Sarasota Sightseeing & Rally

The “NUTS” is an RV club we belong to and our Fall Rally was held at Sun-N-Fun RV Resort in Sarasota FL. The sites were level, which is important for RV’ers. Here is what a few of the back in sites next to us looked like. I should mention that I took this picture after the rally was over and the people had left.                                                             

We went two days before and stayed two days after the rally to do some sightseeing (Nov. 11-18, 2015). Here is a picture of part of the beach at Siesta Key.

Venice was holding their annual Chalk Festival.  The first chalk festival was held in Sarasota in 2007.We were there on the day it opened and many of the artists were still busy working on their displays. There were several of those 3D drawings. I’ve some on the internet but it was really neat to see them in person. 

There was one picture where one of the artists was encouraging the visitors to get in the picture. I took this one of Jackie standing on a pedestal.

I sent these next two pictures in a previous but they are worth a repeat. One is looking from the side and the other is standing at the bottom of the picture looking towards the top.

There are more on Chalk Festival pictures on Shutterfly at:  https://jackbarbic.shutterfly.com/13627

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The NUTS had a bit of good luck because one of our members is a guide at the Ringling Circus Museum. He gave the members a guided tour and impressed all of us with his knowledge of the circus.Thanks Les!          

The Circus Museum was established in 1948 as a way to document this popular form of entertainment. As you enter the Tibbals Learning Center you ae greeted with a large (924 Sq. ft.) mural depicting the shows of the 1970”s and 1980’s.

Beyond the entrance is a model of the Howard’s Brothers Circus. The model encompasses 3800 Square feet and contains 44,000 pieces. A walkway surrounds the model. It starts with the arrival of the circus trains.

Through the train yard and into one of the parking lot.

 You wind around behind the big tent and find yourself at the midway.

Then past the wild animals, be careful, they bite!!

It took a while to get to the circus and you are relieved to find a needed restroom. For modesty sake the women get the ones covered with the tent. Poor guys are left waving in the breeze. J

Now on to the BIG TOP!

Beyond the BIG TOP are other areas where power is generated, maintenance performed and animals are cared for.

Fortunately we are near the end of the display and I got too long winded on this part. Further along is another building with more to see. There are circus wagons and costumes.

We even got picture of the NUTS that went to the museum. 

This section is getting  to be pretty long so I need to move on. However, there are more on Circus pictures on Shutterfly at: https://jackbarbic.shutterfly.com/1371

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On the property is Ca’ d’Zan, the 36,000sq. ft. mansion build by the Ringling’s at a cost of approximately $1.6 Million dollars (that’s about $21 Million in today’s dollars).

Here are some views of the front and back of the mansion. Ringling kept his yacht docked there to entertain celebrities.

The inside was spectacular.

The Ringling’s kept separate bedrooms.

Above are John's and below are Mable's

Kitchen & pantry areas.

If you are interested there is more information about Ca’ d’Zan at: https://www.ringling.org/history-ca-dzan

There are more on Ca’ d’Zan  picture s on Shutterfly at: https://jackbarbic.shutterfly.com/13836

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On our way to the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium we stopped to take a picture of the sailor and nurse who where photographed in an embrace in Time Square when the Japanese surrendered and WWII ended.

From the statue it was a short drive to the aquarium where there are fresh and salt water fish on display along with turtles and manatees.

Here are two of the strange fish not commonly seen; the flamboyant Cuttlefish and a Sargassum Fish.

There is a set of Jaws from a Megalodon, sure would make swimming dangerous if they were around 

now.

In the manatee & Sea Turtle building there a turtle that was damaged by a fishing hook. The turtle swallowed the hook and it caused severe lung damage. The lung that is white on the x-ray is the damaged one .

We really enjoyed the museum.

There are more on aquarium  pictures on Shutterfly at: https://jackbarbic.shutterfly.com/13923

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 The Sarasota Classic Car Museum is billed as the second oldest car museum in the United States. It’s a place that car guys would enjoy. Although not as enthusiastic as I was, Jackie did enjoy imagining what is was like to go traveling in the old cars and we reminisced about our younger years and we looked at cars from the 50’s & 60’s.

There were two cars that belong to the Ringlings.

There was a Mercedes Benz station Wagon once owned by John Lennon and a “streamliner” built in the 1937.

Some modern sports cars (the protective wrapper was still covering the top of the Aston Martin) and some good looking customs.

For car guys there are more on Classic Car  pictures on Shutterfly at: https://jackbarbic.shutterfly.com/14020

The next day we packed up and headed back home. Although it was only about 150 miles we pulled into a rest stop and made some sandwiches, which allowed us to extend our time in the motor home just a little while longer.

‘Till nest time .  Jack