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Published: November 1st 2010
This is a return trip to Fort Desoto - interestingly this destination has the highest stastitics on the blog by almost 3-1.
We love the water front campsites, the great bird watching, the award-winning beach, and the proximity to restaurants and attractions.
We made our requisite stop at Billy's Crab House in Tierra Verde, on the access road to Fort Desoto Pinnellas County Park, for stones crabs and scallops. Stone crabs have just come in to season. They take a little work; but are very good - especially when served hot with drawn butter. A birthday party of 40 something fun people joined us at the third floor open air bar for a drink ($1.99 Margaritas) and cool music by a guy our age named Jeff playing and singing songs from our era.
The Gulf of Mexico was surprisingly warm. Not sure why, but we aren't complaining. Great beach day!
We spent one great day in St. Petersburg. First the Chihuly Collection at 400 Beach Drive. The tour of the Chihuly was amazing. No photos allowed. The group was on the large side. Our docent was a lovely French woman, well informed albeit somewhat
Yellow Chahuly Bowl
No photos were allowed in the museum; but we could shoot away; and spend high end at the museum shop. Beautiful examples of one of a kind art.soft spoken and with accented English. Some people in our group were rude with side chatter while the rest of us strained to hear. The exhibit was amazing - several chandeliers, a fantasy garden (said to memorialize Dale Chihuly's mother), his only self lighted chandelier and much more! We'll save the Glass Studio & Hot Shop and the Morean Arts Center exhibit for another time.
The Chihuly Collection is in a nice area of St. Pete's with sidewalk cafes, boutiques, and other museums (Fine Arts Museum). There is trolley service and it is near the pier. Next time we have to have high tea at the Vernoy Hotel. We had lunch at Park Shore Grill (300 Beach Drive) and picked up a few bargains around the corner at an independent boutique called "Balance."
We headed for the "old" Dali Museum; on a route that passed by the "new" Dali (to oppen 1-11-2011)! The new building is a marvel - can't wait to get inside! At the current Dali, we caught up with a great docent. We can't do Dali without some well-informed help. There is always something new to learn about this slightly insane creative force --- genius!
Reading at North Beach
This has been named one of the top beaches in the US=we agree! We got back to the Campground in time for dinner at the German Crepes House & Bakery at Tierra Verde! This was another amazing meal. We had never noticed it before; but they have been on this site for three years. These Creoes are "fluffier" than French crepes and they are open faced, not folded. A dizzying choice of fillings was offered - I chose a "sampler" and loved it. Wes had a very authentic Pork Goulash with red cabbage and spatzle!
The feeding frenzy continues, we brought home jelly donuts for morning.
On to Naples/Marco Island!
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