Three years ago, in early July, I moved to Florida in the heat of the hot season. Having never been to Florida before, except for layovers at the Miami airport, being in the intense heat was surprising. I’m sure if you broke an egg on the sidewalk it would have fried itself. Thank goodness for air conditioning. Once you get past the intensity of the summer heat, you are initiated into the climate of this beautiful state. Of course there are hurricanes, but after encountering eight of them and not having my property damaged, I’m not as afraid of the smaller ones as I used to be.
It just takes a little self-education on what to do during a hurricane, like what supplies to buy in case the power goes out. It’s also not a bad idea to rent or buy your home outside of the evacuation zones. These areas are listed in the front of Florida phone books, along with escape routes, in case you’re unlucky enough to find a larger one. The truth of the matter is, if you live in Florida, you will definitely witness multiple hurricanes. If a bigger one happens, now I know to take my pets and plan a vacation up north to see my family as soon as I hear the hurricane is coming. If you wait too long, you will have no choice but to get stuck in a very long line of traffic on the highway. And hotels book up quickly. So if you don’t want to end up sleeping in your car in the Wal-Mart parking lot, it’s worth staying put or leaving early.
When I first moved here, I thought I would live in Tampa, a big city on the Gulf of Mexico side of the state. Having a tropical climate, the entire Tampa Bay area is beautiful. Exotic birds such as egrets, spoonbills, ibises and others walk and fly everywhere. Among other birds, I have also seen ospreys, cormorants and even once a bald eagle (on a telephone pole). Even in the city, nature is everywhere. I was in a drive-thru at Burger King, and a heron (large bird, similar to a white stork) stood in front of my car while I was picking up my food. I just waited for him to slowly walk away. He was totally oblivious to the fact that he was holding up a line of traffic, as he walked around looking for lizards to eat.
The city of Tampa is full of wonderful places like Busch Gardens. Ibor City (a former cigar town turned nightlife hotspot), Lowry Park Zoo, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the Florida Aquarium, a large, well-stocked public aquarium situated on the water. The historic Henry Plant Museum in downtown Tampa is a beautiful example of Victorian architecture. If you love to shop, the International Mall is the “in” place to be, with its wide variety of unique shops and restaurants. Tampa is definitely worth a visit, but the apartments I wanted there were out of my price range, so I headed to St.Petersburg.
The city of Saint Petersburg is an artist’s dream, full of museums and art fairs. I especially like The Pier (lined with shops on a pier that juts out into the bay) and Sunken Gardens, with their old, well-kept plants and trees. I fell in love with everything and found a beautiful and big apartment in the old part of the city, which has more charm, with its old Art Deco buildings (my apartment building was one of them), cafes and trendy shops. walking to starbucks was a huge plus for me, a coffee lover. I was down the street from the water, and at the end of my street was a beautiful lake, with all kinds of tropical wildlife living freely, unafraid of humans. Outside my office window was a large carambola tree, all I had to do was reach the window and pick the fragrant yellow fruits. At the northern grocery store, a starfruit could easily be $5. I had fresh fruit and a mockingbird (Florida’s state bird) that serenaded me with its beautiful songs every day. Orange and grapefruit trees are common, and my friend would bring me a bucket of the sweetest oranges from her tree whenever she stopped by.
After getting a good job and better income, I decided to move to a place closer to my work, in Largo. This park-filled city of culture is next door to St. Petersburg and another popular city, Clearwater. My new place is on a secluded, lush lake, and I feed many different large birds that come to visit me every day from my back balcony. Nature is everywhere, in the peaceful oasis I call home. And, less than a mile away is the Gulf of Mexico. Taxis are plentiful and cheap here, so whenever I want to go to the beach, I take a taxi. My favorite beaches are Fort DeSoto and Clearwater Beach. There are some huge, stately old hotels worth checking out, like the Don Cesar (big, pink, totally lavish, on the beach. Rumored to be a favorite stop for presidents) and the Renaissance Vinoy, which is located across from the sea. in the center of St. Petersburg. It’s like a dream to live down here in such a water-loving world. In the grocery stores you can buy food, pharmacy products, bait, beach chairs and diving equipment. In the north, that never happens. Shopping is plentiful wherever you go here, due to the wide variety of shops of all kinds.
The weather in the Tampa Bay area is moderate and we don’t get frost. I brought my orchid plants with me from the north, and they are in plant heaven, blooming, in their ideal growing conditions on my balcony. Plant shows here are held outside, and vendors from far and wide come to sell their wide variety of plants. Every time I go to one, my car is full of plants, big and small, somehow I always find a place for each of them in my house. If you want to see professional growers in action, visit Plant City, just east of Tampa. They have a wonderful Strawberry Festival every year which is definitely worth going to. This is a paradise for plant lovers.
Anglers love being down here, because this area is every boater’s and fisherman’s dream. The fish in the Gulf of Mexico are gigantic. There are fishing charters everywhere and tour boats for those who don’t fish. Going to Sanibel Island is fun, if you love to collect shells. Up and down Florida’s Gulf Coast there are many varied restaurants with some of the freshest seafood around. My favorite restaurants are located on the water, which is really fun.
For anyone thinking of moving to the Tampa Bay area, I advise you to come here on vacation and just drive. Ask the locals where to eat, see the sights. You will surely love the weather, especially in winter. If you want to avoid hurricanes, come between December and March. Hurricanes happen when the water is very hot. My favorite time of year is the winter months, because the heat and humidity drop off at that time. Still, it’s a good idea not to bring heavy synthetic knitwear here, from the north, because they don’t breathe as well as natural fibers like cotton. Light clothing is essential, in general, to be more comfortable.
Living in Florida is recommended if you want a milder climate and are sick of snow. Come and see for yourself all the sights and beauty of this wonderful state. People here are kind and friendly. The food is wonderful no matter how long you like it to cook. Give it a try, you’ll be glad you did.
