Now that the money is handled, do not come to Florida expecting sparkling conversation, or many other signs of intelligent life, either. It's there but requires assiduous research to find.
Do not come to Tarpon Springs unless you already have a relative there. It is a majority Greek town with so many internecine squabbles that they now have a black mayor!
October to May, the place is inhabitable by humans, and it is beautiful. If you must come, you'll find that Tampa is a beautiful large city, but it is also the strip club capital of the USA and the major cocaine port of entry. Many residents appear to have worked for low-rent escort services. The traffic wouldn't be all that bad, but no one in the Florida highway systems seems to have heard of timed traffic lights , cloverleaves, roundabouts, turn lanes, traffic circles. etc. (They tried one in Clearwater with disastrous, if Darwinian effect.) They have 60 mph speed limits on roads with traffic signals a mile apart. Rush hours are a nightmare everyday in key places.
If you feel you must come to the Tampa Bay region, the best indicators of intelligent life are found in St. Petersburg, but then you would have to go further south to Sarasota.
The place is absolutely beautiful, but inhabited by poor, unsophisticated, occasionally hostile natives and dazed and confused newcomers. The simplest tasks seem beyond them. Great fishing though, and lots of quirky little places like Ozona, Gulfport, and quirky big places like St. Pete and yes, Tarpon Springs.
Did I mention that the place is beautiful? And to bring lots and lots of real money? And that wrangling the natives requires great patience, and a sense of humor? And that 8 months of the year the place is great, if you are successfully retired .... and don't forget the money ... you ain't gonna make it there.
Between Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg, there are about 5million people. You might not believe that at first glance because of all the water around, the forests and swamps, and the miles of open spaces ... hell Tarpon Springs and East, there are still cattle ranches! come on down, scope it out. And PLEASE do not overlook the money.
Kenny, thanks for all ... of ... THAT! Wow, a lot to consider there. Well, I would only consider coming down if I could keep my job with a small software firm, which is likely. I could telecommute fine. However, this is why I posted here, to get divergent info. I appreciate your post as it is detailed and something to consider. There are pluses and minuses to everywhere so I would have to be there and see how things are and talk to the locals, so we’ll see. Thanks again!
GipperCT
So true. Florida is full of people with money who made it someplace else and those who wait on them. Not much in between.
Or people who make a living usually doing something that involves being naked. But I guess that falls under servicing the others too.(: