Step 3 - The Beach!

After the fabulous time spent with Carmen at breakfast, it was time to hit the road and head for the beach!   Now it was finally starting to feel like we are really on vacation!

Since we were no longer having to beat the clock or worry about precision timing, we took a turn down a road with an interesting sign advertising the Pioneer Panhandle Settlement just outside of Blountstown.  It was very quiet when we were there, but by the size of the parking lot, it appears to get quite a few visitors.  It was really nice just wandering around looking at the types of buildings people used to live and work in.  Since it was really hot at the time we were doing this, I did wonder just how early Florida residents managed without air conditioning? They must have been made of very strong stock. 

Here is a collection of views of this open air museum, complete with a "wild" turkey and cotton!

We had planned to eat lunch at Margaritaville in Pier Park.   Although I agreed with this decision, I could not remember exactly where it was.   Alan reminded me the last time we came through Panama City on our way back from Tallahassee in 2009, we wanted to see if our favorite motel was still there.   The Osprey Motel was where we would escape from Geneva for a few days whenever we visited Mom.  We felt with being so close to the beach, the kids needed a few wet and wild days.  This motel is family run and WAS out on the edge of PC.....nothing much around, except the pier.  We would pay our $1, at that time, and wander up and down watching the sealife.  And noticing just how close big sharks are to our beach at the Osprey!

The reason I made this trip down memory lane was when we drove through in 2009, this area was all developed and I was totally shocked.  I cherish the old Florida and get really upset that it is disappearing and becoming a cookie cutter resort state......so when I told Alan I could not remember where Margaritaville was, he said of course I couldn't, I was too busy being horrified!

But if I get off my high horse and accept that things change, I have to admit the area does look a lot more fun.  And Margaritaville is always a blast!    We did wonder, while we were enjoying our lunch there -do you have to like Jimmy Buffet to be able to enjoy the whole experience?

My delicious lunch - Lobster, Crab, and Shrimp Salad - greens, tomato, cucumber, and onion topped with lobster, lump crab, and shrimp salad

We were advised to take the scenic road 30A but it was washed out due to a storm, so we went straight to Steamboat Landing.  We have been coming here for years, and it is nice to know the area so well.  It is on the intercoastal waterway with a dock that used to host a resident heron fishing at night.  I have not seen him yet this time.

We were not really able to sit and relax as we had to go buy food and then go to the local high school football game!   I am originally from this area, but my high school will be away both Fridays we are in the area, so unfair!   As a result, we attended the Fort Walton Beach vs Gulf Breeze game.  It was Alan's very first high school game and he loved the atmosphere and general experience. And the home team won, so it was a very good experience for his first football game!

 

Needless to say, we both took a massive amount of pictures, but the video I took of the FWB team coming onto the field, which I cannot get to download here or on Facebook, sorry, reminds me of my best friend from high school.

 Half time show, with FWB Band and Flag Team (That was what I did in high school, only our flags were not so colourful)

 

Hjordis regularly painted an eagle on huge papers to be stretched between the goal posts for the team to burst through as they entered the field.   The modern version - with the large banner showing the team name pulls perfectly apart and can be fastened together (Velcro?) for the next game. Personally, I prefer her works of art that she knew would be destroyed in seconds!

 

“When I meet a European, the first thing I say is, “I’d much rather watch football than football.” But I’m just teasing them, and they know I’d really rather watch football than football. 
” 

― Jarod Kintz, The Days of Yay are Here! Wake Me Up When They're Over.