Pool Boy

This was the part of the vacation that was planned by the girls in the family and aimed to increase our relaxation quotient.  We were staying on the water on Sand Key - next to Clearwater Beach.  The  girls had visions of pool boys and spas dancing in their head.  We woke to a glorious morning with a nice view from our room. There are dolphins and manatees swimming by.....

At least some of use woke up.. others chose to sleep in a bit after the two day blitz through DC  Karen and I had a nice walk (more walking !) into Clearwater to get some supplies and scout restaurants.

Although there is a very nice beach - we spent most of our day by the pool.  Mostly because nobody at the beach was walking around serving you food and beverages.  There is also nothing quite like people watching at a hotel pool.  Typically over time most towns or sections of cities get homogeniezed as people tend to congregate with others that have similar behaviors.   The hotel pool is a melting pot of people and you can begin to build some cartoonish stereotypes of the folks who congregate by pools.   Below are my three favorite categories of species.

1. Coppertone Twins.  A couple that looks like they have been sitting by the pool tanning since the Truman administration.  They eat prunes and look like raisins.   Generally doubling down on their efforts to get cancer by smoking.   The man's swimwear is cringeworthy.

2.  Bachelor Party Guys.  For obvious reasons - we generally frequent family friendly pools with watersides, etc.   There is usually a group of 4-6 single guys in their 30's that behave as if is an all-inclusive adult-only resort.  What made you pick this hotel ?  Was it the Arts and Crafts by the pool in the afternoon ?  They sit waist deep in the pool with their cocktail of choice and are high on the obnoxious scale.  They walk around like they are Channing Tatum but are generally 50lbs overweight.   In general, I think they need more mirrors by pools (too judgy ?).  

3.  Drowning Duo.  A couple that had 2-3 kids in rapid succession that are now ages 2-5 and this is their first real vacation together.   They are clearly not ready for prime time.  A tremendous of amount of yelling, crying and running around and that is just the parents.  It is stressful just watching them and you have child welfare services on speed dial.   You are just praying that they were smart enough to buy the swim diapers.

After we cooked our skin for a sufficient period of time and had a spirited game of family pool volleyball - we all cleaned up and headed out to a nice dinner in town.  It is great to be able to eat in the open air after a long winter back home.  

Day 1 in FL was a success and it was nice to be able to relax and recharge.