Florida Travels with Francie (so far)

There is plenty to see and do here in central-ish Florida, usually in unexpected ways where you start yourself going in a direction and see where it takes you. Maybe even to your original destination. Ok, there really isn't a whole lot to do right here, but without going too far, it can get interesting. 

A walk to Lake Panasofffkee is always the first thing to do

Culebra folks who know Woody know he's heading to Homosassa for the next part of his life adventure. I've meant to go check it out over the years but this time was the time. Francie and Renee were up for the trip; they've both been there before, and there was incentive to go again, mainly to visit the restaurant called The Freezer for shrimp. And whatever else looked good. Plenty looked good.

Down a side road with no sign is The Freezer. Serious funk.

The place opens at 11:30. We got there at 10:45.
By opening time, this was the line. 

This is the little retail store, basic basic

Tables are on the other side of this walkway, little chickie huts on this side. 

It was smart to sit in the sun, I had on my jacket and was still cold

Shrimp and huge stone crab claws.
Obviously this was a few shrimp and a couple claws in. 

 There weren't any blue crabs on the menu so stone crab claws worked. 

The other menu spot at the entrance.
If I'd actually stopped here long enough to read it,
I'm pretty sure I'd have been run over.

So...I'm guessing this was once a huge freezer for seafood.

Right before the restaurant is this big hollowed out log on display. I had to walk back and check it out. 

This is in someone's front yard.
Homosassa has a good funk factor going on. 

Burl eyed

Down the road just a short way is another bar called The Shed. It looks like a shed. It's pretty popular though, being on the water and bikers seem to favor it. 

An Indian - a bike I really like,
but this one is a little too
slick for me.

A great blue cruising the river

The tiki hut theme is big around here (oh, those clever Indians!)
Apparently this place was built in the last year. 

Ok.

None of us knew what flowering shrub this is,
but the blossoms were beautiful. 

Now that I know there are seahorses here I want to go
handle them and then remove them from the water.

This whole area is like an interesting tourist attraction with bars and restaurants and shops with a big parking lot in the middle. There is a big house that looks like Southern plantation leftover and Renee knew the story. Then we read the story. You can too. I wanted to go meet the little old lady who lives all alone in this big place but that didn't happen. 

At the end of most of the finger docks, gulls and other water birds were soaking up the sun. I could have joined them. 

The next stop, which we really could have walked to, is called The Monkey Bar. There is a story to go with it which you can read in the link. The gist is it was a cozy, funky cool place that got pretty well trashed in Irma, so they tore it down and rebuilt. The funk and cozy is gone now but who knows? Maybe in 50 years it will be back. This guy was out front, so they get some points. 

Across the water, though not far at all, is Monkey Island. At first I thought it was just another one of those sad Florida tourist anachronisms, left over from another time. It sort of is and sort of isn't - the story is more interesting than the place but the monkeys were pretty entertaining for a few minutes. You can read about it and decide for yourselves.

Air boat rides are a big thing around here, if you are into
going swamping. Swamps are pretty amazing eco-systems and air boats are a good way to check it out unless you don't mind paddling a canoe, which is the very best way to experience a swamp
(if you have plenty of anti bug goo and a hat and long sleeves and and and).

A wonderful home for a new one but privacy is not happening here.

This was the most active monkey.
He'd get up and play around and then come back here,
throwing himself down to sit and have a snack.

Yes, I am looking at you.

Monkeying around
(what? You thought I'd not use that pun? Really?)

We passed by an air boat with a mannequin on it that I'd wanted to get a photo of, so Renee turned around and found a place to park. There was so much else going on that I forgot to take the photo I'd stopped for in the first place. Oops.

This is so typically Florida.

Looking down the river

All of this was just sort of there, around a couple of shops
and a sandwich shop. 

This great blue was walking around nearby

Sort of looks like the hair style of some of the bikers we saw

There was even one of these.
Francie grumbled but obliged. 

Renee was the instigator.
No, I couldn't resist that one either. 

There was a shop with lots of beautiful glass work we had to check out. 

This inside of each of these was a little wonderland.

It was a good day and knowing Woody is going to be in a place with lots of see and enjoy makes me happy. Happy is good.

Have a far-flung Friday. Do something freely.