This American Summer

Day 19
Fri June 20, 2008
Destination: Tallahassee, FL
Couchsurfing with Nathaniel and Kym

woke up early, drove to downtown NOLA
parked in mall on canal, walked to french quarter
cafe du monde - beignet equipment broken, so we went across the street to cafe beignet
got three beignets and iced coffees
walked around, sat on a curb to eat
then went to dusty little bookstore
walked around some more, went to Praline Connection for lunch
walked back to car, got pralines on the way

drove to biloxi, but couldn’t find cheap oyster bar open early afternoon
decided to just drive to Tallahassee
got in pretty late, kind of got lost trying to find nathaniel’s house, but he came to save us
had some friends over, had a fire going in backyard
dogs - have two, can only remember Cassidy
they are burning man folks - friend Din is a “character” at burning man
hung out, had drinks and talked around the fire pretty late into the night
old camper van - awesome little house on wheels

Day 20
Sat June 21, 2008
Destination: Tampa, FL
Couchsurfing with Pat and Lyn

had my morning shower in their outdoor shower
Nathaniel took us to Canopy Cafe for breakfast
went to visit Mission San Luis - Nathaniel wanted to check out their building techniques
free park area, well staffed with both employees and volunteers in full costume
very pretty area

went back to Nathaniel’s house and interviewed him and his wife
said our goodbyes, drove south to Tampa
ate late lunch at Wendy’s at a gas station
got into Tampa at around 10pm
sat and talked with Pat and Lyn for a little while
told us stories of traveling around the world
6 month honeymoon
traveled to India for $50 - Munich to Bombay
Lyn started a riot in a Pakistan marketplace, got placed in hotel arrest
they live in a log house that they built themselves
fixed up an old sawmill to cut the wood too
no mortgage, so they say its opened up so many options, their lives have been freer

Day 21
Sun June 22, 2008
Destination: Miami, FL
Stayed with Alex’s aunt

breakfast: Pat made waffles with fresh ground flour - YUM YUM YUM
we got a tour of their farm, land, etc
they also have bamboo; planted cypress to prevent development
pat showed us spearfishing gun
then we got cookies and iced tea, got books for gifts
drove off for miami

met EPA guy for lunch
drove to his house on Sanibel Island, met him and his wife
went to eat at (restaurant name?), had really good sea food burgers
dropped wife Carol back at their house, went to water treatment plant
provide water for the island through reverse osmosis
visited wildlife refuge and tiny movie theater; went inside projection room to learn about movie projecting
then, off to miami

called up carlos to meet up with him
took us to his favorite spot to take photos of miami
took some photos there
then took us to Tobacco Road, oldest bar in Miami
had a few drinks, listened to some really good live blues by Poppa E, got some amazing burgers
then videotaped carlos talking about his arrest and why he’s fighting for photography rights

drove to alex’s aunt’s house, slept there

Day 22
Mon June 23, 2008
Destination: Daytona Beach, FL
stayed in San Marina Motel

had breakfast at alex’s aunt’s house, watched wonderpets
then went to Versailles for Cuban food; also got espresso for $.65
drove up the east coast
tried to get couchsurfing, but decided to go to the beach and just camp or stay at a motel

tried a beach but at first too far south, thunderstorm was coming in
got to Daytona Beach and drove on the sand a bit, then spent a few hours swimming, making sand castle, etc
then drove to motel, rinsed off, then drove car to boardwalk
parked and walked around a bit
got pizza for dinner at Sicily’s pizza
walked around some more - david got a 7-11 slurpee, alex got ice cream, i got caramel nut apple
ate our snacks by the beach
drove back to motel, did some work, went to sleep