Ever since I’ve moved to Florida people keep yammering to me about how I should go check out the sponge docks in Tarpon Springs. I’ve kinda just put it off because Tarpon Springs was only 30 minutes away and it didn’t seem too enticing. But as a Saturday approached and no ideas for a spontaneous adventure rattled in my noggin, I resorted to my book of suggestions of adventures in Florida and it recommended Tarpon Springs.

Apparently, Tarpon Springs is where all the sponges are caught in the world or some shit like that. So I guess I’d give a chance. The town was full of docked boats with every inch of capacity occupied by sponges and stores that sold sponges. Sponges were selling for 50 dollars a pop. What kind of mindless drone has money to spend on a $50 dollar sponge? I’m still in confusion. It honestly felt like a tourist trap. I felt like I was in a crappy movie from the late 80’s/early 90’s about family vacations.

Shake, Rattle and Roll

Nonetheless, I like making the best of bad situation and coincidentally enough for us, this particular Saturday happened to be some random occurrence where they were celebrating Christmas in July. Some Mrs. Clause was singing “Shake, Rattle and Roll” so I couldn’t help myself from dancing in the pictures.

As we continued to stroll among the 100’s of Santa’s roaming the streets we eventually found Santa’s sleigh. Now I guess I never got the memo, but apparently the ‘Traveling Santa’ industry is a lucrative business.  My mind still cannot comprehend how so many Santa’s can gather in one place and make money on a Saturday worthy of sleeping in on. But whatever.

I knew before I left I must obtain a picture with a Santa. So when two Santa’s sitting on a bench presented themselves, a perfect picture opportunity was to be capitalized on. Unfortunately for me, of the hundreds of Santas present on this sunny Saturday, I chose the one gay one. And as I tried to get my photo op, I can only imagine what he was thinking of me…

Uncomfortable Laughter

The book of suggestions that guided me to the booming metropolis of Tarpon Springs also suggested that we try the Greek Food of Hellas Restaurant.

The food was actually quite pleasant. And something about the restaurant’s lighting wouldn’t let me forget that I was eating Greek food in a coastal town in the state of Florida. I’m still not quite sure what it is though. Regardless, the food was great and the whole city seemed to be occupied by Greek Restaurants. I don’t care to do my research on why this is, I just assume the word Tarpon has something to do with the Greek God of sponges.

For some reason this pic reminds me of HST

The rest of the city has tourist things like shops full of sponges and other souveniry items like soap and sponge fused together. But I wasn’t sold on spending money i didn’t have to. The barbaric people that spend money in this city must have too much money to spend and no soul.

While the soap fused with sponge was cool, I wasn’t sold on spending money I didn’t need to spend. So I snapped a few more photo ops and took my sunburn home with me.