Two Cents Worth
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Florida has many more interesting things to see and do than alligators and sunshine but with our limited time and tight schedule we had to pick and choose.
Lauret’s husband Bob, rented a car for us so Lauret, Thais and I drove to St. Petersburg to visit the Salvador Dali Museum and Freda Kahlo exhibit. It’s a beautiful building and the amazing display could be enjoyed with a guide or with a recorded thing and ear phones. Our guide told us how and why the gallery was built and walked us through the life of Dali explaining at what stage in life was represented by the changes of his painting style. Learned so much and could have stayed for hours. The Freda Kahlo exhibit was less extensive but still fascinating.
The next day Lauret and I went to the Florida Southern University at Lakeland to see the 11 campus buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It was a self-guided, walking tour. Spent a few hours soaking in the amazing architecture and information.
We then went to the Polk County Museum of Art were over 100 works, from 1880s to 1940s, by the American Impressionist were on display. A few Canadians, drawn to the States by the art culture at the time, were included. Some 200 other works of art, owned by the museum, were on display in the permanent gallery and several smaller galleries displayed various forms of art.
On the way back to Lake Wales and in honour of Black History Month, we searched out the historic home of L.B. Brown, a former slave who made a name for himself as a successful builder and businessman. In 1881, as a free man, Mr. Brown acquired a section of land on which he built houses to be sold or rented. He did the same upon moving to Bartow where we visited his home. The road, grounds of his restored, family home and the park across the road were blockaded to be set up for a huge weekend celebration. We snuck around the road blocks to see the beautiful nine-room, Victorian home complete with gingerbread, grill work and elaborate details.
We also looked up the historic, colonial revival home of G.V. Tillman one of the founders of the city of Lake Wales, which features extensive porches and regal columns.
After a day or two of sunning and park activities Denise, Thais, Lauret, friend Pat and I went on a tour of Bok Tower Gardens, a historic landmark, built on top of one of the highest peaks in Florida. Bok, the editor of the Ladies Home Journal for over three decades, had spent a winter nearby and decided it was the perfect spot to create a bird sanctuary and garden. His instruction to the architect was to build, “a spot of beauty second to none in the country.” He purchased 250 acres, had the sand hill trenched for irrigation pipes then brought in thousands of truckloads of soil. He then planted many thousands of live oaks, azaleas, sabal palms, magnolias, gordonias and fruit shrubs. Over time many more native and exotic plants were incorporated.
The 205 foot gothic revival and art deco Singing Tower, which is surrounded by a koi-filled moat, is made of etowah and creole marble and coquina stone and features 60 carillon bells. Twice daily a carillonist sits at the clavier to play the bells and you can watch on an outside viewing screen as the music fills the grounds.
Lots more to tell but running out of room. Will finish up next week.