Maxine and I spent part of today in Tampa before we had to check in for our flight home. We first headed to the river walk. It was just okay: pretty, but devoid of culture.
It didn’t take long before we hightailed it to Ybor City, which was founded in the 1880s by cigar manufacturers and immigrants from Cuba, Spain, and Italy. We stopped here last year at the end of spring break and ate at the historic Columbia restaurant but didn’t have time to explore.
It wasn’t long before we heard Irish music floating between Cuban-influenced brick buildings with iron balconies. The James Joyce Irish Pub was hopping (it’s St. Patty’s Day, after all). They let us in once Maxine had two black xes drawn on her hands with sharpie. We shared a long table with green-clad revelers as I drank my beer and Maxine her Shirley Temple. We vowed we wouldn’t be caught without proper attire next St. Patty’s Day.
After we left the bar and stepped back out into the crisp sunny day, we soon came upon Ybor’s free-roaming chickens. Based on their lack of caution around people, I surmised not everyone adhered to the signs advising people not to feed the chickens.
We didn’t have anything to offer beyond our flattery; they are quite beautiful. I think the signs should read, “Please admire the chickens.”
My Corner of the Village 