Exploring Venice Florida

January 26, 2011 Venice, Florida. Nancy and I along with Ruth and Wayne, got loaner bikes from the marina and rode into Venice. On the way we pulled off to the public access and walked onto Venice Beach. Took a couple of pictures and picked up some shells. We then continued to Historic downtown Venice. We wondered through the shops, remembering that if something comes onboard, something else has to come off. I think Nancy bought some postcards and a glass decal for the shower window that appears as etched glass. These will take no space. After shopping, we had lunch and discussed staying another night at the marina because of upcoming weather. After returning to the marina, Nancy and I took a walk to the point of the inlet. On the way we say a Great Egret and a Anhinga drying its wings. Water was rough ahead of the cold front that is moving in. It is going to be a rough night. Well it is January 26th, this will be Nancy's and my 37th wedding anniversery and the second one on the boat. Tomorrow we leave to go South, where has not been decided. I will let you know when we get there.

Bradenton FL to Venice FL

January 24, 2011 arrived Venice, FL. Crow's Nest Marina. We left Twin Dolphins Marina with Wayne and Ruth (High Spirits) about 8:30 am heading South for Venice, Fl. Wade and Richard aboard BAGEERIA were just ahead of us and going to run on the outside (in the Gulf) heading out the Manatee River for the GICWW and onto Crow's Nest Marina. We would pass Sarasota, FL and have to clear (have opened) 5 bridges. We should arrive around 2:00 pm. Along the way the playful dolphins were there to entertain and other wildlife were neat to see, but sometime would obstruct our navigation aids. We saw several modes of water travel, some floating some not. Today we will go downtown to visit the Historic Venice, stay tuned for more.

Ringling Circus Museum

January 22, 2011, Ringling Circus Museum. If you have read the previous blogs you already know that this is the fourth of four blogs on the John and Mable Ringling estate. After touring the estate, I decided that there was to much to show you in a single blog. The Ringling Museum of the American Circus was established in 1948 and was the first museum of its kind to document the rich history of the circus. The Ringling Museum has a fine collection including rare handbills, posters, and art prints, circus paper, business ecords, wardrobe, performing props, as well as all types of circus equipment, including beautifully carved parade wagons.

This completes our stay in Bradenton, we will move to Venice, Florida tomorrow on our trip as we continue South to Key West.

Ringling Miniature Circus Museum

As you will read an explaination of my bloging the Ringling Estate in the next two blogs, I will only say that this is Blog 3 of 4 covering the Ringling Estate. Because of the size of the estate, I will show pictures and write a short discussion of the pictures covered in each blog.

Ringling Minature Circus Museum. Located in the Circus Museum's Tibbals Learning Center, The Howard Bros. Circus Model is a replica of the The Ringling Bros, and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1919-1938. Complete with eight main tents, 152 wagons, 1,300 circus performers and workers, more than 800 animals and a 59-car train, the model is built in 3/4-inch-to the foot scale and occupies 3,800 square feet. The lighting is set to periodically go down and the circus lights would come up, that is to explain the darker pictures. "The world's largest miniature circus" was created over a period of more than 50 years by master model builder and philanthropist Howard Tibbals.