Home in America: Leave in Florida

First of a series. I traveled to Gainesville Florida, home of the Florida Gators, for leave and had a wonderful time visiting family and going to the beach in St. Augustine. Next I went back to Colorado by car. I took a lot of "drive-by" photos as I did in Iraq. Soon I'll be off to Florida again before reporting for duty at Ft. Bragg N.C. So I'll be posting shots of my travels during this period as I figure out what to do next with Versa Vice.

Amy Hendrickson and the Prime Directive - excellent up-beat energetic music. Went with friends to a little club off the beat (path and otherwise) called Fraternal Order of Orioles in St. Augustine. The music was a wonderful unplanned suprise.

Ceiling tile art at the F.O.O.

Another of the band. I took several shots, but all unfortunately are of the talented and attractive Amy blurred but in action.

My motel room in S.A.

St. George Street in St Augustine.

My Brother Ben bodyboarding. We got a disposable waterproof camera and took some shots.

Ben, his wife Michele, and my nephew Noah, kayaking at Anastasia State Park.

I enjoyed kayaking so much as an ocean lifeguard, before joining the army in '06, that one of the first things I did was buy my own when I got back.

Florida sunset over the intercoastal on A1A.

My nephew Noah has a natural inclination towards music that continues to grow. He wandered into the kitchen and set his kit up all by himself. I watched him one evening walk in circles around the table on the porch for a half hour, strumming a plastic beach shovel and singing to himself as his own audience, in his own world as only children can be.

Young and old at the beach in St Augustine.

A taste of old Florida - Magic Beach, Vilano Beach, in St. Augustine.

A look south towards Anastasia Island.

The Next two are two different mornings in Vilano Beach. Although I adjusted the saturation, those are the actual hues.


Meanwhile, back in Gainesville, other noteable scenery. A flock of sorority girls. As annoying as they can be in certain situations, they do catch your eye (which often is the important part to them anyway).

Driving through old familiar streets of Gainesville, a place where I lived for 8 years, I looked with nostalgia toward the house of an old girlfriend only to see an equally familiar couch out on the curb. At once it felt like more time had passed than I thought, and less, at the same time. Second Hand Furniture, a song by the Go-Betweens came to mind.

Clinging to my windshield, a Florida wasp, seeming larger than life.

Another insect, barely visible, a butterfly over the flowers, by the hotel pool.

A familiar 13th Street location to locals - Golden Arches, Doughnuts and bikini joggers - only in Gainesville.