Thirty in Tampa Bay Day 3 & 4: Tourist Traps

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Before starting on the busy couple days we had, some more info on our little bed and breakfast in Gulfport, the Sea Breeze Manor. When it comes to B&Bs, you win some and you lose some. This one we lost. I tried to like it, I really did but it is old and crusty, the carpets were dirty, the breakfast okay, the common areas dingy. A lot of old people stay here which is pretty much what Tampa Bay is all about and they probably can't tell what a lousy place this is. The lady who owns it is quite nice, she used to work for Bush 1 I think and took an early retirement to do this. She looked at us a bit crossly when we came in because I don't think we fit the typical profile for who comes there. Gulfport itself is a very interesting town and there is actually a hotel a little further up the main street called The Peninsula Inn and Spa which seemed much nicer and we even went inside to check out and didn't look too bad. The reality about hotels in Clearwater, St. Pete and Tampa area is that they cater to tourists and they are all garbage. Maybe, maybe the Don CeSar is okay but even that is operated by Interstate Hotels at my last check which does not give it high marks right off the bat.

Shopping and Sunken Gardens

We visited a few malls which is the new pass time since it is in the job description now but it worked out well for Jennifer who picked up a new pair of Skechers using the coupons I had received from the head of real estate in California.

More Shopping and Big Cat Rescue

How could one of our trips ever ever be complete without a visit to the zoo or gratuitous photographs of cats? We opted for the last since we had already been to Tampa Zoo back in the day and the idea of a place that is a palace for cats could not be passed up. Big Cat Rescue is a great place, one of the few cat sanctuaries in the world of this size, however they are all about the cats and they have hours that are nothing short of a pain in the ass - you have been forewarned!

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Photos

Sunken Gardens
Flowers. Don't ask what kind.

Wedding Clearing
People get married here, why not.

It's Official
We were there.

Florida Panther
You are not.

Pink Flamingos
The real deal, not the lawn ornaments.

Ocelot
Was going somewhere in a hurry no doubt.

Florida Panther
Or Cougar is more appropriate. At Big Cat Rescue.

Tiger
Can't remember his name but a good poser. He had an old christmas tree in there that he used as a scratching post.

Happy Tiger
As close as we could get to any of the cats.

Escapee
This one ran out of its cage somehow. The guardians were very protective of this one, we were not to coo at it or any of the big cats or they would be "offended".

Bailey!
Not a black panther but a dark dark brown leopard, in the sunlight you could see the true colorings and spots.

Jealous Peacocks
We really think this guy was upset on the account of all the attention the big cats were getting.