Welcome to Tampa (Part 2)

As a follow up to this post and this post, the real reason I went to Tampa was to partake in Gasparilla and enjoy the company of pirates. Here’s some pictures taken with my friend’s camera of the actual parade. The whole gallery is posted here.

Welcome to Tampa (Part 1)

Avast ye mateys! I’m back from Tampa. Heres some Pictures from the city, and tomorrow I’ll give you what you’ve really been waiting for, Pirate Pictures!

And subsequently My observations

1. The city is actually called “Tampa”, not “Tampa Bay”. I feel like I’ve been lied to for years by the buccaneers and the lightning
2. St. Petersburg loves its pelicans
3. Somehow white sneakers and flat brimmed hats to the side are in style, but spinners are not
4. I expected something older, more exciting, more colourful in Tampa. Instead I was greeted with stucco and glass in a variety of bland colours.

Yargh!

So this really all not that important blogger at Ben Co. is off on vacation! To where you ask? The Short answer is Gasparilla.

What’s Gasparilla you ask? Well I suppose I could just click on the link, but that’s way too easy.

I know it has to do something with pirates. In what capacity I’m not sure. Does Tampa love their pirates? Do they throw this festival in an effort to please the Pirate Gods, so that pirates don’t attack the city? Or do they encourage the pirates to come to ward off ninjas? (Ninjas are the sworn enemy of Pirates) Was the Tampa Tourism Board just looking for a really sweet gimmick?

Oh if only I’d click on that link, or at least wiki the darn thing. Instead, I’m going with the assumption that pirates are and indeed perhaps the sweetest and most ballerist thing in the world. So much so, that people still pirate to this day.

So I’m off to warm and sunny Tampa (78F today!) I’ll bring back pictures and stories and chotchkies for everyone!