Clearwater and St. Pete's with Brett

Clearwater is only 133 miles away but took all of 3 hours to get down there going the "scenic way".

Here's a town with a motto..."Swimming our tails off since 19.."   The only city of live mermaids where you can watch through  glass as these mermaids perform underwater in a spring for 30 minutes.  I wonder if any use that for their talent in the Weeki Wachee Pageant.  Well, MT had a gal on horseback at Miss America until the horse fell in the orchestra pit and animals are no longer allowed in the talent competition.

Brett, a co-worker and friend of Pam's and a real foodie, has fabulous Chinese carved furniture that his dad collected. Mike met him at Pam's where he prepared a fabulous dinner for Mike's family.   His round chopping island of maple would be the envy of any chef.  It reminded me of buying hamburger in Erongaricuaro, Michuacan, Mexico.  We'd take our bowl to the town square and go to the butcher with the flag for beef and ask for a half a kilo of burger.  The butcher would cut a hunk of meat off the hanging carcass, put it on the waist-high tree trunk and chop it up with his cleaver and scrape it into our bowl. Many days our uncle Mateo would stand in the doorway when Cecelia and I would order, to be sure we got a good cut of meat.

Back to the beach.  Brett jumped in with us and played navigator as he steered us to Clearwater Beach and favorite dives.   We headed south to St. Pete's and ate at a favorite BBQ place on the beach at Postcard Inn.  He steered  us to the beach where we ordered beers and appetizers:  Homemade chips with blu cheese and balsamic vinegar, Bacon wrapped grilled shrimp, doubleback bacon, and cornbread with jalapeno butter.  While the guys had a cigar, I headed to the beach picking up seashells.  Not a lot of people cuz was only 64 for the high.  The bar was covered with license plates, one from U MT.

Belly up to the bar, beach side.  Brett's favorite tiki bars are three in a row along this beach and the Tidewater Hotel, an icon, is restored south of here.  This Postcard Inn  is quaint 50s style  that  Brett stays at when fishing in the area.  They were setting up for a wedding on the beach with a reception poolside with lanterns hung from the big tree branches..  

Lots of shells on the beach.  I filled up my drink cup.  Hope to embed
them in cement walkway at the cabin

Getting your picture taken in these big beach chairs is a tourist highlight.

We toured Fort De Soto Park $5 entry fee but we said we were just doing a drivethrough so got our money back with receipt 20 minutes later ( reluctantly by ranger).  Biking, walking kayaking paradise  at the south end of the point. We hope to get Brett to MT as he's a carnivore and would love the good beef.