Blue skies, smilin’ at me..

Finding sunshine in Tampa!

The weather finally changed for me as I headed west towards Tampa. To start, I had booked 6 nights camping at a place called “Westminster Woods” which was a Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center in Lithia, about 45 minutes south of Tampa. It was just what I’d hoped.

Having grown up Presbyterian and attended summer camp at a different “Camp Westminster” (up in the tiny town of Holmes, NY) the surroundings felt very familiar. There was a lodge, a fire circle, numerous cabins and little trails. They had 6 campsites, all with electric and water and close to a bathhouse. I set up my camp and except for a couple of short hikes, I stayed put and enjoyed the sun.

I loved hearing the birds in the morning and one very inquisitive cardinal was a frequent visitor to my little camp.

After 6 glorious, sunny and warm days, I headed into Tampa proper for a few days of “culture.” I stayed at a hostel called “Gram’s Place” which was the epitome of funky. It had a great vibe and was right on a (free) bus line.

Tampa is a small city but has a beautiful new Performing Arts Center with six theaters. I saw an excellent performance of Bernstein’s “Candide” and the next night, a presentation of “Macbeth” which always creeps me out no matter how many times I’ve seen it.

I also took a wild “golf cart” tour of the city. This was in a “street legal” golf cart which scooted through traffic while the guide pointed out various parts of the city. Lots of fun and a little nerve-wracking! Tampa has a great vibe and lots of cool history.

My last day in Tampa, I drove over to Madeira Beach to meet up with a friend. This was a friend from my days on a very active “Lord of the Rings” website. I knew her as “Wildwood” (I was “JewelSong”) and this was the first time we’d met in person! It was lovely!

The Tampa area seems to be the best destination for January sun and I’m already planning next year’s excursion. It may include the auto-train to shorten the drive down. But for now, I was off to Tallahassee and a different kind of adventure.