Tallahassee Day Two

Day two of the trip starts out with breakfast and lunch on our own and the first meeting of the conference does not start until noon, so The Colonel and I get back into the VW and drive around downtown Tallahassee.

We eat at the McDonald's across the street from Florida State University (FSU). After our McMuffins are eaten we take a little driving tour of FSU. It is a pretty campus nestled in the hills of Tallahassee. We also take a little driving tour of Florida A & M University (FAMU), it is very close to FSU.

The Colonel and I cannot get over how hilly Tallahassee is (I would not like to drive a stick-shift in this town). It is beautiful with its hills and many ancient, Spanish moss covered, live oak trees and magnolias in bloom. It has a southern, small town charm despite its size and being the state's capital.

We have driven until lunch time and find a small shop to eat at that is only a block or so from our hotel (we will eat breakfast there too during our stay).

Lunch over, we head for our first conference meeting in one of the hotel's many meeting rooms. This meeting will concentrate on best tourism practices and the role of history in tourist destinations.

The Colonel has met most of the Network members during past conferences. This is my first conference, so all are new to me. I am surprised by Oprah's doppelganger.

The meeting lasts three hours. The next conference function will be an opening reception starting at 6 PM. The Colonel and I decide to use the free time by driving 22 miles north to Thomasville, Georgia to visit Pebble Hill Plantation.

A Thomas Jefferson Johnson first acquired the acreage of Pebble Hill Plantation in 1825. The house you see here was built in 1850. Pebble Hill was always a working farm until the late 1880's when wealthy northerners purchased the property for a winter vacation home.

The Colonel and I only had enough time to wander the beautiful grounds before we had to head back to Tallahassee. Here are some of the things we saw.

The dairy barn (lucky cows).

The school house built for the vacationing children of the family.

The arched tool shed...

...that lead into this garden.

The stables.

The pump house designed by President Garfield's son.

Our time was running short and we needed to head back south. A whirlwind tour, but very pretty and memorable.

Back at the hotel and dressed for the opening reception, The Colonel and I make our way to the ballroom, select a table, and go through the heavy finger foods line. The Mayor of Tallahassee speaks as do other town officials. Governor Charlie Crist is supposed to show, but does not. After all of the speeches are delivered we have some entertainment.

The Tallahassee Irish Step Dancers...Impressive and their dancing made me want to jump up and join them (must have been my Irish ancestry coming through).

Next was the Tallahassee Boys' Choir. They were very, very good. Voices like angels. They have sung for the White House, the Vatican and all over the world. They sang patriotic songs, negro spirituals and songs in Latin. I nearly cried at times, so beautiful. This was only a few of the choir. There are over 80 boys that make up the choir. This group was comprised of some of the best singers.

A local folk singer and his flute playing partner were also part of the evening's entertainment (I cannot remember his name because The Colonel and I left during his performance; we were tired from our full day and wanted to go back to our room to be rested for day three of Tallahassee).