Gasparilla Island is a barrier island in southwest Florida, about 30 miles south of Venice. On Tuesday we had dinner reservations at The South Beach, but left early so that we could have some beach time. We took the scenic route to get there and traveled through a tree canopied winding road on Manasota Key which took us past secluded homes and beautiful beaches.
We paid our $6. fee to cross over to Gasparilla and waited for the bridge over the causeway to close as boats were going through.We watched a barge, down at the bow, due to its cargo of two dump trucks, plowing up the Intracoastal Waterway.
Boca Grande is a small, residential community on the Island. It boasts several exclusive shops, many exclusive homes and one great ice cream store which we visited after a walk around the town. All beaches on the island are public and so it was easy to find access to a good spot. In fact, the restaurant where we were meeting friends for dinner, is on the beach and so we parked for dinner, grabbed beach chairs out of the car and spent a good hour or so soaking up some wonderful Florida sunshine.
Since I have a hard time sitting still for any length of time, I went for a walk up the beach, meandering along in the water with the cold Gulf waves up to my ankles. I met up with a guy who was looking for shark's teeth. He showed me what they looked like and so I walked on with my eyes down, hoping to spot some of those smooth black fossils. After I spotted the first one and managed to rescue it from the retreating waves, I was hooked. I spent the rest of our beach time searching for and finding my current collection of twenty prehistoric shark's teeth.
Dining on the beach with good friends involved much shrimp, some stuffed with crab and delicious key lime pie As the sun began to set many people abandoned their tables and headed towards the beach with cameras in hand. I did too. What a splendid day.
Wednesday morning started off with a walk, shuffleboard completed the afternoon and dinner and an evening at the Sarasota Opera finished off the day. Dinner was tapas at a quiet Spanish restaurant in Sarasota.
The opera was Turandot, a Puccini opera which takes place in ancient China. Suitors come from all over the world to try to win the hand of the cold, cruel Turandot. If the suitor does not solve all three riddles, he is beheaded. Much tribulation ensues as one man is sure that he will win her hand. Although the singing was amazing, the acting left much to be desired. However, it was an entertaining evening and we experienced yet another gold star day!
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