Tallahasee, Florida
I woke around 7:30 am and made breakfast. It took me a while to breakdown the campsite and get everything packed. Despite the the shower conditions at Ginnie Springs, I took a shower and was ready to go around 11:30. I stopped at the store to do some online work and made a sandwich before driving to Tallahassee. I knew the sun would be too bright for photographs in the early afternoon.
The Old State House
The Tallahassee Old State Capitol islocated in the heart of Tallahassee, Florida. The building served as the Florida State Capitol from 1845 to 1902 and is another example of Greek Revival architecture, with a grand columned portico, symmetrical facade, and dome. The grand portico is supported by four massive Doric columns. The portico leads to the main entrance of the building, which is adorned with ornate carvings and intricate details.
One of my favorite details are the awnings on the building. The awnings appear to be made of canvas and would provide shade from the sun and protection from the rain. It also give the building a classic Italian Mediteranian feel.
The Old State Capitol is surrounded by lush green lawns, some of which are astroturf, and beautiful gardens, which are dotted with statues and monuments that honor the state's historical figures and events. I spent time walking around the grounds and taking in the various monuments. One of the 53 replicas of the Liberty Bell was on display near the capital as well. There was no explanation where the bell came from like at other capitals.
I liked some of the adjacent buildings which were not in the same style but provided some interesting photographic opportunities. My favorite was the state employees office building.
There were many monuments around the grounds.
Andrew’s Downtown
I hadn’t eaten much and I was beginning to get hungry. I found my way to Andrew’s Downtown, which was about a block from the capital grounds. Most of the seat outside were occupied and I knew it would start cooling off, so I decided to sit at the bar. Bittersweet by Big Headed Todd and The Monsters was playing. One of my favorite Red Rocks concerts. I figured this must be a good place if they were playing BHTM.
The beer selection wasn’t anything to write home about unless you’re an IPA fan. I’m not. I ordered a dark ale that tasted flat. I was in the mood for a burger and sweet potato fries. The bar tender told me she needed to check if they were serving sweet potato fries. They were and I was one the first to have them. The food was tasty including the sweet potato fries. The roll wasn’t a quality hamburger bun and fell apart when I cut the burger in half.
Shortly after I ordered, I guy asked if there was any one sitting in a chair. I had my backpack on the chair beside me. I told him it was free and asked if the bag bothered him. We got to talking about something and continued to talk for the next two plus hours. He was a fascinating person. We exchanged numbers as he left and I finished my second beer.
About five minutes after he left, I received a text that there was a “cool photo opportunity” at the corner of Duval and Park street.
Duval And Park Street
Duval and Park were a few blocks from the restaurant and I was parked directly in front of the “photo opportunity”. The city had directorates the trees with white lights giving the area a festive feel. There were other people strolling and taking selfies of the lights.
Back To The Capital
For some reason, I still had a lot of energy and turned around and went to photograph the capital grounds at night. There wasn’t a sole in sight. The building had a different look at night. The dome wasn’t visible, but certain parts of the building were highlighted, and other parts were in the shadows.
