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Great Smoky Mountains National Park – A First Glimpse

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May, 2015 – We left the beautiful antebellum estates of Georgia behind us as we took our RV into North Carolina. The land began to undulate beneath us, and the rolling green hills of the Smoky Mountains appeared ahead. What struck us immediately during our first excursion into the park was the constant proximity of rushing water, babbling brooks and waterfalls.

Oconaluftee River Great Smoky Mountains National Park North Carolina

The Oconaluftee River captivated us.

We had a blast playing with our cameras on this beautiful mountain stream, trying to catch its movement as it slipped over rocks and around logs on its way down the mountain.

Oconaluftee River Smoky Mountains North Carolina

Water slides over rocks and past logs as it tumbles downstream.

Newfound Gap Road is the main north/south road across the middle of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It winds up and over the mountains, and for much of its length we found ourselves shrouded by an archway of vivid green trees.

Newfound Gap Road Great Smoky Mountains National Park North Carolina

Newfound Gap Road, the main road between the north and south sides of the park, winds under a canopy of trees as it goes from North Carolina to Tennessee.

The river was our constant companion, and we stopped frequently to take its photo.

Oconaluftee River Great Smokies Mountain National Park North Carolina

We just couldn’t get enough of all this rushing water!

River Great Smoky Mountains National Park North Carolina

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After about 10 or so miles and a few switchbacks on Newfound Gap Road, some openings began to appear in the trees and we were able to stop at various overlooks to get a view of the mountains stretching into the distance.

The Smokies N. Carolina

Classic layers of mountain ridges in the Smokies.

We weren’t immune to taking a few selfies along the way!!

Selfie in the Smoky Mountains Cherokee N. Carolina

Everyone was taking selfies at the overlooks, so why not us too?

There was a lot of traffic on this road, and most of it was motorcycle traffic. This seems to be the place for groups of motorcycles to go for a ride. Clusters of them passed us repeatedly.

Motorcycle Smoky Mountains

Probably the best way to enjoy the roads over the Smokies is by motorcycle — and we saw hundreds!

The occasional RV uses this road to get between the Tennessee and the North Carolina sides of Great Smoky Mountains National Park too, but we kept ours on the North Carolina side for this trip.

Motorhome RV Smoky Mountains

A few RVs tackled the twisties too.

Wildflowers were in bloom everywhere.

Wildflowers in the Smoky Mountains N. Carolina

Springtime flowers in the Smokies

We saw trillium flowers here and there, and many other beautiful wildflowers too.

Trilium flower Great Smoky Mountains National Park North Carolina

We spotted little thickets of trillium flowers in a few places.

Wildflower

We found dandelions parading among the lavender wildflowers!

Dandelion and wildflower

Heck, even the occasional brown weed looked good out here in the Smokies!

Weed

We drove out to Clingman’s Dome a few times to see the view from the highest vantage point in the park. There is a wonderful spiral walkway that goes up to a viewing platform, and the view from the top is a full 360.

Clingman's Dome Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Clingman’s Dome is a marvelous ramp that spirals up to a 360 degree overlook.

The layered mountains were mesmerizing at dusk as the sun set.

Smoky Mountains at dusk

Dusk steals over the sky.

Mountain layers in the Smokies

The mountain layers have a mystical air…

Great Smoky Mountains National Park sunset

Sunset in the Smokies!

If you are planning an RV roadtrip to the North Carolina side of the Smokies, there are several RV parks in the Cherokee, North Carolina, area. This gives you access to both the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the southern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We saw lots of big rigs in the area, but we did find that it can sometimes be a little dicey to drive a large RV on these skinny, twisting mountain roads. The Blue Ridge Parkway, in particular, has several low bridges in the first few miles that prevent taller RVs from driving that beginning stretch.

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Georgia’s Antebellum Trail – Milledgeville, Eatonton & Madison

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May, 2015 — As we scouted around for a good route to travel north through the middle of Georgia from Thomasville to North Carolina, we came across the Antebellum Trail. This route passes through several pretty and historic small towns in Georgia that have strong roots from before the Civil War. We were on the hunt for statuesque antebellum mansions, and all the towns on the Antebellum Trail boasted at least a few.

Antebellum mansion with rhododendrons in Madison Georgia

Roses bloom in front of an elegant antebellum house in Madison, Georgia.

There are seven towns and cities on the Antebellum Trail, and we ended up visiting three of them: Milledgeville, Eatonton and Madison. In each of these towns, caring homeowners and historical societies have lovingly preserved these elegant old homes.

Antebellum house in Eatonton Georgia

Matching double-decker rotunda porch wings! (Eatonton, Georgia)

And thank goodness they have, because old wooden homes just don’t stand up to the elements all that well. For every four or five true beauties that we gazed at on these lovely old town streets, we saw a forlorn one that had succumbed to the ravages of time.

Crumbling antebellum house in Milledgeville Georgia

Occasionally we came across crumbling relics.

There is a majesty to the tall columns and proud, imposing front porches of these antebellum mansions, and it seems that the number of columns that lined the front of the house made a statement about the wealth of the people that lived within. We read little signs on plaques that referred to the home being a “four column house,” or a “six column house.”

A four column antebellum mansion in Eatonton, Georgia

A four column mansion in Eatonton, Georgia

And then, of course, there were the people that built their house with columns going all around the outside. Wow!

Stately antebellum mansion in Milledgeville Georgia

Aw, heck, why not have columns on all sides? (Milledgeville)

There were inviting front porches everywhere we turned, and straight-backed rocking chairs adorned many of them. Even the simplest historic homes that just had a few posts holding up the porch roof rather than a row of grecian columns still had a row of rockers out front.

Rocking chairs on a porch in Milledgeville Georgia

Straight-backed rocking chairs grace almost every front porch.

Milledgeville was in high spirits when we visited. We just happened to arrive on First Friday, a big downtown party that takes place on the first friday of every month. Impromptu bands made music in the street, and all the merchants and bistros threw their doors wide open. Throngs of people filled the sidewalks.

A band plays at First Friday in Milledgeville, Georgia

We pulled into Milledgeville on First Friday, and bands were playing on the sidewalks!

If this weren’t enough, there was an antique car show going on at one end of town. As we walked towards it, we heard music coming from the large lawn across the street — the front lawn of the Georgia College and State University campus. We walked over and discovered it was a spring outdoor concert. One group of kids after another got up onto a makeshift stage and played jazz tunes and big band music. What fun!

Georgia Collete & State University

There was an outdoor music concert at Georgia College and State University too!

As we wandered back to the truck, we noticed lots of college students dressed to the nines walking around. It turned out that tonight was their big Senior Formal. The smell of perfume and cologne wafted over us, and we marveled at the shiny shoes, snappy ties and slinky dresses. Oh, to be young and sexy!

College Kids on a roof in Milledgeville Georgia

Hey — what’s going on up there?

Meanwhile, some of the underclassmen seemed to be cutting loose with a prank or two. Many of the old homes around Milledeville are student housing of one kind or another, and I spotted a pair of boys climbing out of a window onto a rooftop. This was going to be quite a night!!

Coming down a few notches to a much lower key, we visited nearby Eatonton, a tiny town with just a few cross streets.

Downtown shops Eatonton Georgia Antebellum Trail

Peaceful Eatonton, Georgia

Exploring the outer edges of town, we went down one side street and noticed we were about to drive under a very low train bridge at just the last second. “Will we make it?” Mark looked at me wide-eyed. I hopped out to see. Just barely!!!

Low bridge in Eatonton Georgia

Going under the limbo stick!

The Civil War is still felt in this part of the south, and we read plaques in every town that talked about General Sherman’s 1864 “March to the Sea” where he barnstormed across Georgia from Atlanta to Savannah, mowing down everything in his path.

Civil War Memorial Eatonton Georgia

A statue commemorating all the Confederate soldiers
that fought in the Civil War

On the other side of the grand Eatonton Courthouse in the middle of town we found a statue of a very different sort: Brer Rabbit!

Brer Rabbit in the Briar Patch Eatonton Georgia

On the flip side — Brer Rabbit!

Eatonton was the birthplace of Joel Chandler Harris who compiled a collection of stories about the wily Brer Rabbit (“brother” Rabbit) whose cunning and wits saved him (usually) from various scrapes. Harris’ stories were told by the fictional Uncle Remus, but he had heard them himself as a boy from the slaves on the plantation where he grew up.

Writer's Museum Eatonton Georgia

How many towns have a Writer’s Museum? Tiny Eatonton does!

Harris wasn’t the only famous writer from this area, and The Writer’s Museum on Eatonton’s town square is dedicated not only to him but to Flannery O’Connor as well. We knew little about either writer when we walked into the museum, but by the time we emerged we just had to check out Flannery O’Connor’s homestead on the outer fringes of Milledgeville.

The narrow road into the estate is so well hidden that we almost missed it, but the home and grounds within told the intriguing story of this young, brilliant writer who succumbed to lupus at age 39 in 1964.

Flannery O'Connor Homestead Milledgeville Georgia

Andalusia Farm — home of 20th century writer Flannery O’Connor

She wrote her most famous works while living at this house between the ages of 27 and 39, and due to her decreasing mobility, she spent much of that time inside where she enjoyed the views from the large windows.

Flannery O'Connor Home in Milledgeville Georgia

Flannery O’Connor suffered from Lupus, and as she became less mobile she stayed indoors more and more.

When we got to the trendy town of Madison, we were most impressed by the dramatic courthouse which stands on a corner facing outwards towards the heart of town.

Courthouse Madison Georgia

Madison has the most flamboyant of the courthouses we saw on the Antebellum Trail

At the visitors center we were told we should visit Madison’s new city park, and when we got there we saw why. It is a beautiful brand new city park for outdoor events and gatherings that was dedicated in 2009 but that looks as though it might have been around when General Sherman came through!

The Town Park in Madison Georgia

Urban revitalization in the small town of Madison — a wonderful new outdoor park that blends right into the historic look-and-feel of the town.

Our stay in Georgia was brief, but we thoroughly enjoyed sampling each of these unique towns and wandering at a leisurely pace along the Antebellum Trail. If you are taking your RV on a north-south route through Georgia, the Antebellum Trail is a wonderful way to go.

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Thomasville, Georgia – Antebellum Elegance

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April, 2015 – Florida was heating up fast and Sarasota had become a veritable sauna, so it was time to pack up the RV and head north to cooler climes. Before long we were in Thomasville, Georgia. What a delightful change it was to go from the vacation spirit of beachfront Florida to the stately antebellum elegance of mansions with columns set back from beautiful tree-lined streets.

Antebellum mansion in Thomasville Georgia

We hopped out of the truck for a walk — and found this!
Check out that double rotunda porch!!

We parked our truck near a cool looking church and just started walking. We had no idea we’d planted ourselves on one of the most elegant historic streets in town at first, but the rows of gorgeous old homes captivated us.

We were on Hansell Street in the Tockwotton district, and as we walked down these shady, wide streets, we were instantly transported back in time to an era long ago. I could just imagine myself sweeping out onto one of the broad porches in long, flouncy gown, entertaining my gentleman callers!!

Antebellum mansion in Thomasville Georgia

These grand antebellum mansions evoke another era
— and another life!

These graceful houses here were built in the early 1800’s, prior to the Civil War (which is what “antebellum” means). Wealthy northerners looking for a respite from winter found Thomasville was the perfect place to escape the snow and cold back home.

If these were their winter getaway cottages, then what did their “real” homes up north look like?!

Antebellum home in Thomasville Georgia

A place to sip mint juleps in a graceful gown.

These homes take a lot of work to maintain, and several landscaping crews were busy in the yards on this street. We saw a young fellow with a hedge trimmer in his hand, and I ran over to ask him for directions to the visitors center. I was really taken aback when he addressed me as “ma’am.” I turned around to see if he was talking to someone behind me!

Antebellum house Thomasville Georgia

These houses were winter “getaway” homes for northerners!

But that was the norm throughout our stay in southern Georgia. We had suddenly risen to the status of Ma’am and Sir, despite running around town in t-shirts and shorts, and the people we met couldn’t have been more friendly.

Front staircase of antebellum house Thomasville Georgia

“Come on in, Ma’am” !!!

Thomasville’s historic districts are delightful, and we found more lovely homes on Dawson Street. Massive live oak trees spread their branches wide across the streets, and some of them are draped with parasitic frilly plants.

Tree-lined streets in Thomasville Georgia

Enormous trees arch over the historic streets.

We were just over the border from Florida, and in many ways the climate and vegetation felt like north Florida. We just loved the huge trees.

Tree-lined streets in Thomasville Georgia

Aren’t these trees great?!!

One family had hung an old tire swing from one of the tree branches hanging over their yard. I so wanted to try it out!

Tire swing on a live oak in Thomasville Georgia

How inviting!

The young landscaper with the hedge trimmer had told us to head over to check out The Big Oak. When we got there, we found it took up an entire house lot site. It was just enormous — and very ancient. It’s limbs span over 165 feet and it’s over 68 feet tall. More impressive, it is around 335 years old. It was a sapling back in the 1680’s!

Under the Big Oak in Thomasville Georgia

The Big Oak was a sapling when America was first being colonized.

Thomasville, Georgia, is known for its expansive rose garden. We arrived just two days after the end of their annual springtime Rose Festival and the roses were at their peak.

Thomasville Rose Garden in Georgia

The Thomasville Rose Garden

This garden has many different varieties of roses, and we really enjoyed the lovely shapes and heavenly scents of each variety.

Thomasville Rose Garden Georgia

We just missed the annual Rose Festival by two days…

rose

“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” Shakespeare’s Juliet said of Romeo…

Roses in Thomasville Rose Garden Georgia

Even the petals that fell on the ground around the rose bushes were lovely.

Rose petals in Thomasville Rose Garden Georgia

Rose petals beneath a rose bush that had already come and gone.

Spring was springing all around us, and huge magnolia trees were in full blossom too. What a handsome flower they have!!

Blooming Magnolia flower blossom

Magnificent maganolia!

Not far from the Rose Garden is a pretty park with a big pond and a peaceful air called Cherokee Lake Park. We wandered along the water’s edge and watched some young goose families make their way across the vast lawns.

Geese with goslings

A little goose family trucks across the lawns at Cherokee Lake Park in town.

These guys were just too cute. They reminded us of the little sandhill crane chicks we had seen back in Sarasota Florida a month earlier. (And we’ve heard from our friend there, by the way, that they have been spotted again and are now half the size of their parents and are doing very well!).

Gosling in the grass

A little gosling rests in the grass.

Our stay in Thomasville was just a few days, but it was a great first stop in Georgia, and is one of the towns we enjoyed most on our all-too-brief tour of this pretty state.

Songbird at Thomasville Rose Garden Georgia

Thomasville was a wonderful introduction to Georgia for us.

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Jungle Gardens in Sarasota Florida – It’s for the Birds!

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April, 2015 – A vacation to Florida wouldn’t be complete without a trip to a tropical garden with exotic birds, and even though we weren’t exactly “on vacation” (well, maybe this was a “vacation from our vacation” ??), during our stay in Sarasota we just had to go to Jungle Gardens.

Zoo trips to kiddie parks may seem to be all alike and not really appropriate for the 50+ set if you don’t have grandkids in tow, but this place held some special treats for us. When we arrived, we were greeted by a beautiful albino peacock who looked like a princess ballerina emerging from the bushes.

Peacock ballerina princess at Jungle Gardens Sarasota Florida

A ballerina princess makes “her” entrance from the bushes

The flamingos were nearby, walking all around us, and we watched them vie with the seagulls for the free food handouts that people were grabbing from little dispensers around the grounds.

Flamingos and seagull at Jungle Gardens

The food is for the flamingos but the seagulls don’t miss a trick.

I’d never stood next to a flamingo before, and I was quite surprised — these guys are really tall!

Flamingo with me at Jungle Gardens Sarasota Florida

Seeing eye to eye.

One came over and suddenly became very interested in Mark’s shoes.

Curious flamingo inspects shoes

“What’s that on your shoe?”

I looked away, and when I looked again, Mark had squatted down to take some photos and this flamingo had marched right over to him and was resting his chin on Mark’s head!

Flamingo checks out a hat

“Can I climb on you?”

Then this big pink creature got really interested in something on Mark’s neck.

Flamingo really likes hat

“You’ve got something yummy on your neck…”

Mark turned towards him, and he just kept on poking around, rubbing his beak all over Mark’s back. Crazy bird!!

Crazy flamingo

What’s he looking for anyway?!

These curious flamingos kept us occupied for quite some time, but we finally moved on to check out some of the other exotics in the park. There was an iguana…

Iguana face up close at Jungle Gardens in Sarasota Florida

A face only a mother could love.

…and an allligator pen nearby.

Alligator tank at Jungle Gardens Sarasota Florida

Wait til these guys grow up!

This is a “garden” and we saw some lovely plants. I especially liked the red and green leaves on a bush Mark found.

Jungle Leaves in the Garden

Despite all these animals, it is a Garden, after all!

But it was the birds that charmed us the most. There is a big group of parrots at Jungle Gardens, and they come in all colors, from light blue to bright orange.

Ring Neck Parakeet and Conure at Jungle Gardens Sarasota Florida

Pretty colors: a ring neck parakeet and a conure.

Some colors are even “made up” like this hybrid of a green wing macaw (which is red and green) and a blue and gold macaw (which is blue and yellow). The result — orange and green and blue!

Hybrid Macaw at Jungle Gardens Sarasota Florida

What do you get when you cross red and green and blue and yellow?

But my favorite parrot of all is Frosty. He’s a greater sulphur crested cockatoo that is 79 years old. And if you look at him closely, you can’t tell that he’s a day over 3. He’s in perfect shape.

Greater sulphur crested cockatoo Frosty at Jungle Gardens in Sarasota Florida

The star of the show — at 79.

There’s a very fun bird show at Jungle Gardens, and we watched two Macaws, Andy and Cracker, doing the ring toss.

Two green wing macaws do ring toss at Jungle Gardens in Sarasota Florida

Cracker and Andy do the ring toss while a buddy looks on.

Then the trainer introduced Frosty to do his tricks. We were amazed when she told us he had performed on the Ed Sullivan Show. He rode a unicycle on TV for Ed Sullivan — and he did the same trick for us! One of the macaws got a ride on a swing underneath him as he pedaled across a tightrope. How cool is that?! He’s been performing every day for decades. What a champ!

Frosty rides a unicycle with Andy riding underneath

Frosty takes a buddy for a ride.

Afterwards all the kids lined up to get their photos taken with the birds of their choice on their heads and arms.

Little boy with two macaws on his head and arms

“Mom…!!!”

I was the only person over 10 standing in line to get my pic taken with a bird on my arm, but Mark nudged me and said he’d take a photo of me with Frosty. My day was made!!

Frosty at Jungle Gardens Sarasota Florida

Holding a 79 year old bird makes me feel like a kid!

Going to Jungle Gardens with kids or grandkids is probably the best way to do it, but if you don’t have any to take with you, it’s still a blast to go and be a kid yourself for a little while…

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Sarasota, Florida – Life on the Waterfront

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April, 2015 – Sarasota, Florida, is a oceanfront city, and The Ringling is an exquisite spot to enjoy Sarasota’s shores. During our stay, we soon discovered that this pretty city has lots of other wonderful public places on the waterfront, too.

Beautiful colors at Venice Beach Florida

Sarasota’s waterfront is sweet.

Centennial Park is an older waterfront park, but the views across the water of the city skyline are lovely.

Couple on Sarasota Florida waterfront

Looking out on the bay from Sarasota’s Centennial Park

Out in the bay, people on boats were enjoying a different perspective on this magnificent waterfront. Sailboats and powerboats filled the bay, and while some folks were on their own boat, others were enjoying a fishing charter as part of their vacation.

Boats seen from Centennial Park Sarasota Florida

Boats on Sarasota Bay

At one end of Centennial Park, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall backs right up to the shoreline, and it has a deck where we were told theater goers can enjoy a snack with a view at intermission. How fun!

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Sarasota Florida

The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is located right on the bay — a nice spot for drinks at intermission!

Sarasota is perhaps most famous for its divine sugar sand beach called Siesta Beach. I don’t know if I was more enchanted by the powdery soft sand or the vivid colors of the beach umbrellas and the turquoise water — it was all gorgeous.

We learned that Siesta Beach was rated the #1 beach in America in 2011, and there are lots of proud “#1 Beach” signs all around town. Interestingly, Siesta Beach was followed closely by Coronado Beach in San Diego…another beauty!

Beach umbrellas Siesta Beach Sarasota Florida

Siesta Beach — #1 American Beach in 2011

Marina Jack is the downtown waterfront area in Sarasota, and we were surprised to find another connection to San Diego when we saw the enormous sculpture “Unconditional Surrender.” We discovered that both sculptures were created by artist Seward Johnson and that the one in Sarasota was constructed first, back in 2005!.

Undonditional Surrender WWII sculpture Sarasota Florida

“Unconditional Surrender”
A sister-sculpture to the one in San Diego.

Marina Jack is a large marina with lots of boats of all sizes. Next to it there’s a lovely little walking path that goes around a peninsula called the Marina Jack Trail.

Marina Jack walking path Sarasota Florida

Views from the Marina Jack Trail in downtown Sarasota

A little dinghy pulled up on shore made a perfect photo op. We took turns with some other people getting portraits of each other perched on the dink with pretty Sarasota Bay in the background.

Marina Jack walking path Sarasota Florida

Pausing for a photo op on Marina Jack Trail downtown

A few streets back from the waterfront we enjoyed a wonderful farmer’s market one Saturday morning. This was a sizable market with lots of fresh and beautiful veggies and other goodies.

Farmer's Market Sarasota Florida

The Saturday Farmer’s Market is just a few streets in from the water.

On another day we drove a little south of Sarasota to Venice where we found yet another wonderful beach. Of course this whole coast is loaded with great beaches, but when we got to Venice Beach it seemed like the population of the whole coast had decided to join us there! And how funny to find another California connection in the name “Venice Beach.”

Picnic areas Venice Beach Florida

Picnic areas on the boardwalks in Venice

The beach in Venice has some unique picnic areas that are built into wooden walkways so you are slightly elevated above the vegetation. We hadn’t brought a picnic, but many of these little picnic spots were in use by knowledgeable locals who had staked them out for the day.

Venice Fishing Pier Florida

The Venice Fishing Pier

The Venice Fishing Pier extends well out into the ocean and is popular with fishermen.

Fisherman on Venice FIshing Pier Florida

Gone fishing…

It’s also a great vantage point for getting a look at this super popular beach. On one side of the pier the beach was overflowing with crowds of sun worshippers.

Sunbathers at Venice Beach Florida

The beach scene on one side of the Venice Fishing Pier…

Due to construction going on at the pier, looking over the rail at the stretch of beach on the other side, we saw crowds of another sort…

Seagulls at Venice Beach Florida

…The beach scene on the other side of the Venice Fishing Pier!

Sarasota has freshwater waterfronts too. Payne Park is a tiny downtown city park with some small man-made ponds that have lovely water lilies and a lively collection of unusual birds floating around.

Waterlily

Sarasota has fresh water shores too

A few miles east of there, the Celery Fields park has some wonderful fresh water birding habitats for long legged herons and egrets.

Heron flying over water

A heron flies in at the Celery Fields

Heron walking in water_

Stalking dinner in the shallows

Sandhill cranes are very common in Sarasota (as we found out when we saw some adorable hatchlings) and they are much beloved by birding enthusiasts. Someone had even built them a park bench to sit on, although we didn’t see any sandhill cranes using it.

Sandhill crane park bench

A park bench just for sandhill cranes…

The purple martin boxes were definitely getting lots of use, however, and we watched a pair of them hanging out on their front stoop.

Pair of birds on Purple Martin box_

Home Tweet Home

Nearby, a little ground squirrel had grabbed a discarded piece of bread and he’d run away with it to the safety of a tree branch.

Squirrel eating bread in yellow flowers

Sarasota has lots of wildlife…and most of them have street smarts!

There are dozens more waterfront spots and there’s lots more wildlife to be seen in and around Sarasota, but these are a few of the glimpses we got during our visit there…

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The Ringling – The Art of the Circus in Sarasota, Florida

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April, 2015 – We made our way from Pensacola Beach to Sarasota, Florida, with two big missions on our minds: first, to overhaul the electrical system on our RV and second, for me to zip off to New England for a family reunion. But during our stay in the pretty beach town of Sarasota we squeezed in a little sightseeing and discovered some wonderful gems.

John and Mable Ringling Mansion Sarasota Florida

“The Ringling” in Sarasota is an impressive estate that once belonged to the founder of Ringling Brothers’ Circus.

Who knew that Sarasota’s roots are intertwined with the circus?? Back at the turn of the twentieth century, Sarasota became home to John Ringling, the sixth of seven Ringling Brothers, five of whom founded the Ringling Brothers Circus in 1884. Drawn to the small fishing village of Sarasota in 1911, John began using his immense circus fortune to buy up real estate. At one time he and his brother Charles owned 25% of Sarasota.

Ringling Museum entrance Sarasota Florida

Entrance to The Ringling

John was the advance man for the circus, handling bookings and promotion, but he was a savvy invester as well. His holdings were very diverse and included things like railroads and Madison Square Garden. A lover of European art, he also invested heavily in artwork from the middle ages through the 19th century.

Entrance to the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Sarasota Florida

One ring circus.

When he died in 1936, despite having seen his fortune crumble in the face of the Great Depression, his massive ornate waterfront estate and his sumptuous art collection were both still intact, and he bequeathed the whole lot to the State of Florida.

Artwork on the walls of the Ringling Museum of Art

The Ringling Museum of Art is a world class collection of European art covering 600 years.

Today, the mansion and art museum and beautifully landscaped grounds make for a fabulous tour. Upon entering the Ringling Museum of Art, we were blown away to see a room full of massive paintings by the Flemish Baroque master of the 16th and 17th centuries, Peter Paul Rubens.

Inside the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Sarasota Florida

From massive wall-size paintings to miniatures, every era of European art up to
the 1900’s is well represented.

Astonishingly, that is just s smattering of the immense collection of Ringling artwork which spans all of European artistic development from the middle ages through the 1800’s. What’s best is that the art museum is open to the public for free on Mondays.

Ringling Art Museum Courtyard Sarasota Florida

The grand courtyard of The Ringling Museum of Art.

The grounds of the entire Ringling estate are beautifully kept, and the courtyard behind the Museum of Art is sensational. An enormous, pillared courtyard surrounds a formal garden that is filled with statues.

Ringling Museum Courtyard Sarasota Florida

Statues grace the rooftops and the gardens.

Above the rows of arches lining the courtyard, there are legions of statues on the rooftop cornices as well.

08 431 Garden statues Ringling Art Museum Courtyard Sarasota FLorida

At one end a bronze replica of Michaelangelo’s statue of David presides over the gardens, surrounded by palm trees.

Replica of Michaelangelo David statue Ringling Museum

John Ringling commissioned a bronze replica of Michaelangelo’s David — to stand between palm trees!

Up on top of the helmeted head of one of the statues, a little songbird sang his heart out for us, filling the air with his melodious warbles.

Singing bird on statue in Ringling Art Museum Courtyard

A little songbird warbled a beautiful melody for us.

Awestruck by the immense scale of this personal collection of art, and trying to imagine what life was like as a circus tycoon a century ago, we were delighted to find a more down-to-earth treasure hidden between the wide banyon trees of the estate. A huge mulberry bush was covered from head to toe in delicious, ripe mulberries. This bush — or tree — was so huge that we could climb inside under its thick branches. There were enough berries in there to feed an army, and we feasted on them for quite some time!!

Eating mulberries in Florida

In between the huge banyan trees we found a massive mulberry bush filled with ripe mulberries!

The huge John and Mable Ringling Mansion is now a museum as well. A very long line of people was waiting outside to get tickets to see the interior rooms of the mansion, but we contented ourselves with wandering around the grounds. The mansion is called Cà D’Zan, which is said to be a Venetian dialect for “House of John.” It is also thought to mean “House of Zany,” and since “Zany” means “clownish,” it is also fitting. John Ringling’s first role with the circus was as a clown.

Ringling Mansion Ca-Dzan Sarasota Florida

These windows of the Ringling mansion look out onto the bay.

Ringling mansion and museum Sarasota Florida

Ornate windows in the Ringling mansion.

Ringling mansion and museum Sarasota Florida-2

What a place to spend the winter!

Ca-dzan Ringling Mansion Sarasota Florida

“Cà D’Zan” (“House of John”) is the name Ringling gave his unique winter bungalow.

The vast marble patio stretches on three sides of the house towards the water, and there is a huge boat dock right out front.

Marble patio Ringling Mansion Sarasota Florida

Colorful marble tiles stretch across the expansive patio.

There are several other museums on the Ringling estate, including a Circus Museum, and it is possible to get a discounted three day pass to see all the museums at leisure. We decided to save that in depth look at The Ringling for another visit, but we were enchanted when we met a longtime Sarasota resident who gave this unusual Sarasota circus connection a personal touch.

Ringling R insignia on metal gate

The Ringling “R” over a gate.

She remembered when the circus train would arrive in Sarasota for their winter break in the early 1950’s and depart again in the spring. Everyone from town would run down to wave at the performers who lived on the 100 car train during the touring season. She also remembered when a group of midgets lived in a nearby neighborhood of miniature homes. Many of the midgets had been cast as Munchkins in the Wizard of Oz in 1939.

How cool is that?!

Added later: Thanks to a heads up from reader Richard Daugherty, here is a YouTube video of child prodigy singer Jackie Evancho performing at the Ringling Museum of Art when she was 11. Check this out!!

 

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Gulf Islands National Seashore – Florida’s Emerald Coast!

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March, 2015 — After a wonderful visit at the Escapees RV Club headquarters in Livingston, Texas, we huslted east on I-10, enjoying several really fun stops at the interstate rest areas along the way. We had endured more rain and crummy weather in the last few weeks in Texas than we had experienced anywhere in years, so the gorgeous sunshine that greeted us in Florida was especially welcome.

Dawn on Pensacola Beach in Florida

The beach at dawn — bliss!

Pensacola Beach and the Gulf Island National Seashore on Florida’s Emerald Coast are just gorgeous, with white sand and water the color of jade stretching for miles and miles.

Girl plays on Pensacola Beach in Florida

Pink bathing suits, sand castles and aquamarine water — what could be better?

We were told that we had arrived on the first really great days of the season, and everyone was out enjoying the beautiful weather. It was spring break, and kids were everywhere, playing frisbee, suntanning, flirthing and hanging out.

Kids play ball on Pensacola Beach in Florida

Play ball! Spring break in Florida!

Even the seagulls seemed to be getting into the playful spirit.

Seagull flies over Pensacola Beach in Florida

Checking out the beach scene from above!

Seagulls on the beach in Florida

“It wasn’t us!”

There is a paved path that goes along the Gulf Islands National Seashore for miles and miles, and we took our bikes out for a spin along the coast.

Riding bicycle on Gulf Islands National Seashore Florida

There are many miles of paved bike paths along the Gulf Island National Seashore.

The paved bike path parallels the Gulf Island National Seashore road, so you can walk, run, bike, drive or ride a motorcycle along this beautiful scenic drive.

Bicycle on white sand Gulf Islands National Seashore Florida

It’s like biking in a sugar bowl!

The sand in this part of Florida is blindingly white and sugary soft. Birds and other creatures leave tracks all over the place. We saw the tiny footprints of little sandpipers, the webbed tracings from gulls, and the huge footprints left by large herons.

Bird tracks in white sand Gulf Islands National Seashore Florida

Little birds leave tracks of all kinds in the sand.

And we also saw the birds themselves…

Seagull Gulf Islands National Seashore Florida

.

But it was the color of the water that just plain knocked us out. Wow!!

Gulf Islands National Seashore Florida

The Gulf Islands National Seashore on the Emerald Coast

There were loads of pretty seashells too.

Seashells in white sand Gulf Islands National Seashore Florida

Pretty seashells were strewn about.

This was all such a delight and such a huge change after the vast, inland landscapes of Big Bend Texas and the piney woods in east Texas. We were loving being on the coast again.

Happy Campers on the Florida Gulf Islands National Seashore

Happy campers!

As we were riding back from the Gulf Islands National Seashore to Pensacola Beach, we came across an outdoor bar in front of a resort. The bar tender had blenders lined up to make yummy frozen drinks. What a place!

Outdoor bar Pensacola Beach Florida

This is the land of Vacations and Parties!!

This whole area is totally geared towards tourists and beach life, and it was so great to change gears completely and get swept up into beach vacation mode.

Hot crabs and cold beer sign Florida

Get it here…!

Windsurfing on Pensacola Beach Florida

We were told we’d arrived on the first real beach day of the season.

Little girl on the beach in Florida

Is there anything better than a sunny day on the beach?

We breathed deep, walked the beach, and unwound for a few days.

Pink lilly flowers

I love the beach because there is always something going on, and sure enough, one day when we went to the beach we watched a fisherman reel in a shark, then two young gals in bikinis walked by with large snakes wrapped around their necks!

Colorful umbrella on Florida beach

The sunshine and colors were a true feast for the eyes after all that rain in Texas.

The funny cries of the laughing gulls filled the air and the sunsets and sunrises were exquisite.

Seagulls flying over people on Florida beach

Even the gulls were having a good time.

Seagull flying into camera

These guys laugh and laugh and laugh.

It had been a long hike to get from Texas to Florida, but we both agreed these wonderful beach days were well worth the drive!

Sunset at Pensacola Beach Florida

The colors at sunset and sunrise were beautiful.

RV at sunset

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Rainbow’s End – Escapees RV Club Headquarters!

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March, 2015 – We have been members of Escapees RV Club since our first year of RVing full-time, and we have always wanted to visit the Escapees headquarters in Livingston, Texas, just north of Houston.

After visiting the stunning Caverns of Sonora in south-central Texas and getting a disc brake conversion done on our trailer in Forth Worth, we scooted east, stopping at the Casita Travel Trailer factory for a quickie tour, before spending five days at the Rainbow’s End RV Park on the huge Escapees campus.

Sharing the RV Lifestyle Escapees RV Park Livingston Texas

Escapees RV Club headquarters in Livingston, Texas

Escapees RV Club is an amazing organization that is as varied as any club could possibly be. Drawing together RVers of all shapes and sizes and ages and interests, Escapees provides a huge range of services for all of us, from bootcamp training sessions for new RVers to specialized RV weighing stations to overnight RV accommodations of just about every variety (ownership, long and short term RV site rentals, cheap dry camping, park model rentals, etc.), assisted RV living for the elderly, mail forwarding services, an RV magazine, and on and on.

Rainbow's End RV Park at Escapees Headquarters

Rainbow’s End RV Park in Livingston, Texas

When we arrived at the Livingston, Texas, headquarters, the annual Escapees rally called Escapade was taking place in Tucson, Arizona. At that event, an exciting new facet of Escapees was introduced — Xscapers — a new branch of the club that is dedicated to younger RVers.

This is an exciting development in a very dynamic club that has always sought to find new and creative ways to support the RV lifestyle.

Arriving Escapees Rainbow's End RV Park Livingston Texas

We arrive at the park.

Escapees was founded by Kay and Joe Peterson, a couple that was among the pioneers of the full-time RV lifestyle many decades ago. They were avid “boondockers,” and they overnighted in their RV without hookups to electricity or water on a regular basis.

With boondocking in its roots, most Escapees RV parks offer dry camping sites, usually for $5 per night (a little more for non-members). We were delighted to find that the Escapees Rainbow’s End RV Park in Livingston has three wonderful dry camping sites to choose from. After we walked to each site to check it out (none were in use — and we were told they rarely are!), we settled on a nice, big site called “Dry Camp A.” Unlike the smaller full hookup sites, this site was big and had a great feeling of privacy with lots of trees bounding two sides.

Escapees RV Park boodocking Rainbow's End Livingston Texas

Dry Camp A — a super deal at $5/night!

Ironically, the heavens did nothing but pour pitchforks on us for our entire stay. After taking one sunny pic of our RV set up in its Rainbow’s End RV Park home, we saw nothing but driving rain for five more days! Mark started calling our site “Wet Camp A.”

If nothing else, at least all that rain gave us great opportunity to use soft rainwater to wash our buggy and clean off the road grime from the nasty ice storm we’d driven through!

Redbud tree blooming in Livingston Texas

The redbud trees were in bloom all around the Escapees campus

The Escapees compound in Livingston is enormous. Not only is there the expansive Rainbow’s End RV Park, but there are park model homes and stick-built homes on sites scattered all around the outskirts of the park, plus the CARE RV-based assisted living center and its affiliated RV sites at one end, and, of course, company headquarters and offices at the mammoth mail sorting facility.

Smack in the middle of all this is a tiny ice cream shop called the Rest Stop.

Rest Stop Ice Cream Shop Escapees Rainbow's End RV Park Livingston Texas

The Rest Stop Ice Cream Shop is in the middle of it all.

We had assumed that everyone on the Escapees property was an RVer, so it was a big surprise to find that quite a few people live there in houses without RVs. We got chatting with Theresa at the Rest Stop as she scooped our ice cream, and discovered that although she has dreams of casting off in an RV someday, for right now she enjoys living in a house in the community and hearing the travel tales from RVers who stop in for ice cream. She warmly recounted meeting an RVing family with lots of kids who came by.

Rest Stop Ice Cream Shop

Theresa gave us a warm welcome and yummy ice cream at the Rest Stop

Escapees Corporate Headquarters was just steps from our site, “Wet Camp A,” and we stopped in for a tour. Because almost the entire Escapees staff was at the Escapade rally in Tucson at the time, there was just a skeleton crew working, but the group taking the tour numbered 12 or so people anyway! These free tours are offered twice a week.

Escapees RV Club Headquarters in Livingston Texas

Escapees RV Club Headquarters

One of the most impressive aspects of the tour was seeing the Escapees mail sorting facility. Escapees forwards such a large volume of mail to its mail forwarding clients everyday that a US Mail semi-tractor trailer truck has to deliver it all. Escapees even has their own zip code, and they get more mail than the post office in Livingston! Everyday, the mail truck backs up to the sorting facility, triggering a daylong flurry of activity for some 20 people.

We watched an enormous machine presort the mail and then walked through a big room filled with filing cabinets where each client has a folder holding their mail. It was a very impressive operation!

US Mail truck at Escapees RV Club mail sorting facility Livingston Texas

A US Mail semi trailer rolls up with the day’s mail.

We learned that Escapees will soon be offering a service where clients can view a scanned image of each envelope they receive and then opt to have it opened or shredded. This could come in very handy for time-sensitive or important documents that you’re waiting to receive.

The Escapees community tour usually includes a trolly ride all around the campus, but the trolley driver was at Escapade, so we didn’t see that part of the tour. Next time!!

Rainbow's End painting wtih tour bus trolley

A cute trolley takes visitors on tours of the Escapees Rainbow’s End campus

But we did see the plaque honoring founders Joe and Kay Peterson when they were voted into the RV / MH Hall of Fame in 2001. We had seen this plaque at the RV / MH Museum in Elkhart, Indiana, where all the leaders and innovators in the RV industry are honored (if you are ever near Elkhart, a stop at that museum to see the vintage trailers on their Road Back in Time is a must! Our blog post is here).

Joe and Kay Peterson RV - MH Hall of Fame

Joe and Kay Peterson, founders of Escapees, were honored by the RV / MH Hall of Fame

Out in the lobby, our guide showed us two really fun little sticky note pads that used to be included in new members’ packets. These were mini invitations to “Friendship Hours” that you could fill out and stick on your RV neighbors’ doors to invite them to a potluck or other gathering. What a neat idea that was!!

Escapees RV Club Friendship Hour Pad

Sticky notes to invite friends over…

Escapees RV Club Friendship Hour Pad 2

…the modern day equivalent is RVillage.com

Nowadays RVers rely on social media to reach out to both nearby neighbors and RVing friends many miles away. But there was something very homey, cozy and friendly about those little sticky note pads, and I wasn’t the only one in the group who said, “Wow… Where can I get some?” Unfortunately, Escapees doesn’t make them any more.

Up on a wall in the main mail sorting room there is a wonderful display of dozens of issues of Escapees Magazine, and I was proud to see a few of our covers in the mix.

Escapees Magazine covers

Escapees Magazine covers on display in the mail sorting facility

Escapees Magazine is written by members for members, and the editors are always looking for beautiful photos and technical “How To” types of articles to include. If you are an Escapees member, and you’ve learned something on the road that you want to share, write it up and send it in!

Escapees RV Club Magazine Covers

We saw a few of our cover photos in the mix

I wandered down to the CARE facility one afternoon, curious to learn more about this unique program. “CARE” stands for Continued Assistance for Retired Escapees. Participants in CARE live in their own RV in a site next to the big CARE clubhouse, and for $874 a month they get an RV site, help with dumping and propane tanks, three meals a day, housekeeping and laundry services, transportation to doctor’s appointments in town and weekly transportation to grocery shopping as well. What an amazing deal!

Escapees Care Center Livingston Texas

Escapees CARE Center

The clubhouse is the hub for CARE participants, and when I poked my head in one room, a group was enjoying watching a live concert being streamed in from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, on a huge flat screen TV. I was told that CARE will be offering adult daycare to elderly residents in the general Livingston area soon too.

Many of the RVs in the CARE RV sites have big, beautiful, permanent porches built out front. One of these with two huge wooden rocking chairs really got my attention. It just looked so inviting!

Travel Trailer with beautiful porch Escapees Care Center Livingston Texas

Many RVs in the CARE center have beautiful big porches built out front

As I was admiring it, an elderly woman came out on the porch in a bright red sweater and waved to me. Her name was Nedra, and we ended up chatting for quite some time. I asked her about CARE and she said, “Come on, I’ll give you a tour of the clubhouse!” and off we went. She proudly showed me the dining hall, which is a big, open, cheery room. She told me the food was wonderful! Visitors can enjoy an inexpensive meal there too if they let the dining room know by 10:30 a.m.

Dining Room Escapees Care Center Livingston Texas

The Dining Room at the Escapees CARE clubhouse

RVers can workamp at CARE as well, and I talked with several RVers who really enjoy helping out this way, either in the dining hall or driving residents around town. Couples work together in teams, and in exchange for a minimum one month commitment to work 28-36 hours a week (per person), you get a free RV site at Rainbow’s End (with metered electricity) and you also get three free meals a day at CARE. If you work in the summertime, you receive a stipend to cover electricity for air conditioning.

Workampers can also work at the other end of the Escapees campus at the Rainbow’s End RV park. I was told that if you work at least 20 hours a week for a month or more, you receive a certificate good for a free night’s stay at any Escapees Rainbow RV Park for every 20 hours you work. We chatted with an RVing couple who really enjoyed defraying their travel costs this way, working at three or four different Escapees RV parks each year.

Kay and Joe Peterson Escapees RV Club

Kay and Joe Peterson’s immense creativity has built an incredible company that caters to the many unusual and unique needs of RVers

We really enjoyed our stay at Rainbow’s End, and after spending some time in Livingston, Texas, we came away even more impressed by the diversity of the Escapees RV Club than ever. Thank you, Kay and Joe, for creating a special virtual home — and a true community — for all RV travelers!!

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  • Join Escapees RV Club – And say you were referred by “Roads Less Traveled” (if the spirit moves you!)
  • Escapees CARE Program (Continued Assistance for Retired Escapees)
  • Xscapers – Escapees resources for young RVers
  • Kay Peterson – The Inspiring Life Story of a Full-time RVing pioneer & the Co-founder of Escapees

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Caverns of Sonora – Enchanting Caves in Texas

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March, 2015 – Continuing our RV travels east from Big Bend National Park, we were headed to Fort Worth, Texas, to do a disc brake conversion on our trailer that would truly transform our driving experience and put a huge grin on Mark’s face. But first we decided to make a brief stop at the sensational Caverns of Sonora, a massive cave system that is considered to be one of the most beautiful caves in the world.

Caves at Sonora Caverns Texas

Entering the Caverns of Sonora, we cross the mammoth pit that took 50 years to conquer.

Fortunately for us, and for all RVers, Sonora is right on I-10, just a little north and east of Big Bend National Park, and the caves are just 8 miles west of Sonora. The tours run every 2 hours or so, and when we arrived there was no one signed up for the next tour. By the time it started 50 minutes later, there was a group of about 12!

Cave Tour Sonora Texas

Navigating the cave is easy with a tour guide, electric lights and solid surfaces under foot!

This is a “warm” cave, and we were advised to shed our jackets and sweatshirts because the temperature is generally in the low 80’s in the cave. I was a little reluctant — after all, central Texas was in the throes of ice storms — but once we got into the cave, I was glad I did.

Caverns of Sonora Crystal Palace Tour_

The lighting in the caves is artistic and well crafted, and it makes the calcite formations glow.

The Caverns of Sonora are on ranch land that was owned by Bill Mayfield at the turn of the last century, and they were first discovered when a rancher’s dog chased a raccoon into a hole.

Crystal Palace Cave Tour Caverns of Sonora Texas

We had to walk carefully so we didn’t bump the “cave coral” all around us.

Explorers quickly found out that after about 500 feet of scrambling along a narrow passage from the entrance, there was a massive pit that opened up and blocked the way completely. It took about 50 years for anyone to make it past the pit. It was a daredevil feat for the ones who did, because they had to climb way above the pit, with scant and dim sources of light!

Crystal Palace Caverns of Sonora Texas

The formations in this cave are exquisite — stalactites and stalagmites everywhere!

These early explorers discovered that the cave is about 7 miles long and is filled with exotic and intricate calcite deposits and designs created by water filled with minerals dripping from the ceiling of the cave to the floor. There were no signs of human presence at any time, and no animals either. That huge pit by the entrance kept everyone out!

Sonora Caverns Texas stalactites

Everywhere we turned there were exotic and fragile formations.

The Mayfield family has operated the cave as a commercial tourist enterprise since July, 1960, and they have done a terrific job of preserving the cave while making it available to the public to enjoy.

Cave coral coralloid formations Caverns of Sonora Texas

“Cave coral” or “coralloid” formations — it looks like an underwater world of coral!

As we walked, the drip formations on the ceilings, walls and floor of the cave became ever more elaborate.

Stalactites Caverns of Sonora Texas

Stalactites form icicles.

In places there were “icicles” hanging from the ceiling and “columns” growing up from the floor. There were even some pools of very clear water. Ironically, tourists from decades ago liked to throw pennies into one “wishing well,” and now the water is tinged green from all the copper. So another area has been established for tossing pennies (for those that must) where there won’t be any environmental impact.

Mineral pool in Caverns of Sonora Texas

We passed several pools of water.

Wonderful staircases and a concrete path took us from one gorgeous “room” to the next, and it was impossible to imagine just how challenging this cave was for the early cavers that tried to map it out and discover its depths.

Stairway on Crystal Palace Tour of caves in Sonora Texas

Stairway to another world…

All the different formations have names, like “cave curtains” and “cave coral” and “dogtooth spars.”

Cave curtains crystallized minerals Sonora Caverns Texas

“Cave curtains” are thin films of calcite. Some are translucent.

The cave is beautifully and creatively lit throughout. The guide turned on the lights ahead of us as we progressed down the path, and then turned out the lights behind us.

Descending the Caverns of Sonora Texas

This cave is very beautiful. What a treat to see it lit so creatively.

The lights were set behind various formations, making them glow as if lit from within.

Cave lighting Crystal Palace Tour Caverns of Sonora Texas

Our path winds through the Crystal Palace.

The most ornately decorated “room” is the Crystal Palace, and when we got there we all stopped in awe.

Touring Crystal Palace Caverns of Sonora Texas

The Crystal Palace is just that!

It was filled with delicate stalactites and stalagmites. We were reminded that the “c” in stalactite is for “ceiling,” which helps you remember that these formations grow down from the ceiling while stalagmites grow up from the bottom of the cave!

Crystal Palace Tour Caverns of Sonora Texas

The Mayfield family not only owns and operates this cave, but they also fund all the current
explorations of its far corners as well.

The tour was over in just under two hours, and before we knew it, we were climbing the many stairs out of the cave. I was surprised to learn that the Mayfield family has had to ward off oil drilling interests that are insistently drilling and testing every inch of soil outside the boundary of the cave. They are hoping explorers find the cave is even bigger than they currently think it is — to help keep the oil drillers at bay.

Cave coral Crystal Palace Tour Caverns of Sonora Texaa

Stairway to Heaven!

The last bit of the tour took us through the “whalebone room” where the walls were rounded and smooth, as if made of whale bones.

Whale bone formation Caverns of Sonora Texas

In the whale bones…

What a neat little excursion this was!

If you are rattling across west Texas on I-10 in your RV, and you are looking for a really fun break from driving, check out the Caverns of Sonora. Besides all the pretty calcite formations in the cave, there is a small RV park right there next to the caverns.

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Boquillas del Carmen – A Taste of Mexico in Big Bend TX

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March, 2015 – In the Big Bend area of Texas, the Rio Grande River separates the United States from Mexico, and during our stay in Big Bend, we decided to slip across the border to visit the quiet Mexican village of Boquillas del Carmen on the other side.

Back when we cruised Mexico on our sailboat, we saw lots of travel literature that talked about finding the “Real Mexico.” There seemed to be an idea that border towns and tourist beach towns somehow aren’t “Real” or aren’t really Mexico.

Yet we found that no matter where we went in Mexico, the culture was distinctly “Mexican,” and I think it was very real to the locals who called these places home.

Bienvenidos a Boquillas del Carmen Mexico

We’re in Mexico (with Aussie/British friends Amanda and David)!!

Even so… Would we find the “Real Mexico” we had grown to love so much here in a little village sandwiched between two huge national parks on either side of the border? The answer turned out to be a resounding Yes!

The border crossing is as formal as any, and going into Mexico here felt more formal than the last time we entered Mexico at the gargantuan border crossing between San Diego and Tijuana, especially since we were just leaving the US to visit Mexico for a few hours!

Once we passed out of the US gate, we walked down a dirt path. Suddenly we looked up to see a group of Mexican men hanging around on the far side of the river, the Sierra del Carmen mountains towering behind them.

Looking across the Rio Grande from Big Bend National Park to Boquillas del Carmen Mexico

Our Mexican hosts wait — and sing — for us on the other side of the Rio Grande.

As soon as they spotted us, one man began singing a Mexican folk song in a very full voice that rang out with wonderful clarity across the river.

Ahhh, Mexico!! How this culture loves music!

A young man was rowing a boat towards us and we hustled down to the water’s edge.

Ferry across Rio Grande from Big Bend National Park to Boquillas del Carmen Mexico

We take the ferry across the border.

We hopped in the boat, and as our ferry captain rowed, the welcoming sounds of our greeter’s wonderful song filled the air from the far shore. In just a few strokes of the oars we were disembarking on the other side.

Ferry Terminal Boquillas del Carmen Mexico

At the Ferry Terminal we meet Victor, our singing host, and pay for our round trip ferry ride.

The Ferry Terminal consisted of a cable spool on its side, a folding table and a cut-off plastic milk jug for money. The singer (and ticket agent), whose name was Victor, and several other men that we later found out were personal guides were waiting for us. We paid $5 for the round-trip ferry ride and were offered three ways to get to town a mile away: by burro ($5) or by taxi ($5) or walking (free).

The burros looked really fun…

Burros waiting in Boquillas del Carmen Mexico

Burros wait to take visitors into town.

Other visitors chose to take the burro ride that day. But we opted to stretch our legs and walk.

Riding a burro to Boquillas del Carmen Mexico near Big Bend National Park Texas

We decided to walk, but other travelers had fun on the burros!

We weren’t sure what to expect when we got to town. We were traveling with our EarthRoamer RVing friends David and Amanda, and the only thing we had all planned on doing was having a Mexican lunch with Coronas and/or Margaritas. So I asked our guide where a good place was for that, and he said “José Falcon’s Restaurant.”

Jose Falcon's Restaurant Boquillas del Carmen Mexico

José Falcon’s Restaurant is the biggest game in town.

Sure enough, when we got to town, it was the biggest and brightest building on the street — and was one of just a handful of buildings all together! A few doors down on the other side of the street was the other popular cantina.

Bark Bar Boquillas del Carmen Mexico

Another option for a beer and genuine Mexican food.

Before we could start exploring, however, we made a quick stop at the trailer that houses Mexico’s Customs and Immigration office, and we filled out tourist permit forms and got our passports stamped and were issued short term visas that we returned when we checked out at the end of the day.

Formalities, done, we wandered outside and suddenly heard music and singing again. We walked a few paces to find an old man in a wheel chair, his faithful dog at his side. He was strumming a guitar and singing for all he was worth.

Street musician Boquillas del Carmen Mexico Big Bend National Park Texas

A street musician entertains us.

We had to smile as we watched this musician, because funny as it sounds, this was the real deal. Street musicians give Mexico’s culture a special twist, and we’ve seen them everywhere. They’ve serenaded us on the beach, in out-of-the-way bars, even on the bus, of all places! And now here.

He paused for a moment to tell us he was 85 years old. “Born in 1930?” I asked in halting Spanish. “Yes!” He said, his eyes lighting up. He had just lost his wife a few months ago.

We wandered down the dirt road a little further and looked up to see two men coming into town riding horses. Was that classic, or what?!

Horesback riders in Boquillas del Carmen Mexico_

Right out of a movie!

A couple of little kids were running around with bracelets for sale. The little girl said her name was Maria, but even though she repeated her friend’s name three times, I never quite understood what she said! Our friend David managed to have quite a conversation with both of them!

Little Mexican kids Boquillas del Carmen Mexico

Our friend David finds new friends in town.

Throughout all our wanderings, our guide, Fermin (pronounced “Fair-MEEN”), never strayed too far. The guides aren’t formally assigned to visitors, but all the gringos in town for the day were walking with one. He gave us insights into life in this tiny rural village, showing us the hospital where there are two doctors on staff.

Mexican guide at Boquillas del Carmen

Our guide Fermin shows us the local hospital.

The village church was painted a wonderful bright yellow…

Church in Boquillas del Carmen Mexico

We’ve seen vivid yellow cathedrals in other parts of Mexico, so why not a yellow chapel here?

And we were very impressed that the town operates on solar power!

Solar power Boquillas del Carmen Mexico

Solar panels power this town.

Tourism is really important to Boquillas, and the villagers participate on many levels. One woman makes hand towels and tablecloths that she displayed with clothes pins on a fence.

Towels and tablecloths on clothesline

Embroidered towels and tablecloths for sale.

We returned to José Falcon’s restaurant and took a peek out back on the deck that overlooks the Rio Grande. This river is called the Rio Bravo by the Mexicans.

Jose Falcon's Nest Boquillas del Carmen Mexico near Big Bend Texas

The “Falcon’s Nest” overlooks the Rio Grande.

Rio Grande River (Rio Bravo River) Boquillas del Carmen Mexico

Mexicans call the Rio Grande the “Rio Bravo.”

Much to my surprise, as we kicked back in the sun and chatted over lunch, I noticed a person at another table who’s face I had seen only in photos online. I did a double-take when I looked at his wife, as I now realized with certainty that they were Ray, who writes the wonderful blog Love Your RV, and his wife Anne, who teaches photography at Anne McKinnell Photography. Who woulda thunk? I swung by their table to say “hello” and introduce myself. We were all so surprised to bump into each other here in Boquillas, Mexico, of all places!

But that’s the kind of fun and magic that makes this traveling lifestyle so special. Settling back with our friends Amanda and David, we savored the afternoon and were very reluctant to leave. This was such a perfect spot to wind up a very relaxing and pleasant day.

Lunch deck Jose Falcon's Boquillas del Carmen Mexico Big Bend National Park Texas

What a delightful day this turned out to be!

As we hung out in the warm sunshine, unwinding in the familiar plastic chairs that are the standard decor in every outdoor cantina across Mexico, we felt ourselves happily transported.

If this wasn’t the “Real Mexico,” then I really don’t know what is. Other than having a different view, the feeling and vibe were exactly the same as we found when we traveled through stunning Guanajuato, exotic Palenque, idyllic Huatulco and laid back Zihuatanejo, and each of those places was a true five-star highlight in our journey so far.

If you are going to Big Bend National Park in Texas, don’t forget your passport, and make sure you treat yourself to a few hours in Boquillas del Carmen where the sweet taste of Mexico is very real.

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