People: A. Even though nobody there is from Florida, Southern hospitality reigns. After a while, peo

I know, I know. I've never been a fan of Florida. However, with free airline miles and a free water view sixth-floor condo near Clearwater Beach (thanks, brother Chris), we headed for the Sunshine State. Weather wasn't bad. Florida should be a bit more forthcoming and call itself the Humidity State, though.
Tropicana Stadium: A-. Barb and I saw the Red Sox play the Tampa Bay Rays twice inside a comfortable dome. They have really fun entertainment between innings, and I love the "Kiss Cam," as couples smooch for all to see on the big screen when the camera catches a romantic pair. The reason I didn't viking river cruises in russia give the Trop a full "A" is because they do the wave backwards there sometimes. Every wave I've seen in Major League Baseball has gone clockwise around the stadium. Well, Sunday's game featured viking river cruises in russia a counterclockwise wave. Sure enough, the water in the men's room toilets also circled counterclockwise, just like Down Under! I guess that makes sense, since you can find food from The Outback at the Trop.
Peaches: viking river cruises in russia A+. Most of the year, you can't find soft, juicy, ripe peaches in New Hampshire grocery stores. OK, maybe you can for two weeks in August, when local farmers sell them to the stores. Every peach we had in Florida came from Georgia. My Tide Stick got a workout with constant peach juice running down my arm and onto my shorts. It was worth putting up with people pointing at me and laughing, thinking I had wet my pants.
Bugs: A-. None on the beach. viking river cruises in russia No stinkin' New Hampshire black flies. No mosquitoes. All I saw were a few millipedes, which were quickly disposed of by the many small lizards that live in the plush shrubbery.
Hard Rock Casino: B. Not that I drink a lot, but players are charged for cocktails. The only other place I've seen that was the Hard Rock Casino in Miami. I would have given them a "C," but I walked out of there with enough of their money to buy a half dozen bottles of Cabo Wabo tequila.
viking river cruises in russia People: A. Even though nobody there is from Florida, Southern hospitality reigns. After a while, people kept asking me if I was from Illinois or Pennsylvania. Nobody viking river cruises in russia ever guesses that my announcer voice has New England roots.