April 2007

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The upper Gulf coast of Florida has an abundance of beaches, usually located out beyond causeways. Our favorites so far are; Hudson Beach, just a few miles from our resort, Howard Beach, in Tarpon Springs, and Honeymoon Beach, which is located about 10 miles south of Howard Beach. The constant breeze, salty air, and casual lifestyle make it impossible not to relax here. The beaches invite you to linger and read a good book or get in your daily walking routine on the bike paths that are provided. The "seniors" seem to have a more energetic, youthful attitude because of the mild, year-round climate. Hope it rubs off on us!

The coastal village of Tarpon Springs is a greek-populated historical town world-famous for its' "sponge" industry. It dates back to the nineteenth century when immigrants who settled in Florida, discovered the Gulf of Mexico provided a very profitable sponge business similar to that back in their "home country" of Greece. The industry thrived until the mid-1950's when severe weather affected the sponge production and rising costs of their recovery made the business less profitable. Today, the village is undergoing a renovation to attract more tourists. Boat tours, Greek restuarants, shopping, and entertainment all help to attract visitors.

Another pastime for Floridians (and Snowbirds) are the many weekend flea markets. You
can literally spend an entire day in one that covers up to a mile. We've found some great
deals and enjoyed some wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables from the local growers. One
that's unusually large is the Wagon Wheel Flea Market in Clearwater, Florida.
Of coarse after a hard day of "flea-marketing" it only makes sense to play a round of
mini-golf, my favorite pastime!

During the month of April we spent a great deal of time at the local beaches, enjoyed the "fresh catch of the day" at local restuarants, and took care of several motorhome maintenance issues, while Di continued to recover from her surgery on April 3rd. We'll be leaving on May 23rd to head to Connecticut after a two year absence.