Today...Salvador Dali Museum; Yesterday...Driving, and more driving, finally...the Florida Aquarium

On our way to Key Largo, we went to the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg. We begin touring on our own only to find that his early work is "boring" in the respect that it was very traditional...still lifes...stuff he was learning in art school. Before going too far we joined a tour with a docent. As we went along the exhibit was chronological. It did not take long before the images became much more abstract and interesting. Dali was strongly influenced by Freud and his images are a clear reflection of his dreams. We thought he might have been on drugs or some substance that brought out these themes, but his biographical information does not indicate any substance abuse. A strong influence was his wife, Gala. He signed many of his works with her name first and then his.

From childhood, Dali sought attention. His art is a reflection of this search. He did manage to get a lot of attention during his lifetime. Here are some facts about his work/life we found interesting:

• First gallery show at 17
• Something red in each painting
• Symbol of the lion is his father (a love/hate relationship)
• Gala in many of his works. Met her at 25. She was married at the time. Pope annulled her marriage much later. Married Dali when he was 52.
  

We enjoyed the museum very much. This is a trip highlight!

Yesterday Vicki and I drove Dave to the Tampa airport. He is returning to South Korea for his second "deployment." The first time he taught English in a public junior high school. This time in a private school where he will teach kindergartners and junior/senior high students. It will be interesting to hear his stories.

Anyway there was just a lot of driving yesterday. Early morning to the airport. Back to the hotel for a little while, back to pick up Mom and Dad and head for the Florida Aquarium in Tampa. Tampa is about an hour from Bradenton, so two round trips and the adventure finding the Aquarium.

We asked the hotel front desk guy to get us directions to the Aquarium. He did a Google search and said there were two results...one to the Tampa Bay Aquarium and another to the Florida Aquarium. We asked him which one was THE Aquarium. He picked Tampa Bay Aquarium and printed the directions. Anyway...he was wrong! He had picked a place that sold aquarium supplies...which we never found. I stopped to ask for directions to the Florida Aquarium and discovered we were way off course.

The Florida Aquarium was worth the effort. Highlights were the river otter and penguin programs. Amazing were some sea dragons that are fish, but seem to be sea horses that look like weeds. Very strange.

Drove back to Bradenton. Stopped for Chinese food. Said our goodbyes to Mom and Dad. Back to the hotel to crash. I was tired.

Today...vacation begins. We are headed for Key Largo. The plan is to visit the Everglades and time permitting visit Key West (Dad warned us not to walk the streets and night because he heard there are a lot of weirdos.). Such a warning makes us curious about seeing "weirdos."

St. Petersburg and the Roaring 20s

Yesterday we went to The Pier in St. Petersburg. Mom and Vicki had a lot of fun feeding the pelicans. We also visited the aquarium that had a hands on exhibit...we could touch sea urchins, star fish and other critters.

At a hat shop we tried on a few that had hairpieces attached. Pretty funny! I should have bought the cap with the ponytail!

In the evening we went to The Roaring 20s pizza parlor. The featured attraction is a pipe organ that is connected to many different instruments...drum kits, trumpets, marimbas and more. The organist plays mostly show tunes and 20s music. He takes requests, but never got to mine, "Stairway to Heaven."

Florida Trip/Vacation

From the coolness of Fort Worth to the muggy 80s in Tampa, Florida, we made our trek to visit my Mom and Dad yesterday. We burned up our AAdvantage miles and came first class. The trip was the smoothest ever with the exception of Vicki "hiding" a can of Diet Dr. Pepper in the backpack I was carrying through security. Well, it was discovered! The inspector asked if I wanted to drink it outside the security area...like I really had the time to just get out of line and have a soda. Anyway, another item "confiscated."

Got the rent car from Alamo. After completing all the paper work they sent us to the car lot with instructions to just "pick out a car." The keys are in the cars, so we just picked one from about a five or six different models. We ended up with a Dodge Charger...big enough to carry everyone (Mom, Dad, Dave, Vicki and myself).

Headed for the Holiday Inn @ River Ranch in Sarasota. Checked in, took a short nap and headed for "Il Villaggio", formerly known as Bradenton Missionary Village in Bradenton where Mom and Dad live. Village owners changed the name to attract rent paying residents. The primarily missionary residents do not pay rent, only utilities, hence making it affordable.

Visited with Mom, Dad and (brother) Dave for awhile. We had not seen Mom and Dad for more than two years. Both are doing well. Dad is two months into knee replacement surgery recovery.

Took everyone to dinner at The Outback. Celebrated Dad's 82nd birthday. After dinner went back to their place and watched some of the first game of the World Series - Phillies vs. Yankees.

Back to the Holiday Inn. While getting ready for bed Vicki managed to drop her ring (not wedding ring) in the toilet. Just know that it was not worth fishing out. Use your imagination to fill in the details or ask her about it. :)