July 28: a new St.Petersburg--Florida

Dear Friends and Relatives,

Another odyssey beginning today, as the Super Shuttle picked me and two other travelers up and brought us to the Dallas-Love Field Airport at around 7:00 am.  A more or less on time departure whisked me to St. Petersburg via the Tampa Airport--one of the nicest new airports I have seen in a while.  Nancy and Jim met me shortly before I got to Baggage Claim, and then we left the airport for an extensive, first look at the city.  St. P. Is on the Florida Gulf Coast, part of the Tampa Bay area.  It is known for its pleasant weather and is popular for golfing, boating, fishing and beachcombing.  Its waterfront parks host the Dali Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Mahaffey Theatre, home of the Florida Orchestra.  It is the fifth most populous city in Florida, and is located on a peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.  

St. P. was founded in 1888, and it was named after St. Petersburg, Russia (neat how I visited both in one summer!).  Due to good weather and the low cost of living, the city has long been a popular retirement destination, and is known for its vibrant arts scene.  

The 1920s in SP were big due to a major growth spurred on by tourists.  However, tourism declined by the late 1920s and 1930s due to the Great Depression.  But by the 40s, the city sported a population growth due to WW II, as SP was a training ground area for the US Coast Guard and the Army Air Force.  And the population has grown from then on.  

I liked its downtown aspect a lot.  It has been rated among the best cities of the South.  The area's beaches are a 10-mile drive from downtown.  A major tourist attraction is the SP Pier, jutting a half mile into the Bay.  The downtown perimeter includes several parks, branches of SP College and the University of South Florida, several art museums, and the Vinoy Park Hotel, a site on the National Register of Historic Places.  Can't wait to start exploring them starting tomorrow.

Nancy, Jim, and I had lunch at R Harbor, enjoying fish paste with crackers as well as oysters on the half shell.  Later on we did some more driving in order for me to get oriented to the neighborhood, and we ended up buying a Key Lime pie, as I hadn't had one in years and merely mentioned it.  

We returned to Nancy and Jim's lovely home and swimming pool, and Nancy and I talked and worked out some WiFi connection problems while Jim took a little nap and then went swimming.  Eventually, he grilled some flank steak, and we had rice and mixed vegetables with it, ending the meal with the wonderful Key Lime pie.

It is not particularly late, but since I got up at about 4:00 am, I am bushed and will now retire.  Looking forward to tomorrow's site-seeing plans!  Goodnight to all!  As ever, Sylvia