pretty panhandle picture post

[amw]

The Florida panhandle had some delightfully picturesque sections. My first draft of this folder had over 50 photos, but i think i culled enough of the endless white sands that i will no longer bore you. Enjoy the pictures, and perhaps you can imagine the whiplash i experienced when i hit the now 2-day long section of dull private estates and

Comments

[dadi]

ahhh beach! palm trees! So lovely, even if you know most of the coast is blocked by rich assholes. Italy is the same in long stretches... just private homes or hotels etc, no access.....

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[spiffikins]

I *love* the photo of you in the dawn sunlight - that is amazing :)

I really find sand dunes to be awesome - the photo of the road being encroached by drifting sand - so cool.

I was in Florida in early May one year - and the heat and humidity were just too much (unless I was actually *in* the ocean) - I can't imagine living there and doing normal things, and wearing normal clothing :D I realize that everyone just has air conditioning and stays inside - but that would drive me bonkers - which is why I vastly prefer to live in a cooler climate where a/c is not necessary :D

[amw]

I'm always surprised by Americans who say air conditioning is a necessity. Perhaps it's because i spent some of my childhood in New Zealand (not super warm, but pretty humid in summer) and my early 20s in Queensland Australia, but those places often didn't have air conditioning in private homes, so you just sucked it up and dealt with it. Open a window, wear a loose shirt. Or just drip sweat everywhere, it is what it is. It's not comfortable, but i don't find it particularly more uncomfortable than the very cold weather that the US gets in the north and Canada gets most everywhere. Perhaps i should've capitalized on my "whatever" attitude toward uncomfortable weather and came here during the off-season! I imagine hotels and motels would be cheaper, although i'm not sure campsites are any more easy to come by.

[spiffikins]

My biggest gripe is that as soon as ONE person installs an a/c unit and starts running it - now everyone around them, suffers if they don't have a/c and just open a window - because you have the incessant noise of the a/c unit

[geminiwench]

Those white beaches really are stunning....

[benicek]

My cousin lives in St Augustine and I’ve never been there. I’d like to have a look but also America scares me generally. Space rockets though….

[amw]

From what i hear St Augustine is one of the nicer cities in Florida. Apparently it's one of the first settlements, so there is lots of old stuff there to look at.

America is a funny place. It is scary in that you don't know who might be carrying a gun so you kinda always feel a little bit on edge, in case you inadvertently offend someone and then get shot. And then there is the private ambulances and private hospitals and obnoxious travel insurance policies that require you to pre-confirm any treatment with the insurance company before you even go to a hospital. And there are a lot of people with very offensive political views who tend to assume you share them too, because you are white, which makes you want to apologize to everyone who isn't white in advance. And yet... when things go smoothly, it is a perfectly pleasant place to visit, with lots of interesting things to see. Well, maybe not in the suburbs, but even then that can be unique the first time you see it.