Seeing The Sarasota Sights, Part 2

...Continued from yesterday:  
     On Friday morning, though heavy rain was promised throughout the day starting any minute,

...Romaine and I  chose to pack our rain gear and chance the walk from Lido Key Beach to St. Armands Circle (see yesterday's post),

...where  I   noticed  the shells inlaid  into some of the sidewalks,

​...which reminded me of the shells inlaid in some of the sidewalks along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela (see post from 8/28/2017) to show the way to the pilgrims walking the Camino.

     The St. Armands sidewalk shells ended up showing us the way to a nice breakfast spot, La Creperie Caffe,

...where we again enjoyed the off-season crowdlessness,

...and had some delicious very-veggiful omelettes with tasty seasoned side potatoes,

​...followed by an out-of-this world raspberry cream cheese crepe that we shared for dessert.

     After breakfast,  grateful that the rain was still holding out and for the opportunity to walk off the omelettes  and  crepe,we walked back over the bridge from St. Armands to Lido Key Beach,

...where we  strolled around the neighborhoods, admiring the plant life,

...and the real estate.

​ ...including this lovely palm gracing the lawn of the Beau Lido (see post from 8/28/2017).

    We decided that in spite of the overcast skies the rain must be bluffing, so we drove from Lido Key back to the mainland to visit the Sarasota Audubon Nature Preserve,

...where we walked the hiking trail,

...then visited Celery Fields, the wetlands and bird habitat.

     By afternoon it was obvious that the rain had changed its mind or at least postponed its intentions, and as the previously overcast skies were now sunny and blue, we decided to spend some time on the beach after lunch.
      The day before while eating our Cuban sandwiches at Columbia in St. Armands (see yesterday's post) we'd caught sight of some good-looking rice dishes on the table of some nearby diners, and so today I had a hankering to return to Columbia and try one of those dishes for lunch, which we did.

     Romaine had the Shrimp & Yellow Rice,

​...while I had a tasty rice, vegetable, shrimp and chorizo sausage dish called Salteado.

     After lunch we passed a gelato shop displaying selling the most irresistible-looking, not-to-be-denied gelatos,

     Then we returned to our suite at the Beau Lido from which we walked to the nearby beach,

...by which time the rain clouds had reappeared and the  wind had picked up, making for rough waves,

...too rough for me, myself being a person who more enjoys looking at the ocean than getting wet even in the calmest of seas.

     So I left Romaine, who has not my aquaphobia and loves to swim in the ocean,

​...and headed back to the Beau Lido.

     Romaine made it back just before the belated thunder storm finally broke from the heavens.
     The rain pour down for the rest of the night, while we spent the night all cocooned and cozy,  listening to the rain,

...snacking on my emergency stash of pretzels and juju fish,

...and watching "Ghostbusters," still a great movie, even many watchings later.

     To be continued...

"Equal And Opposite Reactions"
         by Patti Liszkay
is available at
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