Tarpon Springs-Sponge Capitol of the World......

What kind of experience are you looking for as you travel? Are you seeking the historical? the authentic? the shops? the glitz and glitter? I didn't know quite what to expect when we visited Tarpon Springs on our way back North after a month in Florida. I knew that Tarpon Springs was known for its natural sponge gathering industry. I also knew that there was a well-established Greek community. What I didn't know was what the town, itself, was actually like.

As we entered Tarpon Springs, we were looking for the historic waterfront district with its sponging boats. It was lunchtime and, while we hadn't found the district quiet yet, we did find a restaurant that advertised "Mama Maria's Authentic Greek Cuisine". Our thought was that we could satisfy our hunger, taste some good Greek food, and then get directions to the historic district. (I lived in Greece for a month and a half in the early 1970's and really enjoy Greek cooking.) Mama Maria's lived up to its name- both the souvlaki and the gyros were excellent. The friendly server then sent us on our way, directing us to the historic district.

After finding a paid parking lot on the edge of the main street of the historic district, we began our wanderings. Our senses were hit by the good, the bad, and the ugly (although even the ugly was not so bad). Along the harbor were working sponge boats with sponges strung out to dry. There were also tour boats when you could buy a ticket and see a sponge boat in action. The streets and side streets were a mixture of tourist curio shops (with many Greek imports and sponges of all kinds, including sponges put together to form a mounted deer's head). There were also Greek restaurants, Greek fine arts stores, imported wines, open air cafes, and New Age shops. Building walls held mosaics that celebrated the divers of the sponge industry. The streets were filled with tourists that sunny afternoon, and the sound of live reggae was in in the air.

When I think back on the afternoon, I have pleasant memories. In some ways, the Tarpon Springs that I experienced was a bit like Maine's Boothbay Harbor with a blend of a working coastal town and its main street tourist attractions. You couldn't confuse the two, however, as each has its own unique cultural flavor. Wandering around Tarpon Springs was fun and the people who lived and worked there were hospitable. At one point, an elderly man who we ran into again offered to take our photo under a sponge diver mosaic. When we later ran across him sitting on a bench in the sun with his family he said, "I take good pictures, don't I?" and smiled. It was just that kind of day. If you are interested in learning more about Tarpon Springs, you might follow this link:

http://spongedocks.net/tarpon-springs-history.htm.

Thank you for visiting, feel free to stop by again. In the meantime, may your travel be interesting and enjoyable.

Kerry