Filed under: Florida | Tags: mermaids, natural spring, roadside america, weeki wachee
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I love Florida’s kitsch and palms, but I despise its eternal sunshine that burns my skin to a crisp – its oppressively humid weather that makes me want to sleep till dusk. This time we lucked out; it rained the entire week we were there. There was a chill in the air; holy shit, it was just like home! Weeki Wachee (isn’t that name amazing?) is home to the world-famous mermaid show, and despite how cheesy that may sound, the women who slip into their tails and do water ballet in the natural spring tank are impressive to watch. Sitting in the painfully freezing mermaid theater on worn wooden benches from the 1940s made me feel as if I had stepped back in time, and when we emerged out into the stormy afternoon, I expected to see a line of sirens on Highway 19 beckoning unsuspecting travelers into their underwater world.
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These are real women in mermaid outfits?! I will really have to travel more, I had no idea such places existed!
Comment by farmhouse stories July 3, 2012 @ 7:53 PMThey ARE real women in those fantastic costumes – and quite talented swimmers for sure. I was surprised at how relaxing it was too watching them swim in that tank (much like watching pet fish, I suppose, he he).
Comment by Lisa July 5, 2012 @ 5:26 AMFabulous!! Weeki Wachee indeed. Thanks, love the mermaid photos and the fact you liked the rainy week.
Comment by Michael Williamson June 20, 2012 @ 10:01 AMthanks, michael! the drive is super stressful, but the storms down in florida – when it rains, it truly pours, almost tornado-like. unexpected in the sunshine state.
Comment by Lisa June 20, 2012 @ 12:09 PMtoo bad we don’t have enough room in the bathtub for another pet.
Comment by jeff June 20, 2012 @ 7:24 AMall the more reason to build a pool in the back yard so we can keep the mermaid!
Comment by Lisa June 20, 2012 @ 7:47 AM