THE PARSONS PROJECT!
... Ken & Fran's Travelogue - 2023
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November 2023 - Clickable Links
November 2023 - Clickable Links
Savannah, GA Area (7 nights)
Savannah, GA Area (7 nights)
1-2 - Relaxation Days
1-2 - Relaxation Days
Today (1st) was a great day to just sit back & relax. Our area is being hit with an Arctic Blast...instead of an 80 degree day we are having only a mid 50 degree day with lots of wind...brrr.
3 - Downtown Savannah - Ghost Tour
3 - Downtown Savannah - Ghost Tour
Another day to head back into downtown as we went on one of their many walking ghost tours and ours just happened to include a stop or two at a few of the local pubs! Headed into town on Uber and had a few hours to walk around before the 7:30 tour. Glad we had time to spend down there before hand as our tour guide was a young student in her final year at the Art College and she may be good in art but she was a terrible tour guide. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give her a 2 as she was at least trying...oh well, you win some...you lose some!
Dr Martin Luther King, Jr Statue by the JW Marriott
Savannah City Hall
Gold dome of City Hall
Waving Girl Statue
What is the story of the waving girl in Savannah?
Starting at a very young age, Martus became fascinated by the ships that sailed through the port day in and day out. She watched every ship pass by, and began waving her handkerchief at them as they passed by. Sailors quickly took notice and returned her gesture with a simple wave from the ship...officialsavannahguide.com
What is the meaning of the waving girl?
The Waving Girl Statue in Savannah. Savannah's Statues and Monuments. The young lady who greeted the passing ships in Savannah, Georgia, was a genuine symbol of southern hospitality. Day and night, she waved, welcoming, and bidding farewell to the hardworking sailors she encountered...gallivantertours.com
Savannah Pub Crawl Ghost Tour with our young tour guide in the reddish sweater.
4 - Relax Day
4 - Relax Day
St. Augustine, FL Area (7 nights)
St. Augustine, FL Area (7 nights)
5 - Driving Day to Stagecoach RV Park
5 - Driving Day to Stagecoach RV Park
Easy day only 2.5 hours, so we stopped just before hitting Florida and had the truck & trailer washed at a Blue Beacon. They did an awesome job and at less than $70, I think it's a great deal.
Will be here in St. Augustine & Jacksonville for the next week.
6 - Driving Day to Tampa, FL - Daytrip
6 - Driving Day to Tampa, FL - Daytrip
We needed to do a personal pick up of some medication for Fran as the compounding pharmacy would not mail it out to an RV Park or another pick up location. So we took a quick side trip to the Tampa region for the day.
8 - Exploring Historic Downtown St. Augustine
8 - Exploring Historic Downtown St. Augustine
Got an early start to the day as we wanted to spend some time in the historic region. Parked near St. George street and then followed our GPSMyCity app to explore.
St. George St. - lots of shopping, restaurants & ice cream shops.
St. George St. - a pedestrian only area covering about 5 to 6 blocks.
We toured around Castillo de San Marcos National Monument - the oldest fort in the Continental US as part of Spain's dedication to protecting it's shipping route and goods and what is now Florida. Nine wooden forts were originally built in starting in 1565 but did not withstand the conditions before constructing this stone fort that was built between 1672 and 1695 and still stands today never falling in battle. The walls of the fort are about 14 feet thick. This area was first occupied by Spain, then Britain, then Spain again and finally the US. However once in US hands it was controlled by both the Confederation & finally the Union.
The fort is built from Coquina rock a sedimentary rock that's made up of shell fragments and quartz grains held together by calcium carbonate. The term "coquina" comes from the Spanish word for "tiny shell"...Generative AI
Comfy sleeping arrangements
A wonderful volunteer guide explaining how the control of the fort changed hands over the centuries.
The small courtyard in the middle. Overall this was not a very large fort.
The first Priest, Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales
The small chapel inside the fort.
A wonderful view of the Matanzas Bay from the top of the fort.
The drawbridge exit.
The Old City Gate at the end of St. George St.
When entering the city.
When exiting the city.
The oldest wooden school house in the US. on St. George St.
Flagler Memorial Presbyterian
Ponce De Leon Hotel - now home to Flagler College.
Flagler College
Inside the old lobby of the hotel.
The fountain as viewed just outside the main entrance of the lobby.
Another stop was to see Constitution Monument, a structure from 1813 that is believed to be the only surviving, unaltered monument left in the world from the original decree from Spain.
Cathedral of St. Augustine, from 1797 is the oldest catholic parish in the US.
The altar at the front of the church
The view at the back of the church
In the small chapel, this scene of The Last Supper is made from all glass tiles.
A surprising discovery behind this hedge. One of two in the world, this is a reproduction of Michelangelo's "David" carved in the exact specifications as the original. We should have had Ken stand beside this as it was much larger than what I thought it would be. It stands 17 feet high and weighs 10 tons, carved from once piece of marble.
Our last stop of our self guided walking tour was to see Nombre de Dios mission, founded by Pedro Menendez de Aviles in 1565 at the same time as he founded St. Augustine and at the same time that first Priest, Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales held high the cross and celebrated the first parish mass here.
Nombre de Dios, Name of God in Spanish.
America's Most Sacred Acre.
Priest, Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Grajales
The Great Cross - 208 ft high and constructed of 70 tons stainless steel packed with concrete.
Part of the The Rosary Monument that is on site.
A tribute to the enslaved who helped settle St. Augustine is here on the mission close to the Great Cross.
Some of the sisters of St. Joseph are buried here on site. They came to St. Augustine after the civil war to teach the liberated slaves.
Our Lady of La Leche Shrine.
10 - Lightner Museum & St. Augustine Beach
10 - Lightner Museum & St. Augustine Beach
It was time to head back downtown as I really wanted to see the Lightner Museum. Even though this was history, it was not all about wars and taking over and protecting land. It was about the collection of hobbies as it turns out.
I probably was most interested in that it was housed in the old Alcazar Hotel which looked magnificent from the outside and the inside wasn't too shabby either. City Hall is also in this building...what a place to work!
The inner courtyard and the Lightner Museum is thru that door at the end of the garden.
Otto C. Lightner and the history of the museum.
Some of the glassware on display. It is all documented in the binder at the front of the display.
The collections are held within rooms of the old hotel. And where they can, they have some of the old rooms open, like the Alcazar Baths and the Russian Bath.
Another display was the stained glass. I did not take pics of all on display but this artwork is intriguing.
One of the most unique areas is the original pool that has now been converted to the dining area. This area is also used for weddings. While we were there there were at least 2 sets of people that were being given the wedding tour package information.
Another special display was to see the photography of William Henry Jackson showing some of the character of St. Augustine.
Also in the museum were some unique art pieces and some everyday common items.
We've been to Milk River, AB, Canada so it was fun to see this item on display.
Also it turns out that the museum houses 5000 Salt & Pepper shakers...who knew!
Toaster Collection
On the main floor were some unique pieces...
After a few hours at the museum it was time to get some sunlight so it was off to see the St. Augustine Light Station - we did not take a tour, but it was a great place to drive to and see the area of the Old Watchtower and the Lighthouse Pier.
This fisherman was lucky to catch a few and while he was cleaning them the pelicans were enjoying the leftovers.
Great Egret
After the pier we drove over to St. Augustine Beach which as it turns out is not only a beach but a town as well. The beach went on forever and the water was pretty warm.
Instead of eating lunch by the beach we drove to the closest brewery and what a find...Old Coast Ales and beside it was Osprey Tacos and they were delicious! Great way to end the day.
11 - Relax Day and Get Ready to Head Out Tomorrow
11 - Relax Day and Get Ready to Head Out Tomorrow
Miami, FL Area including Everglades NP & Key West (14 nights)
Miami, FL Area including Everglades NP & Key West (14 nights)
12 - Travel Day to Everglades National Park, Flamingo Campground
12 - Travel Day to Everglades National Park, Flamingo Campground
A long day of driving from the St. Augustine Region to reach Everglades National Park. We had been booked into Long Pine Campground but due to park upgrades the campground was not yet open so they moved us to Flamingo another 45 minutes down the road. Left at 7:30 in the morning and made it to the campground just before 5pm. Stopped just north of Homestead, FL at Costco...what a mistake, extremely busy and hard to maneuver the truck & trailer in the gas lanes due to the busyness of the area.
The campground has some electrical sites and some not. After our first 2 nights we moved to an electrical site as the days were very warm and our generator needed to run all day just to keep up. Our solar panels were obstructed by a tree in our first spot.
Lots of American White Ibis on property as well.
13 - Bike Ride & Florida Bay Boat Tour
13 - Bike Ride & Florida Bay Boat Tour
Finally got out on the bikes and toured a bit of the area around our campground. Stopped at the well done visitor center to get some information about the area.
Spotted some Manatees at the marina before we enjoyed an ice cream treat from the convenience store.
Later that afternoon at 4pm we enjoyed a very peaceful tour of the Florida Bay with Captain Booker & guide Mitchell. Spent a couple of hours on the boat viewing some birds and visiting a couple of Keys (ie. Islands). Ended the ride with a beautiful view of the sunset.
Only had 9 of us for the tour...lots of space to walk around.
Blue Heron
Osprey and the enormous nest they continue to build on.
Keys
A key is a specific type of island. Keys are small, low-lying coral islands that are often surrounded by coral reefs. Keys are formed when the top of a coral reef is exposed to the surface over time. The ocean transports loose sediment across a reef where it accumulates and builds up. Keys are also called cays. The term “key” comes from the Spanish word, “cayo” which translates to “small island”...Generative AI
Captain Booker & our Guide Mitchell as well as Ken
Lots of Pelicans can be seen diving into the water in search of dinner.
An Osprey on one of the Keys
Stopped at Murray Key
Murray Key
Red Mangrove with its Prop Roots
Red mangroves have prop roots that descend from their trunks and branches. These roots provide a stable support system and help with gas exchange. The roots also transport air to the waterlogged belowground roots...Generative AI
Before the roots touch the water they are called Aerial Roots.
A Blue Heron and another bird (?)
A beautiful sunset...
That is quite a halo!
15 - Driving Day to Key West, FL
15 - Driving Day to Key West, FL
It was a really rainy day driving down the Florida Keys on our way to Key West. It was a 4hr commute so I was glad that we decided to stay for 2 nights in Key West.
So many boats along the way...what a surprise and I really enjoyed seeing how they stack them up in the storage yards.
The really rainy weather as we were in the Marathon, FL area
A section of the Old Seven Mile Bridge
Part of the Old Seven Mile Bridge no longer in use today, can you tell?
Some of the "Keys" that we could see from the road.
Staying at a cute motel, Alexander Palms Court, walking distance to all of downtown.
Ended our driving day at The Green Parrot after a bit of exploring the town and enjoying a traditional Cuban sandwich for dinner.
16 - Key West, FL - Happy 67th Birthday Ken!!
16 - Key West, FL - Happy 67th Birthday Ken!!
Started our day by standing in line to have our pic taken at the Southernmost Point in the continental USA...well that is accessible to the general public.
And then it was off to enjoy breakfast at Frenchies Cafe. Avocado Toast for Ken and a veggie Omelet for Fran.
After a delicious breakfast we were off to explore the town...
The lighthouse claim to fame is that it is the only lighthouse in the US entirely with city limits, constructed in 1848.
Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum.
Lots of people wanting to tour...we did not.
Ken was enjoying some of these similar styled homes
While I enjoyed seeing all of the wild chickens & roosters that had free rein of the townsite and any restaurant they entered.
Stopped by the Rams Head Southernmost (most of the places here in town claim to the "southernmost") to enjoy a mojito and listen to some live music. By now it is just after 11am and most of the restaurants had live music on the go. Probably for the cruise ship that was in port for the day.
Sporting his new Key West Florida baseball cap! Great color!!
The Kapok Tree with its very unusual trunk base.
We continued on our walk and found Mile O of the #1 Highway. Both the End and the Beginning on the other side of the street.
Continuing on our GPSMyCity tour we stopped by "The Little White House" within the Truman Annex downtown area. It was built in 1890 for the commanding officer of the Key West Submarine Base but it was made popular when President Harry S. Truman used it for working vacations...hence the name..."The Little White House". It has also been visited by other US Presidents and other dignitaries over the years.
What do you know...we found another brewery...First Flight Brewery located in the birthplace of Pan American World Airways.
It was getting close to lunch for us...likely around 1:30pm and why not have dessert before dinner. Stopped by The Key Lime Pie Bakery...supposedly the birthplace of the Key Lime Pie in 1856 and enjoyed a slice. It was really delicious, smooth and not too tart.
A random sighting of a Pirates Well in a yard...real or not...who knows?!
On to Capt. Tony's Saloon, where Ken sat on the stool named for Shel Silverstein.
You will find the burial marker of Reba Sawyer right underneath the Hanging Tree. The story goes that Reba was originally buried in the Key West cemetery after she died in 1950. Her husband later found letters that exposed an affair between his wife and another man. They had their trysts at Captain Tony’s Saloon. The husband was so enraged that he dragged his cheating wife’s gravestone from the cemetery into the bar and placed it under the Hanging Tree, shouting, “Here is where she wanted to be. Here is where she will stay.” ...oldtownmanor.com
The Hanging Tree and "decorations"
Sitting on the Shel Silverstein stool.
Capt. Tony was a character who I think had a pretty vibrant sex life!
More walking around and found the Key West Historic Memorial Sculpture Garden. It is pretty impressive with all of the busts and commentaries.
One of the many cruise ships that make Key West a stop. I guess that is why downtown was so busy.
Just another cool looking building from 1891.
A very impressive Super Yacht was docked here on the day we were visiting.
Who is the Owner of the Yacht ROCK.IT?
The yacht’s owner is Jimmy John Liautaud. Jimmy John Liautaud is the founder and former CEO of Jimmy John’s, a chain of sandwich shops that was founded in 1983 in Illinois. Liautaud started the company when he was 19 years old, and grew it into a successful national chain with over 2,800 locations in 43 states. Prior to starting Jimmy John’s, Liautaud worked as a grill cook and a dishwasher and has credited his success to his hard work and dedication...superyachtfan.com
5 staterooms on board for 10 guests as well as room for the 13 crew members. An annual operating cost of $6 million!
Time to rehydrate at Waterfront Brewery and enjoy an appetizer.
And time for dinner...well happy hour 1/2 price appetizers plates at "The Boat House". Nothing super great about it.
It was just after 4pm and the fishing boat crew members were filleting the catch of the day and throwing the scraps into the water for the Tarpon to enjoy as well as another kind of fish.
Missed seeing the sunset as we walked over to the park to see the Farmers Market...which was not very good...not enough vendors.
Stopped at "The Old Town Tavern" last night and came by here again tonight to enjoy a final brew and another small bite to eat. Now we are close to home...a 21,000 step day!!
17 - Homeward Bound...well to the Everglades National Park that is.
17 - Homeward Bound...well to the Everglades National Park that is.
A much clearer day to enjoy the drive along the #1 over the Florida Keys.
An old bridge no longer in commision.
The color of the water is wonderful with its teal and varying shades of blue.
Stopped for a short break at Hurricane Monument to commemorate those lives lost on Sep 2, 1935 from a Hurricane with it's 200mph winds and 18ft tidal waves.
18 - A Short Hike & Canal Canoe Ride looking for Crocodiles....
18 - A Short Hike & Canal Canoe Ride looking for Crocodiles....
Walked the short boardwalk "West Lake Trail"
Lots of Airplants on the mangroves and other trees.
Looked lots but did not see any alligators! But heard lots of splashes...
Our first ever canoe ride together!
A Blue Heron at home...
Our turnaround point one hour down the canal.
Lots of Mangroves live here.
A tangled web of roots...
And finally on the way back to the dock we spotted a crocodile sunning himself! Wildlife!!
Back at the dock one of the guides told us about this large Alligator or maybe it was a Crocodile.
Pretty impressive, thank goodness for zoom lenses!
A sticky friend that liked hanging out on our awning.
Ken had fun chasing it away...
19 - Time to move to Everglades Long Pine Key Campground
19 - Time to move to Everglades Long Pine Key Campground
A short 45 minute drive back towards Miami as Long Pine Campground finally opened up. We were supposed to stay here for our full 2 weeks but it did not open until Nov. 14. No electric but hopefully our solar will work good along with the generator to keep us cool. Temps are still in the 80's!
21 - Alligator Farm & Airboat Ride
21 - Alligator Farm & Airboat Ride
Spent a few hours just up the road from the national park at the Everglades Alligator Farm. It was a chance to see alligators up close & personal as well as to try out an Airboat ride. The Farm is used for educational purposes only, no harvesting of the alligators for their hide or meat.
Our first stop was to take a 15 min ride on an airboat. They did give us ear protection but I don't think it was enough. It took me about 30 minutes after the ride to get my hearing back. The ride was ok and the 360 degree turns were unexpected and fun but given the noise, I don't think either of us would do another ride for any length of time.
Lots of gators live here in the Breeding Pond. Most of them are females, with the males being the larger of them.
Just before feeding time.
Patiently waiting...
And catching a few rays of sun & warmth while waiting for the food!
Just a short bit during the alligator feeding time.
The juvenile alligators.
Just like most other animals, the young are very active!
The area for the short display about capturing alligators in years past.
Showing the teeth and if they fall out they are regrown in a day or so.
The farm also is a place that rescues animals other than alligators. Here are just a few.
Green Iguanas behind the fences as well.
"Grandpa" alligator at 14 feet!
Just about 15 min away from the park entrance is Robert is Here Fruit Stand and Farm. We picked up a few groceries and split the $10 milkshake. A litte overpriced but it was fresh & delicious.
Continued our excursion with a visit to enjoy a cold brew at Miami Brewing Company. This was an impressively large taproom!
Our last stop of the day was to finally get a picture of the Everglades National Park sign and stop in the visitor center on the east end of the park. They had a good display of the landscape in the area, that we drove thru mostly on our way to the Flamingo campground at the west end of the park.
22 - Miami Beach & South Beach
22 - Miami Beach & South Beach
Only a short 1.25 hours on the toll roads to reach Miami Beach! Traffic and overpasses galore. I found it a little stressful, Ken not so much.
Quite an impressive downtown and this is not even all of it!
The preservation of the Art Deco District.
First stop was the beach. This was one of the colorful lifeguard stations.
The water got deep quite quickly.
Looking back at the Art Deco District.
Espanola Way...full of restaurants on this pedestrian walkway.
Pretty quiet at 3 in the afternoon, we hear it gets packed in the evening.
This was the Post Office where I mailed out one of the postcards to Mom. History abounds in these old buildings.
Congress Hotel...I liked the font.
Some of the beautiful architecture in the Art Deco District. It would be great to see these places in the evening when the lights are on.
We took the long walk to South Pointe Park Pier. Had wonderful overlooks of the beach and the port area.
South Pointe Park Pier.
Lots of sky rise apartment buildings along the beach.
The beaches were packed...
The end of the pier.
24 - LIttle Havana
24 - LIttle Havana
Another trip back into Miami but this time to visit Little Havana. What a great area, the main shopping/touristy district was smaller than we thought it may be but still very nice. Great place to walk around on a sunny day.
First stop was to enjoy another Cuban Sandwich at El Pub Restaurant and do some people watching as we sat on the outdoor patio.
The Domino Club was fun to watch...they move really fast!
Ken enjoyed a cigar from the Cuba Tobacco Cigar Co as we walked the street. Lots of walking tours stop here.
Chickens & Roosters have free range...similar to Key West.
Murals and tile art found along our route. The McDonalds sign I'm sure is one of a kind!
Surprisingly, there are not many historical markers in this area. This one small courtyard in the street had a few.
The local band playing at the Ball & Chain drawing in the customers...it works...got us there!
25 - Everglades National Park - Nike Hercules Missile Launch Site & Royal Palm Hikes
25 - Everglades National Park - Nike Hercules Missile Launch Site & Royal Palm Hikes
As we were headed to Royal Palm, we saw our last sighting of the local wildlife. Some folks were already stopped on the side of the road, so we joined them to see this beauty of an alligator.
An unexpected find for us was to stop by the Nike Hercules Missile Launch site that was in operation from 1965 to 1979. This is the only missile site to have ever been set up and operated from within a United States National Park.
A refurbished missile launcher is on display and the interpretive guides do a great job of explaining the area and the missiles.
About 120 soldiers worked in this site.
Fran setting off the radar launcher.
Three launchers were only ever set off during initial testing and none from this site.
After a little history it was a short drive to walk the area in Royal Palm.
Anhinga Trail - named after the bird - a boardwalk trail around a freshwater slough.
Look closely...do you see it?
Ken almost missed it.
The water was so clear that you could see to the bottom.
Only saw one Anhinga bird and it was busy cleaning itself. This was a short 1 mile, easy boardwalk trail, Lots of areas to stop and watch the bird action.
A short 2 min walk from the Anhinga Trail was the Gumbo Limbo Trail. Totally different plant life and so much cooler in the shade of the trees.
A portion of the trail.
The Gumbo-Limbo tree with it's peeling red bark.
In the midst of all the Gumbo-Limbo trees we spotted a Royal Palm with its tell tell smooth green bark at the top.
Tampa, FL Area (4 nights)
Tampa, FL Area (4 nights)
26 - Venice, FL - Driving Day
26 - Venice, FL - Driving Day
It was about a 4 hour drive today as we wanted to be south of Tampa to explore some of the Gulf Coast area.
Made our way to Venice, FL as Ken had found an RV Park that looked to be right for us. We had not booked this location as we thought we would just do so when we arrived as there were numerous spots online the day before. However, when we arrived the office was closed on Sundays, but luckily one of the tenants directed us to the manager and they were able to set us up for the next 4 nights.
As we drove, a good portion of Hwy 41 was bordered by a canal. Pretty area with lots of people fishing from the bridges.
Staying at Camp Venice about 20 minutes outside of Venice downtown and Venice Beach.
27 - Sarasota, FL
27 - Sarasota, FL
Took a day trip to explore a bit of Sarasota. Walked around a bit of the downtown area. It was not very touristy and therefore not too many people hanging out.
Weather was a bit cooler today.
An old building
A fountain along our walk
Within the Roundabouts they display different art pieces. A nice touch.
Scottish history in the area.
Had lunch down by the water and this was the view looking back into downtown Sarasota.
End of World War II as portrayed by this oversize sculpture "Unconditional Surrender"
On the way home, just had to stop off at Turtle Beach. Again it was nice to get a little "grounded".
28 - St. Petersburg & Tampa, FL
28 - St. Petersburg & Tampa, FL
Another long driving day about 1 hour to get to St. Petersburg and then another 30 minutes to the JC Newman Cigar Factory in Tampa and then a quick stop in Ybor City.
Crossed over the Sunshine Bridge on our way to enjoy breakfast in St. Petersburg.
The Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge, often referred to as the Sunshine Skyway Bridge or the Sunshine Skyway, consists of a pair of long beam bridges with a central cable-stayed bridge that spans Lower Tampa Bay to connect St. Petersburg, Florida, to Terra Ceia. Wikipedia
Height: 430′
Opened: April 20, 1987
Clearance below: 180′
Bridge Cables
Just a small part of Tampa Bay
A few beauties that you are able to walk thru.
St. Pete Pier is a wonderful place to hang out on a warm day...which was not today but it was still fun to walk around the area. This is a definite must see area.
3 Restaurants here at the end of the pier.
A look over the bay to downtown Tampa.
From the pier looking back at downtown St. Petersburg.
The World's First Airline...the Benoist Airboat...on display near St. Pete's Pier.
After spending a few hours in St. Petersburg we headed off to Tampa across yet another bridge and they were in the process of adding another lane or two beside the road we travelled. Lots of cranes in the distance.
Our first stop in Tampa was to the J.C. Newman Cigar Company within the El Reloj Cigar Factory for the one hour tour. I do not smoke cigars but Ken does every now & then. We were both surprised at how wonderful this tour was and how much we learned about the cigar making history and process. And all this from within the last operating family owned factory.
The clock tower mechanism still working today.
Went into the basement where the humidity could be controlled to explore.
Display/Archive room for the personal items
The basement hallway
The Cigar Vault
Oldest Cigars in the World
Currently used aging room for the hand rolled cigars. They sit in here for 12-18 months.
Aging room for the hand rolled cigars.
Preparing the tobacco leaves for rolling. They come in dry and they are misted down and stored in these wooden boxes to rehydrate the leaves. Each type of tobacco leaf has a distinctive odor and color.
Removing the spine from the tobacco leaf before it is used in the final wrapping of the cigar.
The dry filler tobacco used in the feeder for the machines.
The original machines from the early 1900's still in use today for the machine rolled cigars.
The machine used to fabricate a cigar.
Adding the final wrapper tobacco leaf around the machined cigar. The workers are paid by the piece.
J. C. Newman Brands
Labelling & wrapping of the cigars in cellophane
Packaging the machine rolled cigars for shipping.
They only have about 6 people that still hand roll cigars. Each person creates about 90 cigars per day.
Sorting the hand rolled cigars by color
The final step is to label and package each individual hand rolled cigar
Ybor City, ie Cigar City.
The history of the Cuban Sandwich
After our cigar factory tour we drove the 5 minutes to the historic district of Ybor City to have an early dinner at the Columbia Restaurant. This is the original location.
Rotary Club of Ybor City started here at Columbia Restaurant and still meets there today.
The Columbia Restaurant started with Beer!
The Cuban Sandwich.
Thinly sliced beef dish with Yellow Rice & Black Beans & lots of Onions!
More of the local history...The Rough Riders in 1898...The Krewe of the Knights of Sant'yago...Tampa's First Cigar Factory.
More roosters & chickens!
The one main street that we walked down (7th Avenue) had some wonderful old buildings.
29 - Venice, FL
29 - Venice, FL
A short drive from our RV Park was the historic town of Venice and Venice Beach.
Just another beach!
A fitting end to this part of Florida as we saw a crocodile swimming in the river outside the restaurant back at our RV Park.
Driving Day on our way to Gulf Shores, AL
Driving Day on our way to Gulf Shores, AL
30 - Marianna, FL
30 - Marianna, FL
A long driving day as we make our way towards the Gulf Shores. Stopped in Marianna outside of Tallahassee at the Stay N Go RV Park. A no frills park but great at $35/night for a quick stop.
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