Christmas Eve in Florida

My first Christmas Eve in Florida found me in Tarpon Springs, a town just north of my current home. Tarpon Springs was originally a Greek settlement. Diving for sponges was the main source of income for the settlers. Now it still houses a "main drag" worth visiting with vendors offering a variety of Greek statuary, as well as natural sponges and various restaurants, of course. The town does have an additional charming main street of sorts, Tarpon Avenue, with antique shops and the like, as well as a nice Irish-style pub. Today, Tarpon Springs is probably more well known for expensive homes, as it is found directly on the Gulf of Mexico, with access from the interior lands by the Anclote River and other smaller rivers.

It is to one of these accesses, a bayou near the middle of town, that we now voyage. Apparently, about 9 years ago, a teacher at the local elementary school came up with the idea of lining the bayou with candles. I thought this would be a great introduction to one of the holiday traditions in Florida.

I must admit the luminary was beautiful. To see the thousands of candles sparkling along the stretch of water was a nice reminder at how single items placed together can be a sight to behold. As an additional treat, some manatees had traveled up from the Gulf to warm themselves in the warm springs beneath the bayou. To see them swimming innocently in the swirling waters reaffirmed the power of simplicity.