Day 37 of ALAA-Sun, June 19th, 2011-From Starke to Panama City Beach, FL

Florida-It's Been a LONG Way Coming!

Now I have some questions about the deep South that I hope somebody can answer! What's up with hot-boiled peanuts, sweetgrass baskets and hats, and the Suwanee River? I mean I love ROASTED peanuts as much as anybody but boiling them? Alongside the roads down here, there are literally hundreds of little stands selling sweetgrass baskets and (what look to me like plain 'ol run-of-the-mill straw!) hats and baskets. Humpf-whazzup with THAT? And I crossed the Suwanee River and there were signs for miles both before and after about how famous the Suwanee is. My question is por que?

I also have news for John Grisham! In The Firm and to a lesser extent The Partner, he describes the miles and miles of run-down, tired, mom-and-pop motels along Panama City Beach. Maybe it was like that when he wrote those novels but today 90% of those are gone and have been replaced with high rise condos. Well, I managed to find one of the few joints where I could afford to stay but most of them have gone away. PCB is going more upscale but it's not in the league with Destin. I'm at a BK for brunch and this is a really nice (read expensive!) area. Pensacola is about 50-60 miles away and I'll stop again there to catch my breath! Headed for HOME!