomatoes and some dressing - (yes, the good old US can provide a healthy eating experience).

Ok, we lost the plot a bit with the dessert - Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Pie but we shared one between the three of us. Very, very morish!



Oh, and glasses of beer that were referred to as "Australian Blokes Beer", ie you get a pint in a well-chilled glass and still only $2.50 a pint..! They do "take-outs too", just order on the phone, pull up in the car park and they will deliver to your car!

Lakeside dining

I hope our readers don't develop the view that we simply spend our vacation time eating, but you know how it is. You've barbecued your own steaks and chickens, you've lovingly prepared garlic and butter coated shrimp served with a hot rice and accompanied by a salad, the hot chilli you cooked has made you a legend in your own lifetime.

You decide to pop out for a quiet chilled beer and before you know it, some pretty, sassy waitress has plonked a menu down in front of you and with a wink and a smile, announces "I'll be right back to take your order sir".... Gets me everytime.

Farlows on the Water in Englewood is great for a late lunch. The lake borders the restaurant on three sides and it has pretty gardens and even outdoor dining if you wish. A chicken piccato, garlic mashed potatoes and two chilled beers later, we're off on our travels again.

They also have superb evening menu and offer live music three or four times a week. We often pass this restaurant and its car park is usually packed, and I mean packed. Probably why it's been voted a number one restaurant in the area for a number of years running.

We dined here once on St Patrick's Day some years back - everything was green - the beer, the wine, the steaks, the desserts..... and interesting experience in more ways than one!

Cooking up a storm...

Sometimes, especially in August, Florida's weather system reverts to typical status - hot mornings, bit cooler in the early afternoon, followed by a good dousing of rain. Unlike the UK, it remains hot enough to sit outside - under cover of course - and you know that once the rain storm has passed, the sun shines again, hotter than ever but everywhere looks fresher and brighter.

Occasionally, just occasionally, the rain can go on a bit and at that point, it's probably best to have another activity in mind. We decided to ditch the rain, the wind, thunder and lightening and opted to drive to Port Charlotte to visit the cinema.

The cinema in the town is attached to the shopping mall which has most well-known stores such as Sears, J C Penney, Maceys, Beales, Radio Shack, Victoria's Secrets and many many more. There is also a wide choice of international foods available in various restaurants and outlets in the food mall - funny how it never smells of food!. Also, dotted about the shopping mall are mobile phone kiosks, specialist sweet stands, a rather interesting "hurricane" pod where kids can stand an experience hurricane force winds for $1 a time... not quite as interesting as the real thing but pretty close. We were here in 2004 when Hurricane Charley hit the area - now that was an experience and was free!.

The cinema is a multi-plex and offers some 15 screens, some offering 3D versions of the films. The ticket price as risen recently to $9 (about £5.50) for adults but these are superb screens, sound systems and - deep joy - fully reclining seats! So if the film you are watching is not quite rocking your boat, you can drift off to sleep in comfy armchair-style seats that recline, in a temperature-controlled environment. No-one behind you kicking your seat or throwing popcorn at you! Indeed, the screens are patrolled and heaven help anyone who steps out of line. Even the hidden-camera detector is state of the art - to stop people from filming illeagally. All nice and well-behaved - just don't snore!

We decided to watch Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince - an ok film if you like that sort of thing but I have decided we really ought to go and see GI Joe.

If you have't seen G-Force yet - get there, one of the funniest Disney films out in ages! - Armed with the latest high-tech spy gear, a guinea pig named Darwin (Sam Rockwell) and his team of specially trained rodents are often the last line of defence against chaos and destruction. But when the government shuts them down and ships them off to a pet shop, Darwin and his gang will have to find a way to break out and prevent a mad billionaire (Bill Nighy) from taking over the world. Bet this will be a yop selling DVD when it's released!

Small hint and tip - there are some cracking good films coming up shortly - District 9 promises to be a good view and also watch out for "9" or "Nine" - this is a Tim Burton film and I will wager it will be a number one hit.

The new Sherlock Holmes one looks good too, with Robert Downey Jnr in the lead role. Bizarre casting I know, but it looks like it works!

Unconditional Surrender

This photo, taken by Rebecca, shows a magnificant statue in all its glory on the waterfront in Sarasota Bay. The statue is a reconstruction of the famous wartime photograph "Unconditional Surrender The Kiss" taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt on 14th August 1945 - VJ Day. The statue stands some 25 feet high.

The statue resided in Sarasota Bay for several years before before being moved to San Diego, following complaints from a local citizens movement who complained it obstructed their view of the Bay..! Whilst is resided in San Diego, it was also met with wide acclaim although art critics hated it. However, public opinion won the day, especailly by couples who love to be photographed under or by the statue!

An anonymous donor came up with the money to bring it back to Sarasota and a private citizens group is now working to raise $700,000 to keep the statue here permanently.

I have included a copy of the original photographe referred to above for comparison.

Think outside the box..!

St. Armands Circle - "think outside the box and get into the circle..!" - a catchy advertising slogan that has helped develop this small island community into a tourist hotspot. Some 45 miles up the coast from our house, a pleasant drive takes us along route 41, the Tamianni Trail, through Englewood, Venice, Nokomis (home of the Tervis Tumbler) and into Sarasota. St Armand's Circle is a now a thriving community of bars, restaurants, shops, art galleries and vacation rental homes and is one of the most visited areas in Sarasota.

There are many restaurants here - Hemingway's Retreat, The Crab & Fin, excellent seafood, street dining like it should be and accompanied by the background music from a classical piano player - and my favourite, the Columbia Restaurant, a fine Spanish restaurant that specialises in steak and seafood. Superb food, amazing service and some of the best cocktails I've ever tasted. They also make and serve a mean Cuban Sandwich and delicious home-baked Cuban bread.

The art galleries are amazing and one such gallery, the Wyland Gallery specialises in commissioned glass work. One piece we viewed on our trip yesterday featured dolphins riding the crest of a wave. Standing some 6 feet high, this centre piece was made of "bullet-proof" glass with the dolphins hand-fashioed in pewter. $34,000 will secure this piece of unique art work...!

There are several ice-cream parlours offering an amazing choice of home-made ice-creams and sorbets and one establishment even makes peanut-brittle, which you watch being created in the store whilst waiting for your selection of ice-cream. St Armands has an interesing history and much of its background can be seen in the form of statues and plaques in the lovely park and surrounding circles.

The development started in the early years of the 20th Century. Visionary circus magnate John Ringling purchased the St. Armands Key property in 1917 and planned a development which included residential lots and a shopping centre laid out in a circle. As no bridge to the key had yet been built, Ringling engaged an old paddle-wheel steamboat, the "Success," to service as a work boat.

His crews laboured at dredging canals, building seawalls, and installing sidewalks and streets lined with rose-colored curbs. In 1925, work began on a causeway to join St. Armands Key to the

mainland. Circus elephants were used to haul the huge timbers from which the bridge and causeway were built.

One year later, amid much pomp and ceremony, both the John Ringling Causeway and Ringling Estates development opened to the public, with John Ringling himself leading a parade across the causeway and his Circus Band playing from a bandstand in the center of the Circle. Every hour there was free bus service from downtown to St. Armands for prospective buyers and sightseers. Even when busy, the Circle seems peaceful and quiet, offers a wide selection of places of interest, things to do and places to dine. One of the few places in Flordia where you will find roundabouts...!

Florida - some interesting facts

On January 10, 1861, before the start of the American Civil War, Florida declared its secession from the Union; ten days later, the state became a founding member of the Confederate States of America. The war ended in 1865.

On June 25, 1868, Florida's congressional representation was restored. After Reconstruction, white Democrats succeeded in regaining power in the state legislature. In 1885 they created a new constitution, followed by statutes through 1889 that effectively disfranchised most blacks and many poor whites over the next several years.

Provisions included poll taxes, literacy tests, and residency requirements. Disfranchisement for most African Americans in the state persisted until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s gained federal legislation to protect their suffrage.

1. Florida WildLife Centre estimates there are some 1.25 million alligators in the wild in Florida.
2. The Everglades is the only place you can see Alligators and Crocodiles living in the same habitat.
3. Once a year, thousands of Floridians stand at the state line and toss dead fish into Alabama. It's the annual Mullet Toss hosted by Flora-Bama Beach Bar in Pensacola. It's just "a silly excuse for a huge beach party."
4. The names of some of the approach procedures that all aircraft follow into their arrival at Orlando International Airport are named CWRLD ONE, COSTR ONE, PIGLT ONE, MINEE TWO and GOOFY FIVE. Any pilot that flies into there can confirm this.
5. Gatorade was named for the University of Florida Gators where it was first developed.
6. Flamingos get their pink color from the shrimp they eat. The more shrimp they eat the deeper pink they become.
7. The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is a cable-stayed concrete bridge. Opened in 1987 the bridge coasts through the clouds at 190 feet above water. Its bright yellow support cables spread from the two center pillars. The structure gives drivers unobstructed view of the water during the 4.1 mile trip over Tampa Bay.
8. World's first scheduled passenger service airline flight went from St. Petersburg's downtown yacht basin to Tampa.
9. The first suntan cream was made in Miami Beach, Florida, in 1944, by pharmacist Benjamin Green.
10. Florida's capital, Tallahassee, was the only southern capital east of the Mississippi that stayed in southern hands for the whole Civil War.
11. How many square miles does Disney World cover? At last count, 47 square miles -- wow!

It's a Bug's Life....!

You expect bugs and creepy crawlies in hot places and Florida is no different and they can be a real pest. But you just have to admire nature. Mankind continues to dig, burrow, bury and cover large parts of the land, but nature always manages to find a way of fighting back. Small ants and snakes can be easily dealt with - it's the red ants and termites that can do the damage. Stand in a red ant's nest and the first thing you feel is a sort of "water running down your leg" sensation. This is quickly replaced with numbing itching and the realisation that several hundred red ants have attached themselves to your leg and are intent on doing some serious burrowing and laying of poison. Water to brush them off, vinegar to stem the pain and a quick trip to the local doctor or hospital for some medical treatment are called for.

Mankind fights back with innovative poisons, potions and other bizarre treatments. Pest control is a growth business - allow the ants and termites a foot, and they'll take a yard. Give them your yard (back graden) and they'll take your home...!

There are some 40 licenced pest control firms in this area alone - one group is called Truly Nolan and they appear all over Florida in their natty VW Beetles dressed up in Mouse details. A seriously clever way of advertising your business. And when the VW Beetles and SEATs fail to deliver, they bring on the Izusu heavy lorries with serious looking tanks of poison.

One firm we had doing our lawn control employed the services of a native red indian who would hunker down outside the house at night to find out where the blighters lived. Often talking to them would move them on, failing that a scorched earth policy of poison and fire would suffice. I kid you not about the talking bit.... and he even showed us once how termites "watch" what building is going on and then move in on the exposed wooden frames.

So, Mankind 0 - Bugs 1....

The Sunset at Manasota Key

We decided to take a trip down to the beach at Manasota Key this evening to watch the sunset. Even after all these years of watching sunsets, I still find it fascinating and marvel at the changes in colour and hue of the sea, the beach, the palm trees and the sky. There are obviously still just as many others who enjoy this spectacle too. The beach was busy, even at 7:45pm, it is still hot and there were plenty of people enjoying the last rays of sunshine and even some having a swim.

We walked along the beach for half a mile or so and turned back to watch and capture the sunset. As we walked along, we passed many areas of the beach which have been taped off to protect the turtle hatching areas. I am always amazed and pleasantly surprised how good my fellow humans are at avoiding disturbing the hatching zones. Sort of restores your faith in humanity...!

Manasota Key is a busy little area with several shops, restaurants and bars, and numerous boat hire centres and is popular as a vacation centre.

The Lock and Key is one of several good restaurants in the area and you can sit outside and dine whilst watching the sunset.

Meet the Buzzards....

The local birds are very strange. This morning we witnessed some 14 buzzards riding high on the thermal layers before swooping in low to rest on the banks of the lake opposite the house. It was interesting to watch the other birds, two herons, a pigeon and some ducks rather quietly slip away further down the water's edge.

I'm reminded of one heron that used to regularly fly into the back yard (garden) and hunt for fish in the lake. One morning I watched as the bird move very very slowly towards the submerged fish.

Some fifteen minutes into this process a dark shadow crossed the lake and down swopped an eagle, just inches above the water, grabbed the fish and soared up into the sky and off into the distance. You just have to imagine the look of surprise on the heron's face - if it had been human you'd say it was saying "What the b***** hell....!" as it watched its meal disappearing into the sky.

Boca Grande - The Beach

Up early this morning to get to Boca Grande before it gets too hot. Even at 8:30 am the sand can feel like walking on a hot griddle. Boca Grande is made of a series of small islands just off Cape Haze, about 5 miles from us. The islands, which are deemed a wildlife park and managed by the Boca Grande Management Board, are reached by a toll bridge ($4) and then a series of smaller bridges across the blue Gulf waters that form Gasparilla Sound.

Boca Grande is a dream location with many of the homes built on or close to the beaches, offering superb views out across the Gulf or towards Port Charlotte harbour and Punta Gorda. Many properties start at $1 million, although the recent finanical gloom has reduced some prices. If you can't stump up the dosh for a super cool pad here, try renting one - immaculate, well-maintained and worth the likely $1000 plus per week rent....!

The area is awash with golf carts and not just because of the several golf courses here - the locals use them in preference to cars and trucks. There are times when it can resemble the 60's hit TV show "The Prisoner" and even "The Stepford Wives". The latter view is not meant to be derogatory but you need to spend some time here to appreciate the comment. Neat, clean and tidy, grass all cut at prescribed height and heaven help anyone who steps out of line.

The beach is virtually deserted - most sane people have either already done their early morning beach-combing or wll venture out later in the day as it cools. Not the Brits...! You can spot them a mile off. Lobster-red from too much sun, all oiled up, chairs, sun shades and cool boxes at the ready, territory marked out and the patriarch standing guard over "their plot". Funny that, as there is about 100 square yards per person available on the beach!

The beach we usually use is at just up from the town centre and has an old lighthouse as a backdrop and is in the centre of the island chain. This is also just south of the location where the record-beating hammerhead shark was caught, but don't let that put you off..!

Well-cared for beaches are cleaned and combed daily, the sand is usually like fine talcum powder but over the past couple of years broken shell debris has also found its way on the beach. The local chamber of commerce has recently had the beaches built up to halt the erosion and also to help the young turtle community, especially at breeding time.

Boca Grande has some quaint roads and tracks, many of which are covered by large banyan trees. Old buildings have been painstakingly restored and used either as shops, homes or the local school. Hotels are unobtrusive - even the one used by both the former Presidents Bush and families. Indeed, George Dubbya even used one of the local restaurants.

Boca Grande was once an important rail hub as a deep and rich vein of phosphate was uncovered in Arcadia some 30 miles away. This was shipped to the southern part of the island which has one of the deepest harbours in the Gulf of Mexico and is near to easily navigable rivers.

The main road through Boca Grande leads eventually to the town centre. There are many restaurants, coffee bars and other shops. Two good restaurants are The Temptations and The Loose Caboose , which specialises in homemade ice creams. The latter was actually the rail station in years gone by as a great trade was made from the rich and famous of New York who would journey down the east coast of America through Massachusetts, North & South Carolina, Georgia and Florida in their expensive private Pullman rail coaches to enjoy the local beauty and surroundings. Sadly the railway no longer comes to the island, although the bridges across the water can still be seen. I feel there's an opportunity being lost here...!

Wildlife abounds here and not just in the sea. The islands are home to all sorts of birds - eagles, flamingoes, and herons. Other wildlife includes turtles, and giant iguanas, well pretty big ones anyway. They appear to be running rampant at present and often try to hitch lifts off the islands underneath cars and in the backs of trucks!

A glorious place, superb beaches, lots to see and do - kyaking, canoeing, fishing and sight-seeing, good food and drink and well worth the toll fee. Just try a couple of hours at a time.

Englewood - Classic Car Cruisin' Evening

Just north of Port Charlotte is quaint but sprawling Englewood. In the centre of the area is what is interestingly called "Old historic Dearborn Street". In fairness, some 150 years ago this was a bustling road and harbour as settlers made their way to the area. Buchan's Landing, the small wooden dock, can still be seen at the end of the road as it protrudes into the Gulf.

Over recent years, the local chamber of commerce has tried to bring new life into the area and has encouraged small businesses bringing traditional trade to the area. Very difficult when they have to compete with the likes of stores such as Wal-Mart, Home Depot and other large restaurant chains like Red Lobster, Taco Bell etc. However, in the past two years, the road has become home to some very nice shops and restaurants and there is even a small theatre. Sadly the old petrol (gas) station has yet to be reclaimed but as you walk past these buildings you can imagine what life was like in years gone by.

On the first Saturday of every month, the road hosts "Classic Car Cruizin' " and many car enthusiasts bring their pride and joy along for the public to see and talk about. It also brings in much needed trade for the local businesses. Cars and trucks include Model T Fords, Chevvies, Pontiac's, Hudsons and many more. On our trip this evening, we even saw some John Deere tractors all smartly turned out in their distinct green and yellow liveries.

Having viewed the cars, listedn to the music from the 40's 50's and 60's, we settled down to a small tappas at the Wine & Tappas Bottle Shop - a delightful bar that serves thirst-quenching white wines and super seafood tappas.

A lovely evening....

Water babe

It's 7:45 in the morning and we all take to the pool for an early morning dip before breakfast whilst my mother catches some sun.


I cannot describe how good it feels to be able to simply step into a pool just outside your bedroom. The water is warm and the sun is already creating a real heat in the lanai. Most pools can be heated either by electric heater or solar power but at this time of the year, it's not needed.


A planned 15 minute dip can quickly become an hour or more in the relaxing and cooling water. In the video clip Rebecca demonstrates some of her swim moves!