As part of a short family-related trip I was able to get out and about in Tampa, Florida and a few areas to the south around Engelwood and Grove City. The weather ranged from a tad chilly to just about perfect. Similar to the page dedicated to upstate New York, I am very likely to continue returning to this little part of the world on an annual basis, so why not take a few photographs here and there. Also like upstate New York, it is a unique place that offers a glimpse of certain ways of American life. Tampa is of course a large and diverse Florida city while the Englewood and Grove City areas are largely home to transient older populations. The great American snow-bird, and Canadian as well.
I spent part of one day walking the riverwalk in downtown Tampa and visited the Tampa Museum of Art along the way. In Englewood, I was able to get out now and then and visited Englewood Beach, Stump Pass Beach State Park, Blind Pass Beach along Manasota Key, and Cedar Point Environmental Park and the canal access neighborhoods of Grove City.
Besides the weather my favorite thing about the area was the bird-life. We were visited often at our canal-side airbnb by snowy and great egrets, great and green herons, white ibis, and white and brown pelicans. I was a little amazed to be able to get so close to the birds after chasing the same birds around western US wildlife refuges for so many years. Oh and there was the food. Our place was just down the street from a Maine lobster importer. Life can be quite unexpectedly good.
A few more images can be found in my photography galleries.