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Where the Heart is
  • Geezers in Paradise
  • Geezers in Paradise

Where the Heart is

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore

    Historic Pensacola

    1 febbraio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    Pensacola turns out to have quite a charming historic area. Our photo-taking skills seem to have seriously taken a turn for the worse, however, so we have resorted to a few "canned" photos from the web for you to get the general idea.

    The perfect cap to the day was on the ride home when we passed the "Ever'man Cooperative Cafe and Grocery." Gordon screeched into a U-turn and we found a lovely, large food coop inside which we agreed was even better than Fresh Market. And to make it even better, this coop shares a policy with a lot of other coops we've visited of honoring our membership in the Olympia Coop. We stocked up, and continued back to the campground munching a couple of delicious cookies to tide us over.    Leggi altro

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore
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    We might be turning into Floridians

    1 febbraio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    Maybe the temperature has dropped below 70, maybe. But the is a very slight breeze, so it is time to bundle up!

    Heather adds: we're Floridians now.

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore
    2

    Good neighbors

    2 febbraio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    This is a friendly campground. Over half of them are camping with dogs. One fellow walkes around with his golden lab on a leash and his 6-week-old 6-ounce chihuahua in his pocket. As we sat outside for our happy hour, we had several lengthy conversations with other campers walking by, and 3 invites to the pot luck. Sure, chips were fine!

    Our neighbor in this campground is an older but vigorous snow-bird from Indiana. When we pulled in, he hollered, "You guys just staying the night?" "Nope, we're here for 4 nights," we called back. "Good!" he returned. "I keep chasin' 'em off!"

    He is always cheerful and friendly, and has set up his "front lawn" with seven lawn chairs around their fire pit. Every night folks from around the campground flock to his fire, BYOB and BYO stories. We'll miss him when we leave tomorrow.    Leggi altro

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore

    Milton, FL Gulf Pines KOA

    4 febbraio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    Taking a day here on our way back to St Augustine to meet with the landscape guy. Campground is friendly but uncharacteristically NOISY. It's also chilly. Got down in the 30's last night. Gordon is hard at work heroically getting our tax stuff together.

    Tomorrow we leave early. Looking forward to that 70 degree weather!    Leggi altro

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore

    In South Carolina and no hurricane

    9 febbraio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    Last time we came to South Carolina, we were chased out by the remnants of a hurricane. Got a lovely campsite at the Point South KOA. Expecting 30 degree weather tonight.

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore

    Chow Daddy's Bluffton SC

    11 febbraio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    Food was good. I don't know what happened to make the photo red, the food wasn't that hot.

    Gordon had pulled pork on cheddar jalapeno cornbread. Heather had fried chicken with pimento cheese on a bun. Both came with a light and flavorful bed of fresh greens which included several tasty herbs. DANG ... they had lots of interesting craft beers on tap, but it was before noon!Leggi altro

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore

    Vindicated!

    11 febbraio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    Before leaving Olympia, we had pinned many hopes on the over-55 community in Bluffton, South Carolina. Great shopping and interesting cities 30-45 minutes away. But we fell in love with NE Florida and the Ponte Vedra community.

    We finally made it to the Bluffton area today and are happy to report, we believe we did not make a mistake. Though the town of Bluffton was cute, it was by turns touristy and down at the heels. The over-55 community was HUGE and, we fear, prone to the same feeling of isolation we saw in the large Texas community. As brother-in-law John warned us, there was a LOT of traffic, and we couldn't even see where it was going! The nearest community on Hilton Head Island seemed either for golf lovers or tourists.

    We availed ourselves of the Whole Foods Market and got out of town as quickly as we could. We MIGHT have stopped at a nice ice cream shop to help with the trauma of it all.

    This is Gordon... After the last time I got stung by a bee and swelled up to twice my size, I am a bit sensitive about them. The last photo of the church does not show the swarm of bees near the peak of the roof. Just looking at the bees sent chills down my spine. I realize that I must have a phobia about them.    Leggi altro

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore

    Working hard

    12 febbraio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Heather is working hard trying to get us to Europe for the next 4 months.

    Gordon is stalling by taking a photo.

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore

    Booking our flights

    15 febbraio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ 🌧 66 °F
  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore

    Zeroing in

    19 febbraio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    The wifi in this campground is the best we've ever had so we are working hard to take care of all the stuff that needs good wifi. We decided to book accommodations for our first days in Italy so we can get our feet on the ground and plan what's next.

    Gordon is all about heading south to escape this FREEZING 65-69 degree weather. We arrive at 3:00 pm. We figure we'll be shot after collecting luggage, going through customs and picking up our car so we've booked 2 nights at a hotel 15 minutes away from the airport. We were shocked to find one that's well-rated on both Google and TravelAdvisor for about $50/night! Our plan is to spend that day looking around Milan and getting over jetlag.

    Thursday we'll head south, thinking Amalfi coast where temps are in the high 70's to mid-80's. We needed a place to break up the drive and found an apartment on Airbnb. $151 for 4 nights, including wifi and on-premisis parking in Porto Santo Stefano, Italy. Walking distance to the town and ocean. We decided to book for 4 days and just relax. And decide where to go next.    Leggi altro

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore

    Saw a Gator!

    19 febbraio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    Heather did her very best Steve Irwin imitation when she saw the gator.

    Cikey, has she got a set of fangs on her or what!

    We had gone for a walk and we snuck up on where we had heard a large splash before, and Heather spied the gator sunning herself on the pond bank. She was huge! She was fierce! If she had opened her mouth I am sure there would have been 3 inch long fangs! We barely escaped with our lives.

    After that, we saw several more gators floating in the pond, all about the same size. On our way back, another camper told us he had heard there were about 700 living in the area.

    The other pictures are shots from around the pond. The tree trunk with the holes looks like wood pecker was working fast and furiously to get a bug that was hiding. (Heather adds: I was put in mind of the word "tattoo" in it's usage as a sustained snare drumbeat. This woodpecker must have sounded very like one, and the result looks every bit like a tattoo around one's arm. There was a smaller band up above.)    Leggi altro

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore
    2

    Mt Pleasant / Charleston KOA

    20 febbraio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    We were making a lot of progress towards getting ready for our European trip at the Point South KOA. The wifi there was the best that we had found anywhere. But when it came to shopping... the nearest town was over 30 minutes away in Beaufort. So we decided that having finished with most of the things that could be handled over the internet, we should move somewhere where shopping was easier.

    The KOA in Mt Pleasant is minutes from every possible store! The farthest store is Whole Foods, just 15 minutes away. The KOA is good, our only complaints are the bathrooms (small and needing maintenance ... Heather is channeling her inner girl scout camper) and the sand fleas (they like Gordon's ankles).

    There are also several other small trailers. We are almost always the smallest trailer in the campground. This time there are a couple of small teardrops. I don't know how people travel with dogs and just a small tear drop, they must really like their dogs.    Leggi altro

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore

    Low Country Jungle Jaunt

    21 febbraio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    We are crazy with details of prep for our European trip. We don't even have a suitcase!! But we took time out today to do the nature trail at the campground. Well worth the interruption.

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore

    Turtles!

    22 febbraio 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    Yesterday we saw a BILLION turtles on the lake, but the minute we got close, they all jumped into the water. They would then swim out a little bit and stick their noses above water juuuuuust enough to see if we were still there. Today we vowed to tiptoe by their habitat in the hope of immortalizing something besides their noses. We weren't quick enough to catch ALL of the 5 or 6 hanging out on a branch, but we did catch a few so's you don't think we're fibbin'.Leggi altro

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore
    2

    Day before our flight

    5 marzo 2017, Stati Uniti ⋅ ☀️ 37 °F

    Are we nervous?

    Sorry about our prolonged silence. Honestly ... one might think since we've been on the road for 3 months, we would be already half packed and ready to go. But there were a ZILLIION details to take care of and flights and car reservations were only the beginning.

    As you can see, we purchased some LOVELY suitcases from Target. The large one promises to hold enough for a 3-5 day trip. The smaller one, just 2 days. This time we took to heart the admonition to pack what you think you will need and cut it in half.

    I know you might not believe it, but we've experienced a lot of trepidation and nervousness. We wonder if we still have what it takes for spontaneous foreign travel. What if we're too old? What if the beds are too uncomfortable? What if we can't find some product we ALWAYS use? Perhaps this is an indication that we need to move further out of our comfort zone.

    Yesterday we dropped our trailer off in a storage place 45 minutes north of here. This morning, I am feeling annoyed that I have to wear (and hence get dirty) clothes from my suitcase. If this is what I'm reduced to worrying about, we may be just about ready.    Leggi altro

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore
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    First class ...

    7 marzo 2017, Italia ⋅ 🌙 54 °F

    Heyyyyy.... they have BEDS! They give you PAJAMAS! We actually slept like BABIES! (2nd leg business class was not quite so stellar but at least we were rested.)

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore
    2

    Made it to our hotel

    7 marzo 2017, Italia ⋅ 🌙 54 °F

    In the CUTEST little Fiat Panda. Brand new, just 7 kilometers on the car. But it's a good thing we cut our luggage in half. One more bar of soap and we would have had to get a different car.

    Hotel was serendipitously chosen as it sits atop a shopping center. We picked up a delicious bread cheese salad and wine dinner at the ipermercato Gigante. As we had no utensils save our Swiss Army knife and the hotel was curiously lacking any glasses, we channeled our inner 20-year-olds and quite enjoyed ourselves.

    We were able to replace the ONE AND ONLY doggoned cardigan I had packed in our frenzy to cut down. Must be sitting in the Atlanta airport. But it was on sale for ONLY 10 euros! The Ruth Nicoll Memorial bargain, updated for European inflation.    Leggi altro

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  • Geezers in ParadiseWhere the Heart isViaggiatore

    Change of plans

    8 marzo 2017, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    We felt more and more jet lagged as we tried to figure out where to park in Milan, whether to take the metro, HOW to take the metro, where to PARK if we take the metro.... we decided we should take ANOTHER DANGED APPROACH and headed for the hills. Literally. We are just an hour south of Lake Como nestled in the Alps. We are very happy with our decision.Leggi altro

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