Taking Tallahassee

The rain was more or less stopped by the time we finished lunch So we soldiered on - we were actually on an interstate at that point but we got off at Tifton, and followed US 319 down to Tallahassee.

We got to the hotel about 4 (without stopping for gas like Bob wanted to do) and our daughter met us in the lobby and helped us get checked in.

I'm not a fan of this hotel. To begin with, the beds are so tall that I have a really hard time getting onto them. The things that we take for granted at a Hampton Inn - simple things which make your stay nicer - this hotel does not have. No suitcase racks to put your suitcase on to unpack. No mirrors except in the bathroom, so you have to go in there to see if your hair needs to be combed. And the bathroom has the sink separate from the toilet and shower/tub but there isn't a waste basket in the toilet section - only by the sink. And also of course, no free breakfast, There is a "Bistro" but the prices are outlandish.

We sat in the room with our family

until our daughter's friend and our grandson's girlfriend got here from Miami and then we went over to a Mexican place called El Patron. We walked over - I went on the scooter. I wore my sweater

It was very noisy. We ate out on the patio. and it we had a good time - even though it was noisy we were able to talk.

daughter and son-in-law

But the service was abysmal - they didn't have enough menus.

(Sharing a menu)

We had two rounds of chips before they got our drink orders. I had a virgin Pina Colada

Then it was a long time before the appetizers that our daughter ordered came. And another long wait for the food. We got over there about 8:15, and we didn't get our actual food until after 9. Fortunately they gave Bob his food first because he is not accustomed to eating that late. But everyone was served and they hadn't brought me anything. The others complained that their food was cold. The hot dishes which were usually too hot to touch were only warm. They did eventually bring me some food.

I think I can say without fear of contradiction that the food part of the evening was not a success.

My back started to hurt and we left about 9:45. Bob walked and I scootered back to the hotel. It was a very rough sidewalk. I found out on the way back that Bob had not packed a sweater. He was walking like an old man and he said he was cold and the weather had gotten much cooler since the rain.

May 5

Perhaps because of the Mexican food, Bob and I both had to be close to the bathroom on the morning of the 5th.

I had a shower and another deficiency of this hotel has been revealed - the bathtub is very slippery and there is only one grab bar. I wanted to wash my hair and it was hard for me - normally if I can use a hand held shower I don't need an actual handicapped room, but this was a fixed shower head and when I leaned back to get my hair wet it made me dizzy and so I stopped tilting my head back and got soap in my eyes.

We didn't leave the room until close to noon - skipping breakfast entirely. We stopped at Burger King and when I ordered a cheeseburger the lady at the register said that there was a bundle rate - two cheeseburgers, a fry and a small drink for $3.29 plus tax, So that was what we got. I got a glass of water,

Burger King water cup

And then we got gas - I had looked on the internet to see which gas stations were the cheapest ($2.32/gal). We got 42 mpg.

I decided to go to Maclay gardens which, based on their website which said that wheelchairs were available, I thought would be accessible for the scooter. The bloom season is January to April and I knew we were a bit out of that time frame and the house would not be open,

National Register of Historic Places sign

but I thought it might be an interesting place to go. So with the phone giving us directions, we went to the gardens. The admission was $6.00 and the very cheerful lady at the booth gave us a brochure and directions.

The dark curved line on the map is the brick pathway

We went down to the parking area and Bob got the scooter out. I was comfortable with my sweater, but Bob is cold. He expected unremitting heat, and it has been really cool and windy since we got to Florida.

Bob ahead of me on the path

I did the brick (very jolty) path but the side areas - the little walled garden

and the gazebo on the lake -

Gazebo on the lake

all had steps. I took some photos. There were only a few flowers still in bloom.

Last Magnolia flower

Other places I could not go

The gardens were beautiful, even without many flowers - lots of Spanish moss and beautiful old trees

Spanish moss on a Pine Tree

automatic watering system

Bob suggested that we photograph some cemeteries so I picked two near the Maclay gardens - Lake Hall and Lake Hall Community Cemeteries.
Lake Hall was first. We got to the place where the map said we should turn (Roslie Street) and due to yesterday's rain, it was a muddy hole with deep tire tracks.

Entrance to Lake Hall Cemetery

We decided not to go there. So next we tried Lake Hall Community Cemetery We went down the residential street and at the end we came to a driveway marked Private Property - No Trespassing. We would have had to trespass to get to the cemetery so we didn't go to that one either.

Then we went to Publix because this hotel does not have a free breakfast, to buy some breakfast stuff and lunch stuff. Bob said was I coming in? (as opposed to waiting in the car the way I usually do) and I did intend to go in and pick stuff out to buy because Bob doesn't really know what I like to eat as well as I know what he likes. I got a roast beef sandwich and a salad, some bananas, some bagels and some cream cheese, and Bob got some cereal and cookies. Cost $28.00

We got back to the room, and didn't eat what we bought for dinner because our daughter gave us a nice veg/fruit tray, and we ate all those veggies for dinner. Plus a couple of the cookies that Bob bought.