Dec 4-7
Still trying to keep the horse
from running all the way back to the barn and we had never been to Sarasota so
we had a short ride across Tampa Bay to our nest stop at Marina Jack’s. this was a really fancy marina with some huge
boats. We knew we were back in south
Florida. Met up with some people we had
been tag teaming since Mobile. Their
problems in Clearwater with a transmission had turned out to be something more
serious than the oil and their “buddy boat” had waited for them. Some boats on the Loop seem to buddy up with
another boat and make plans and travel together. We have enjoyed meeting people and
socializing but never got really buddy with anyone. Maybe our focus on golf has precluded some of
that. It was finally warm enough in
Sarasota to feel like making Pina Colada’s for sipping on the dock. I still had the stuff I had bought in Ft
Myers in February! So I made a pitcher
and invited our neighbor boats. Nice evening on the dock.
First day in Sarasota we got the
parts we needed to fix our generator but after looking at the situation John
decided to get someone to help put them in.
Fortunately the marina had a good service department and sent someone
over that day to check it out and he came back the next day and did the
work. I walked into town and checked out
Sarasota’s “historic” downtown. Not to
historic but a nice downtown for eating and a little shopping. A great bookstore. I like to support Indie bookstores and added
to my collection that I’m going to have to get rid of next week. I found a neat old section of houses built in
1910 hidden among the skyscrapers.
Wednesday we headed up to to the
Ringling Complex. Donated to the City
of Sarasota after Ringling died in 1936 it has a big park/garden area around
their home on the bay, Ca’d Zan complete with a marble dock, the Asolo theater,
built in Renaissance Italy that was taken apart and shipped to Florida early in
this century, the John and Mabel Museum of Art, and of course a great circus
museum. A complete history of the circus
from the Romans to Cirque du Soliel and lots of artifacts from the circus was
interesting but the most amazing display was a miniature circus that Howard
Tibbals has spent his lifetime creating.
For those of us born after the heyday of the “Big Top coming to town” it
really brings the event to life.
This was life size |
This is the minature model |
The art museum has incredible old masters and a wonderful Asian section
that we explored. We could have spent
all day there, but John’s knees and my ankle can only put up with a few hours
of museum wandering.
That evening we went back to the
old area I had discovered for dinner at Owen’s Fish Camp. I have finally gotten to the point on the
trip where it takes more than just good food for me to go out to eat!! I need a special atmosphere, and this provided
it with a garden with all sorts of fish Old Florida memorabilia and live country music where you
drink and eat appetizers while waiting for your table. And
all within walking distance of the boat.
Thursday
John had discovered the Bobby Jones Golf course so we went out to play. One of the first courses in Florida, designed
by Donald Ross in 1926 and dedicated to Bobby Jones the next year. Fun layout with lots of water and a good
round. It is a municipal golf course and didn’t have much to offer for lunch so
we went back to the marina and had lunch on the deck of Marina Jack’s Restaurant. The marina is in a park so I took a short
walk around to the bay side of the park that evening and watched the sunset.
Sunset on Sarasota Bay |
Dec 8-9
Friday we headed down to Venice. A city we had been to while looking for a
boat and I had really liked. The old
town on the island has stayed the same for a century but is pretty lively with
restaurants and shops and I enjoyed a look around since it was just a ½ mile
over the bridge we we docked under. Dinner
at the restaurant at the marina was simple since I was not in the mood to
cook.
Saturday we were scheduled to go
to Boca Grande schedules and boats don’t mix. The weather was really bad and
the wind blowing hard so we cocooned inside the boat. I ventured out and walked to Mass in the late
afternoon and got back to the boat to cook dinner.
Gorgeous bas relief ceramic at Catherdral Church of the Epiphany |
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