The trip to Florida and the USA, in general, was not just an ordinary tourist excursion for us. The United States has been woven into my life for as long as I can remember. These visits were primarily a special time with my parents. It was about experiencing firsthand whether it’s truly as I imagined. Whether this country is really worth the hours spent on a plane and if the American Dream would amaze me or rather disappoint.
Our first trip to Florida took place two years ago in December. We spent a total of 13 hours on the plane. We flew first from Warsaw to Frankfurt, and then from there to Tampa. This was our first long-haul flight. Marcin handled it quite well, but I, unfortunately, struggled a lot more. I didn’t sleep a wink during the entire journey. I only managed to doze off for a few minutes here and there. The worst part for me was constantly looking out of the airplane window and seeing the same view every time – the endless ocean that seemed to have no end.
I’m not someone who is terrified of flying. I have a mild fear, probably like most people boarding a plane. Trust me, knowing that you’re flying over water for several hours, with no land in sight, gives you quite an adrenaline rush. The last three hours were critical for me. Everything hurt. I also wasn’t prepared for how cold it would be on the plane. I had three layers of clothes on, the airplane blanket, and a wool poncho, but I was still freezing.
After getting off the plane, we had to stand in a long line for an interview with an officer, whose decision determined whether we would even be allowed into the United States. Imagine a situation where you haven’t slept at all during the flight, your head is spinning, you’re barely standing, feeling nauseous from exhaustion, but you still have to stand in line for another hour or two. It wasn’t a pleasant experience, but we knew it was part of the procedure, and there was nothing we could do about it.
Luckily, the line moved fairly quickly, and everyone at the airport was very helpful. After a brief chat with a Customs and Border Protection officer, we got the stamps with our visas in our passports and headed to my parents' place. Yes, that’s right! It’s only after you arrive in the U.S. that the officer decides whether and for how long to grant you a visa. What you receive at the embassy or consulate in Poland is just a visa promise.
The moment we saw my parents was absolutely special for me. After all those hours of struggle, we were finally here! We could hug, be together without Skype, and spend two magical weeks. I still couldn’t believe I was finally in the United States. I had dreamed of this my whole life! During our first visit to Florida, we could only afford a two-week trip because of work commitments. It was sort of a trial run for us, so that we could come back the next Christmas – this time for well over a month!
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
What struck us first was, of course, the temperature and the exotic plants at every turn. The huge cars, roads, and open spaces were a sight to behold. Additionally, we were amazed by the ubiquitous Christmas decorations. Despite the warm weather, the holiday spirit was everywhere. People really go all out decorating their homes and don’t hold back on the decorations. They even decorate their cars, wear festive clothes, and sport holiday accessories. We kept seeing people of all ages wearing things like reindeer ears or typical Christmas-themed shirts. We even saw Santa Claus riding on a sleigh made from a modified, decorated lawnmower in the parking lot of a Walmart!
People are very laid-back and have a great sense of humor. They are super open and positive. They're always striking up conversations with everyone – whether in a store, on a bus, or on the street. At first, we were quite shocked by it. We knew that Americans are masters of small talk, but we didn’t realize that we’d experience it everywhere we went. Pretty much everyone asked where we were from, complimented our clothes, our language, and Poland in general. Everyone was incredibly friendly. I joked that I’d never received so many compliments from strangers in such a short time!
GREAT BLUE
For most people, Florida automatically brings to mind blue waters, beaches, palm trees – you know, Miami and all that. By the way, we had a good laugh when many friends, and even others, asked if we were in Miami :D You know, this simple equation: Florida = Miami. Just like Poland = Warsaw. Well, we weren't in Miami, but yes, Florida mesmerizes with its blue. There are plenty of beautiful, vast beaches, water attractions, and opportunities to spend time by and in the water. You can choose from water skiing, paragliding, all kinds of boat tours – whether it’s for fishing, dolphin watching, shark spotting, or simply admiring the beautiful scenery.
We didn’t manage to visit all the beaches, but out of the ones we went to, two particularly stood out. The first one was Siesta Key Beach, with its vast beach, colorful lifeguard stands, sky-high showers, volleyball courts, and a pavilion with all kinds of gadgets and food.
The second beach we liked was Coquina Beach. It had a more intimate feel, with a slightly narrower beach, but it had a nice grilling area with a beautiful view of the bay. There was also a typical tiki bar with a thatched roof, like in Hawaii, where they served pretty good lemonade and snacks. Unfortunately, we don’t have any photos from this spot. We noticed that taking photos while eating, drinking, or shopping is not really our thing, and we do it very rarely :D
What sets the beaches there apart from others is the SAND! It’s exceptionally white and fine. It never heats up or burns, always staying cool regardless of the sun and air temperature, and walking on it feels like stepping on down feathers.
Neither of us are fans of sunbathing or spending time lying on the sand, so we didn’t spend many days at the beach. Everyone laughed when they saw us after returning because our tan was barely noticeable. We definitely belong to the group of people who can’t sit still. We love sightseeing, walking, and exploring. Sunbathing and lying flat is pure torture for us, which is why we dedicated a grand total of ONE DAY to it during both trips. Instead, we had plans to visit several places we had found online. We started with the mansion of people whose lifestyle makes the Great Gatsby look modest :D And we’re talking about John and Mable Ringling.
WITH STYLE AND FLAIR
The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art (shortened to The Ringling) is a state art museum established in the late 1920s as a private gallery by the collector couple, John and Mable. Imagine over 10,000 works of art gathered in one place. Paintings by the greatest masters such as Rubens, Velázquez, Antoon van Dyck, and Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, tapestries, sculptures, and furniture within your reach, without the long, exhausting queues that stretch for hours.
The pink Renaissance-style palace, shaped like the letter U, houses as many as 21 galleries with collections from great masters.
Below is a bronze copy of Michelangelo's David from the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.
Mable Ringling was a lover and collector of exotic trees, so in addition to the artworks, you can admire masterpieces of nature at every step. On the 26.4-hectare grounds, there are, among other things, 14 banyan trees.
It's the banyan tree, I don't know how you feel about it, but those hanging roots are quite impressive!
The museum is located on a property of about 26.4 hectares, right by the Sarasota Bay lagoon. In addition to the Art Museum with its art collections, the area also features the Circus Museum, the Ringling family residence known as Cà d'Zan (which boasts 41 rooms and 15 bathrooms!), an 18th-century European theater that was transported to Sarasota straight from Italy, a guest pavilion, and a garden.
Below is the stunning Cà d'Zan residence
Right behind the estate is a beautiful terrace with a view of Sarasota Bay lagoon. The Ringlings really had a life to envy!
We only visited the Art Museum, the Renaissance-style garden, and the pavilion, and it still took us about 3 hours. John Ringling was one of the richest men in America, and his story is truly fascinating. If you have time, make sure to read about this guy. Generally, we're not big fans of museum visits, but this was something absolutely unique and different. The sheer size of the estate, its wealth, and diversity were all astonishing.
Being able to imagine how wealthy people lived in the "Roaring Twenties" in America was mesmerizing. The wealth, opulence, and scale of everything exceeded our wildest expectations. To truly understand it, you simply have to see it with your own eyes. The biggest regret is that we didn’t take any photos inside the Art Museum, especially near the paintings by Rubens, but we weren’t entirely sure if it was allowed. Despite the generally relaxed vibe in the US, there was a certain formal atmosphere in the gallery that threw us off a bit. Anyway, we definitely need to go back!
GREEN PARADISE
The second place that left a big impression on us was the Marie Selby Gardens. It’s a vast botanical garden located right on the Sarasota Bay. You can admire incredible tropical plants, ferns, flowers, and trees straight out of a fairytale. There, you’ll find various types of orchids, as well as an impressive collection of bonsai trees. The botanists at Selby Gardens have discovered or described over 2,000 plant species previously unknown to science. As with everything in America – it's done on a grand scale!
The gardens are located on the site of the former home of Marie and William Selby. Another incredible couple with a fascinating story. An oil magnate and a talented pianist, who fell in love with each other in school. Childless, with a huge zest for life, they created a small piece of paradise in Sarasota.
P.S. Did you know that Marie was the first woman to drive across the United States in an automobile?
The garden is divided into various sections. The most impressive to us were the massive roots of the banyan tree and the wish tree with colorful ribbons.
Each color represents a different area of wishes. One in particular moved me deeply: "Help for my mom in her fight against cancer, happiness for my brother." The atmosphere in that place was filled with a deep sense of peace and melancholy.
As you can see, we all had a great time – my mom was over the moon!
In the kids' zone, we felt a bit like Indiana Jones, all because of the rope bridges. What's interesting is that even my phobias disappeared in that place. As someone who suffers from arachnophobia, I wasn't afraid of the funny little spiders that looked like stars. We saw them quite often in various places during both of our stays in Florida.
W Marie Selby Gardens, weddings are also held. I don't think we can even imagine how extraordinary these ceremonies must be.
Pioneers and a bit of history
One day we decided to visit the Manatee Village Historical Park, which is a sort of open-air museum. It features the Wiggins General Store from 1903, a shipyard, a pioneer farm from 1912, a smokehouse, a sugarcane mill, a barn, a church, a school, a courthouse, and a locomotive.
The museum was created thanks to the hard work of volunteers who saved some of the buildings from being forgotten. This place operates solely through donations and voluntary contributions from donors, with no entrance fees. Additionally, there is a Whistle Stop shop where you can purchase various souvenirs, such as jewelry, craft sets, decorations, and books about Florida and local history. The proceeds from the sales go towards maintaining the museum.
It was there that my mom and I were able to immerse ourselves in the roles of pioneers from the early 20th century. There were various props that we could use for photos. In addition to the shop, we really liked the charming little church, where ceremonies such as weddings still take place. The old school and courthouse also left a strong impression on us.
The pioneer house also put us in a Christmas mood, even though it was around 30°C outside.
Did you notice the two huge oaks on the museum grounds? Apparently, they're over 100 years old! I could easily imagine two lovers swearing their love for each other there, for better or for worse. A dream! Who knows, maybe one day it will be us?
We hope that through these photos, you could at least briefly transport yourself to the magical state that is Florida. What we've described and shown is just a tiny piece of what we managed to see there. Let us know how you liked it and if you want to see more!