Waking up the morning after getting 4 hours of sleep is never easy. There is no exception to the rule, even if you are vacationing in Florida. So when the alarm went off at 8 today, I was diligent in getting extra shut eye. I asked my father if he was showering, and when he said yes, i had an in. I told him to wake me up after his shower, and i earned another 15 minutes of sleep.
Upon coming to, it was off to our free "continental breakfast". It was being served in a hotel room turned dining room, so our expectations were low. Upon arriving, we found cereal (frosted flakes), toast, and pastries alongside your usual morning beverages. It was a pleasant surprise. We packed up and made our way to the car for our day on St. Pete Beach.
Fast forward to our 7/11 stop where i found another energy drink for my collection, and dad and i split a mammoth Coke Slurpee. The speed limit was a daring 70 which isn't something Milwaukeans are used to. Our 70 some mile trip outran the overcast skies plaguing the Orlando area. From that point on, it was overwhelmingly sunny all day.
St. Pete beach holds a special place in my dad and i's hearts, as we frequented the area throughout my childhood. A town raking in on the fact that the place is surrounded by water, nearly all the buildings on the streets are hotels and short term apartments. The small town is primarily mom and pop run, with a few chains creeping in.
After buying a water, some SPF 4, and an electric shaver, we set up shop on the beach. Couldn't have asked for a better day. I could, however ask for a better tan. A little disappointed on that part.
The nostalgia took a hit when we decided to drive around the saint while we rested our sandy dogs. The all you can eat style arcade that i had frequented on previous vacations and as recently as last April had closed up shop. May its glorious copies of classic arcade games rest in peace.
While traveling through the saint, my father started reminiscing about his second west coast love, Clearwater. And while describing it to me, he mentioned it being "just a bit to the north". His description of just a bit translated poorly in my brain, and I suggested we visit. A 20 minute drive and we arrived in Clearwater. It was nothing short of beautiful, and my father and i enjoyed the sunset from the beach.
On our way back, i saw a young woman in a VW bug with quite the exquisite hairdo, and i got dad to slow down enough to try to get a picture of the mop. I wanted to chase her down to get a better shot, but dad is never confident in his driving skills in an unknown region in the dark. She got away. We stopped at a Waffle House, the George Webb of the south, and stuffed our faces full of breakfast food. The ride back home is always excruciatingly long, so i used it to write this post. Haven't decided what to do tomorrow yet, but boy does it feel good to be here.
end quote.
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