I am back on Anna Maria Island this 2009 Fourth of July week. I am sorry for everyone else who still slaving away at work back home – but this trip will be our last hurrah before a very busy fall, so I am not feeling too bad about it. I am going to try to get back into the habit of blogging this week, although my blogs will probably not be work-related as much as they will be life-related (which brings up the idea of a great blog about why we tend to compartmentalize our lives and the age-old question of “why can’t we live like we’re on vacation every day?”). Right now it is raining outside, so I am inside writing this.
I digress – let me begin by giving a little info about where we are. First of all, we are here mainly because Donna’s parents own a house here and so coming down is a very inexpensive getaway (basically just our gas to get down here and what we spend on food). I know, I am cheap, but I like to think of it as being a “really good steward of our resources.” (Thanks Don and Myralyn!)
What about Anna Maria Island itself? Anna Maria, known locally as simply AMI, is a beautiful seven-mile long Island that sits at the entrance to Tampa Bay. It’s about a 9-hour drive from our home north of Atlanta to here, but it is practically all expressway (mostly I-75), and always worth the drive. The best way I know to describe the island is to say it has the beautiful turquoise water like the Destin/Panama City Beach area, coupled with the “island feel” you get in St. Simons (some of you will be familiar with these comparisons). The pace here is very low-key and laid-back. There are no fast food restaurants, no high-rises and it is not nearly as crowded as the afore-mentioned beaches. The feel of AMI is often compared to the Florida Keys, without all the weirdness. Around here you see plenty of palm trees, hibiscus, oleander, lizards, pelicans, sea gulls, bicyclists, sea-turtle nests, and gorgeous sunsets. There is always something to do on AMI – but there is also no need to feel guilty if you just want to sit under an umbrella on the beach and read a good book.
Okay, okay, I realize I sound like a travel guide now, so I will stop, but honestly, it is a great place to relax and unwind. I have been here less than 24 hours now and I am beginning to start to relax – it takes a while for me. Once the rain stops and I can get back outside and get some sand between my toes, I will begin the process of unwinding the coil that is usually wound so tight in me. I will be writing more soon…
I digress – let me begin by giving a little info about where we are. First of all, we are here mainly because Donna’s parents own a house here and so coming down is a very inexpensive getaway (basically just our gas to get down here and what we spend on food). I know, I am cheap, but I like to think of it as being a “really good steward of our resources.” (Thanks Don and Myralyn!)
What about Anna Maria Island itself? Anna Maria, known locally as simply AMI, is a beautiful seven-mile long Island that sits at the entrance to Tampa Bay. It’s about a 9-hour drive from our home north of Atlanta to here, but it is practically all expressway (mostly I-75), and always worth the drive. The best way I know to describe the island is to say it has the beautiful turquoise water like the Destin/Panama City Beach area, coupled with the “island feel” you get in St. Simons (some of you will be familiar with these comparisons). The pace here is very low-key and laid-back. There are no fast food restaurants, no high-rises and it is not nearly as crowded as the afore-mentioned beaches. The feel of AMI is often compared to the Florida Keys, without all the weirdness. Around here you see plenty of palm trees, hibiscus, oleander, lizards, pelicans, sea gulls, bicyclists, sea-turtle nests, and gorgeous sunsets. There is always something to do on AMI – but there is also no need to feel guilty if you just want to sit under an umbrella on the beach and read a good book.
Okay, okay, I realize I sound like a travel guide now, so I will stop, but honestly, it is a great place to relax and unwind. I have been here less than 24 hours now and I am beginning to start to relax – it takes a while for me. Once the rain stops and I can get back outside and get some sand between my toes, I will begin the process of unwinding the coil that is usually wound so tight in me. I will be writing more soon…
Just to your north is Fort DeSoto. We lvied in St. Pete when we were first married and went there all the time. It is one of my favorite places on earth!
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool. I have never been to, or even heard of that place. I will look it up.
ReplyDeleteStev