...just a stranger on the bus trying to make his way home...

For those who live in Florida, Spring isn't Spring till Spring break hits. 

{And for the benefit of the non-American readers, Spring break is basically synonymous with a bunch of drunken college students suddenly taking over Florida and trashing everything, thusly marking the official beginning of the tourist season. Actually a quick skim of WikiPedia's entry for 'Spring break' pretty much says it all: "spring break activities traditionally include binge drinking, recreational drug use and casual sex." }   

There's a definite contrast between the high energy tourist season vibe and the quiet winters when we have our towns and beaches to ourselves, but right now it's a transition between those two worlds, when the beach is neither crowded, nor abandoned, and I am loving every minute of it.

x

Many years ago, in a small beach town in Greece, my dad and I went out clubbing one night, and as the night was falling around us and the beat of the bouzouki* (*Greek musical instrument) was heating up, my dad found himself on the dance floor with the locals, dancing his best rendition of the Zorba dance and I was cheering and clapping along with the others, watching my dad melt into the vibe -- and seeing him like that made me so happy. 

And when he sat down, trying to catch his breath, a local put his arms around my dad's shoulder and said: 

"An outsider will never feel the beat of the bouzouki the way we feel it. You can never see our country the way we see it." 

And to that my dad said: 

"And you will never know how beautiful your country is to a stranger."

Why I am suddenly thinking of that night in that Greek town I'll never know, but I am smiling ear to ear just thinking of it.  And my dad is right, there are different ways to love something and you don't always have to know all about everything before you can fall in love with it. 

And I love Florida both as a local and as an outsider.

Thanks for stopping by -- until next time.

Agnes 

TITLE CREDIT: JOAN OSBOURNE -- WHAT IF GOD WAS ONE OF US

Comments

[chrissy]

I have to agree w/your Dad, sometimes not knowing every detail can be a good thing? but under some circumstances it might heed heartache later on..

[Francine]

My parents just recently got back from vacationing in Florida! I always found myself somewhere between a tourist and a local there. My family has had a vacation home on the northeast coast since I was 5 years old, and we used to go several times a year. Our place is about a half hour north of Daytona Beach, so I remember the "SPRIIING BREEEAAAKK" scene all too well...I really need to get back down there. It's been far too long.

[Rosemary]

Thanks for sharing your memories :)

[Heather]

Your photos are all stunning Agnes! I didn't go to Spring Break, but my husband did the year before we were married. He kept calling and saying how much he missed me. LOL I don't see how he could've though. Hehe

[Andi]

Omg, what a beautiful memory of your Dad!!! I remember dancing with my Dad when I was younger and it always warms my heart to think of it. Florida is an incredible state. I'm thinking very strongly of moving there in the future...

[HOBO(nickname)]

Those white sands And I rewind self towards Rishikesh. Holy Ganges river And I sitting on a stone.
- almost heaven And peace within.

[Lucky]

Agnes... if he was dancing in the little town of Agios Nikolaos in Crete..I could have been dancing with him, but I don't remember you being there?

[lostworld]

Loved the spirit of the post!!! Sometimes when ppl gush about India, I can't help wondering what they fuss about (I love my country but I see it all through different eyes)!! :-))

[hitesh]

beautiful beach........it always make me happy when i read about people saying good things about my country .....actually that is the way it started following you........ :)

Florida must be an awesome place........and the spring break.......:) everybody love springs a different ways hhuh....

\,,/

[UmaS]

Fantastic pics !!! The second one at the beach - the leaves are so beautifully coloured by nature !!! WOW !!!

Very truly said by your dad !!!

You love your blog, its your own space. But I love your blog for the tiny ways, in which I relate it to myself. :)

[Bhavesh Chhatbar]

Even though I have never been to Florida, for some unknown reason, I too love Florida very much!

Bhavesh

 

[Kate]

I will raise a glass of retsina to your Dad !!!

[tony goffe]

My once Greek-Scottish lady, Quincy, never stopped playing bouzouki for me ..actually, we were trying to combine that with reggae... but we could'nt come up with an appropriate name!..as Her Dad and I drank retsina/ouzo..(in Jamaica), AND danced... who cared about names ?? .. "You definitely DONT have to know all about anything before you can fall in Love with it"... great truism !.... Definitely.. or as we say out here.." De-FINITE-ly, Mon !! Hail-up de FINE (definitely) Agnes! (Mon)

[Agnes]

@Tony: Something like this?

[bd]

Great. You are getting your groove. Especially liked the part about your dad.

[Geoff]

Great post Agnes;
I love your dad and that statement he made was so profound it has been following me around all day. The shots were great and we're all braced to avoid the madness the next few weeks will bring and then a return to normalcy. Oh sure!
Love
Geoff

[Captain Dumbass]

That's a pretty great memory.

[Anastasia]

I am Greek and I don't even know how to dance syrtaki (Zorba the Greek dance)! Well...I'm a bad dancer anyway. But sometimes I may join in and dance my way! Funny how I can relate to your post and share the same impressions and the same feelings about my town, Larnaca - a touristy town. I enjoy the semi-deserted beaches right now as the high season for tourists hasn't started yet.

[BobbinTalk]

I used to live in Fort Lauderdale in the very early 90's. It was a time when spring breakers had abandoned the city and A1A was covered in sand. I was a stranger then and didn't like the quiet beaches and abandoned small hotels, but now that I don't live there any more I love remembering the quiet strolls and art deco small hotels.

[Mehreen]

*smiles*

I find it more comfy to be a stranger.

[Helen]

What a wonderful remark!! :)

The scene made me think of my own dad when we were dancing at a Salsa club, my dad swinging his hips and all, and it turned out the owner was Greek and so they started talking - my dad in Greek! since he lived there when he was young. The night ended with us all having ouzo and the owner and my dad threw a plate. The owner said: I haven't done this in the 20 years I've lived in Cape Town, but this is a special moment.

Maybe they were both outsiders in other countries that found a piece of "home country" in that moment.

[Agnes]

@Helen: Kalimera, Sister. And here is to the wild at heart, kept in cages.

[Zhu]

I never truly understood Spring Break, probably because I have never had this kind of spring break. My idea of a break is more like backpacking for a few months...

Gorgeous pics though!

[Kay McKenzie Cooke]

I love your blog - and your name. Your blog is going up on my sidebar links. :)

[Charles]

Spring breakers come to Jamaica and have a whale of a time too. I can relate to living in a country where foreigners gush over the beauty of the island whenever they visit. I don't see what they see until I visit the countryside and forget all the distractions of the city and just take in the sights, sounds and scents.

[The Tablescaper]

I enjoy visiting Florida, but wouldn't want to live there. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy or appreciate it.

- The Tablescaper

[Prashanti]

That was super witty of your dad to come up with that line and it is true that one can love the same place in two different ways :)

[Michelle]

I feel the same way about Florida. I'm excited about my husband and I visiting Clear water Beach this week. It's been a while since we've been able to do much like that.

[Sylvia]

I love your Dad's response, that's perfect. We have the same effect here - Easter school holidays are the start of the tourist season. And after 3 months of rain, the sun is out!

I wonder if the water has warmed up enough for a swim, yet...

[the Sandman]

It is not always easy to see our common surroundings with visitors eye. And look fresh at all that God and Natures has given us. But we should. You seem to have a great soul. I am a careful visitor, and an even more careful befriend-er. I have now added you to my friends.

[Maverickshree]

Beautiful pictures..just loved them !

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[Maxi Malone]

Although I was born in New York, I consider Miami my home town and have lived in Florida all my life. It was fun traveling to other states when I was young, but Florida will always be the place for me.

All the best in 2010 - Maxi

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