Mickey says its bloody cold here . . . I thought the old saying 'You don't get owt for nowt', originated from the North of England - well now I know they got it from America . . . you get nothing for free in the land of the free, nice hotel we're at a good rate, but as always the masters of small print managed to ramp up another $25 dollars a night (plus tax) to park the car and use the hotels ameneties, (whether you want it or not) fitness center, paddleboats, beach beds and beach cabannas etc - yeah right . . the TV News says its the coldest its been here for 40 years, so cold the Snowbirds have gone back home up north and you pay a paddleboat boat you don't want and can't use even if you did.
We had a drive out to Anna Maria Island yesterday, we heard it was nice place and we had asked the travel agent if she could get us a hotel near the bars/restaurants for few days - she asked why we wanted to stay there . . . her tone of voice was why on earth do you want to stay there . . . and advised against it and thats how we we came to be in St Petes. It turned out that was very good advice they don't have any bars or restaurants, in fact there ain't much there at all, very unspoilt with lots of million dollar homes on the beach and apart from an ice cream parlour which also sold hot dogs and bagels, little else. There are 'no parking tow away zone signs' everywhere to stop visitors parking outside the millionaires houses - its like they don't want visitors there, apart from driving around there wasn't much for these tourists to do so we came back.
We braved the weather and had a stroll out and found a real cool fish/seafood restaurant last night called Snappers, I just looked it up on the net, they obviously pissed off a few people by the write up's they got on Tripadvisor, but without a doubt its was the best meal we have had in America certainly on this trip.