I did all my trailer chores and then hitched it up. This morning we’re headed for Homosassa Springs, and the central Gulf Coast of Florida. This place was also recommended to us by Mike and Jan when we visited them in Georgia.
The trip down that way was mostly uneventful, but we finally finished the book on tape we had been listening to since we left California; it’s called The Help, and is about black maids in the South in the early 1960’s. Because it was 15 CD’s long, it took us until now to finish listening to it.
As most of you know, Marianne grew up in Montgomery, Alabama during that exact time, and her family also had a black maid. Although the book didn’t have any sex, car chase scenes, or the like, it was still a great book on the sociology of the South during that era. And of course, Marianne was a Sociology major in college. I’m glad I got to listen to it since it validated many of the preconceived notions I had regarding maids working for southern families like Marianne’s.
Homosassa Springs was home to a large sugar cane plantation which was burned to the ground by Union soldiers during the Civil War and never rebuilt. It is now a resort community which has a number of rivers and streams that form waterways for boaters of all sorts, and this Memorial Day weekend brought many of them to the area.
Our campground, called Turtle Creek RV Park, was an older park, but well maintained and updated. When we checked in we were informed that there would be a spaghetti fest that evening, with all the spaghetti one could eat for five dollars. Now that’s my kind of deal!
After we unhitched the trailer, set it up, and walked the dog, Marianne and I went exploring. We found the little harbor village that was a conglomeration of little hotels, bars, gift shops, and charter boats. But as soon as we pulled in it started to rain again, another Florida gulley washer. When it let up a bit we found an interesting gift shop that was going out of business, so we were able to pick up a couple of deals.
We also found the semi-world famous Monkey Island, located in the middle of the river that runs through the area, where five spider monkeys live. They entertain the patrons of the aptly named Monkey Bar, located on the bank of the river overlooking the island. It appears that these simians are one of the bigger tourist attractions in the area.
Tomorrow we’ll visit the manatees and the biggest tourist attraction here, the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park.
Tonight we’re went to the spaghetti fest, and there were only three other customers there besides us. There were three cooks and a helper, along with a DJ and his wife, so the staff out-numbered the guests. They really heaped on the spaghetti and meatballs for me, along with some cut corn, since we arrived toward the end of the shindig. The DJ was playing music from the ‘50’s and ‘60’s and one lone single 76 year-old lady was the only one cutting up the dance floor. She was pretty good, too.
Turns out she and her husband came down here to retire, but after a few months he just up and died on her. She decided to stay, living in their trailer which has now grown permanent roots in this RV Park, and it appears that many other trailers have come down here to grow roots and dissolve as well. Some have permanent roofs over their existing ones, and most have rooms added on to them. They’ll never move again. And if you can stand the cramped quarters, this is a very inexpensive way to spend the twilight of one’s years.
In the summer months this place is pretty dead. Many businesses are closed for the summer, but I guess during the winter months the snowbirds flock here, tripling the size of the community and filling all of the RV parks to the brim.
No comments:
Post a Comment