Only in the Florida Keys . . .
The first time I heard about hand-feeding Tarpon I was with a Nat Geo crew helping film some crocs in my South Florida neighborhood. Today I found the quaint feeding spot quite by accident.
We were looking for a good lunch stop in the middle Keys and decided to try the Hungry Tarpon. Don’t be put off by the shabby-chic exterior appearance, this is vintage Keys.
They have a great outdoor dining area on the water, but since the weather was a bit chilly for me, we opted to dine inside the small restaurant. The grilled Mahi sandwich and conch fritters were both good.
Outside the restaurant, there is a festive variety of colorful, touristy booths selling everything from souvenirs to sunglasses. Next to the outdoor dining and bar is Robbie’s – just the spot if you want to hand feed some Tarpon.
As a girl growing up in the Tarpon capital of Florida (Tampa) this was a new concept and not for me (I remember the aforementioned Nat Geo reporter ending up with a bloody hand).
Today’s human guests seemed quite cheerful hanging over the edge of the deck with their buckets of fish . . . . . although I think the local pelicans were getting the best bargain in town.
Fences bordering the Gettysburg Battlefield.
2013 is the 150-year anniversary of the Civil War’s Battle of Gettysburg and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Located in Pennsylvania, the Gettysburg National Military Park is a good stopping off point for anyone travelling through the eastern U.S. You won’t be sorry. We packed in some serious history in an overnight and half-day visit on our way to New York.
After a long day of driving we arrived in Gettysburg. I wanted to stay in a historic property to make it even more meaningful, so we lodged at The Brickhouse Inn* (1898 and 1830, are the dates of the two adjacent houses that make up the Inn; we stayed in the 1898 main house). Having been forewarned our room (appropriately named “New York”) was on the third floor (with no elevator) we were prepared with a small overnight bag. The Inn was lovely and very comfortable. For those like us, on a quick time schedule, we had read a personally guided tour would be ideal and we booked a guide through the Inn manager.
After a day in the car, we wanted to stretch our legs, so we took a quick walk through the charming, historic town and explored up and down the streets. Historic markers are well-placed and easy to follow. Good news for my husband, pretty much all the stores were closed.
The Inn manager suggested for dinner we try the nearby Dobbin House Tavern, built-in 1776. We ate by candlelight in the cozy basement. We honestly felt transported back a few centuries – the atmosphere was lively and with tables tightly packed together, we soon found ourselves chatting with our neighboring diners. Food was just OK (I had crab cakes), but the atmosphere was definitely worth the effort. This building also served as a “station” on the famous “Underground Railroad”. There is also a more upscale restaurant, not in the basement, on the property. We hit Kilwin’s for ice cream on the way back to the Inn.
Breakfast at the Inn, on the outside terrace, was delightful and delicious, a great way to start the busy day. This morning at 9 a.m. our guide met us at the Inn for our private tour of the Gettysburg National Military Park. Guides go with you in your car. Our battlefield guide was a moolighting high school history teacher. The three-hour tour followed the three days of the battle, as well as pointing out all the monuments to the various state and local groups that fought. He really put the drama of the battle in perspective, but it was still hard to imagine the horror that took place in this now peaceful and tranquil area of rural Pennsylvania. He must’ve picked up on my Southern origins, as well as my husband’s Yankee background, and I felt like he did a good job explaining the battle from both Union and Confederate perspectives. We learned a lot, and realize every American should see this important historical site. What took us so long?
*Due to the anniversary celebrations, accommodations in the area are hard to come by for summer 2013 – so be sure to make arrangements in advance. If you do schedule a private tour you should plan to tip the guide.
Step Back to 1861
Your choice, lunch or dinner at the 1861 Farmhouse Restaurant & Winery is a delightful experience. Located in beautiful Valle Crucis, owners Steve and Alison have worked hard to combine a gourmet dining experience with local country flair and Southern-style.
Built the year the Civil War started, the home belonged to Henry Taylor, one of the four founding families of Valle Crucis. He made the brick himself in his own brickyard, and used lumber from his land that was hand-sawn locally. Henry Taylor, who was married to Emaline Mast, may be better known for building the Mast General Store in 1882. After running the store he eventually sold a partial, and then full interest to W.W. Mast. The home was the first in the area to have indoor plumbing and a telephone, and also served as the local Post Office for many years.
The property remained a private home for the Taylor family until 1988, and in 2004 was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Steve and Alison opened its doors to the public in 2011, after two years of extensive restoration work to remove decades of material covering up the original beauty of the home.
From their famous trout to their wonderfully yummy banana pudding, the varied menu* has something for every taste; a gift shop and winery round out their offerings. Check their website of current days and times, since they vary throughout different times of the year: www.1861farmhouse.com
*Priced reasonably with eager service.
Note: In 2014, the owners of the mast Farm Inn took over management of this restaurant and the name was changed to Over Yonder. Food, service and history remain the same.
Advent Calendar on the Lake, Lucerne.
Last night we followed the Belgian tradition of leaving our shoes outside our door to see what ‘Santa’ would bring us on the morning of December 6th. This morning we woke up to find a special gift of a very large chocolate Santa for each of us!
We arrived in Basel, Switzerland’s third largest city, early in the morning after traveling through eight locks during the night. Guides we had today all talked about Art Basel and Art Basel in Miami (going on right now); we also saw ample evidence of the big pharma companies based here, most prominently Novartis. After an orientation tour of the city, we visited the beautiful Rathaus (Town Hall) built over a 400-year period beginning in 1501. Basel is also home to the largest Swiss Xmas Market nestled into the plaza on Barfusserplatz. Today was very cold and threatening to rain and we didn’t get much time in the market; but since it is much smaller and more compact than many we’ve seen, we managed to cover all the bases.
This afternoon we drove towards the Alps and the beautiful city of Luzern. It was nostalgic to see the Old Swiss House (a copy used to be at Tampa’s Busch Gardens) and interesting to visit the lion monument and another beautiful Town Hall. The lake, of course, is so picturesque and even the dark clouds didn’t diminish the beauty of the surrounding scenery with its snow-capped mountains. It was a perfect jigsaw puzzle picture. We walked across the (rebuilt) historic wooden covered bridge that stretches across the lake, watched graceful swans, and paid a visit to the very small, but pretty, Xmas Market located between Franziskanerplatz & Hirschengraben.
The Swiss have a less-is-more philosophy when it comes to Christmas decorations and often the trees were unadorned or very sparsely decorated. Although there are many beautiful shops and department stores, the holiday markets here were the most disappointing of the trip (but we’ve seen so much it is not important). One of my favorite sites in Lucerne was a building that had been turned into a giant, colorful Advent Calendar. Hanging street lights didn’t have the variety we’d seen in other cities, but were still elegant and featured large crowns or lit stars; and since we were in town until dark we did get to see all the city lights! We concluded our Swiss odyssey with a wonderful hot chocolate in a local café.
For our last evening on the cozy River Princess, we said goodbye to new friends, wishing everyone a Wonderful Christmas Season, Happy, Healthy New Year & to All a Good Night!
