May/Jun 2008 - German World Magazine

WELCOME TO PARADISE
“Finding My Dream Home in St Pete’s”
Having grown up in the middle of an
idyllic Bavarian mountain village,
later moving to the gray Lower
Rhine, I always dreamed of living someday
in a colorful place.
By coincidence I first landed in peaceful
Switzerland, where sunny meadows in
summer, alternated with snowy mountain
slopes in winter, presented the best of
changes in the seasons. But the gray, long,
cold winters were always hard for me, and
even as a child on such days I would imagine
myself on a sunny island under palm
trees.
Via Los Angeles, the city to which my
heart still belongs, and rough, hot Texas, I
have finally landed on my dream island. For
several months I have been living, not on
an island, but on the beach of St.
Petersburg in Florida. Here there are many
powdery, white sandy beaches, surrounded
by palm trees reaching for the blue
skies.
The most beautiful way to approach St.
Petersburg is from the south, over the
Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The Gulf of
Mexico in all its grandeur literally lies at
your feet and the picturesque buildings of
St. Petersburg and office towers from
Tampa gleam in the background.
St. Petersburg, affectionately called St.
Pete by residents, and its beaches are a
paradisiacal tourist region. The sun shines
nearly 360 days a year and even on cooler
days beautiful beaches invite tourists and
residents out for a stroll or to cycle. When
strolling on the beach by myself I often see
dolphins playfully leaping out of the Gulf,
accompanying me for a while.
The Gulf coast on the western side of
Florida’s peninsula has a different character
than the eastern Atlantic coast. There
are beautiful beaches on both coasts, but
on the Gulf they are shallower and have
warmer water. There is little or no surf. The
coastal area is a true paradise. The hotels
are numerous, but unobtrusive. Everywhere
there are public beaches. Along the
beaches and in the city you can find
unique fish restaurants, restaurants serving
juicy hamburgers, and restaurants with
authentic Greek, Italian, and German cuisine.
Trail, a former railroad track line, converted
into a path for hiking, jogging,
cycling, and rollerblading, stretches from
St. Petersburg northwards to Tarpon
Springs. My absolute favorite is Treasure
Island, a three-and-half-mile-long, peaceful
beach. The lifestyle is laid-back and
relaxed. The houses evoke the 1950s. Here
mutual acceptance, tolerance and genuine,
heart-felt friendliness are important
values and never cease to amaze the ubiquitous
Germans. Beach bars such as
Caddy’s on the Beach and Ka’tiki have live
music almost daily. After watching the gorgeous
sunset I go there for a drink at the
bar or simply to dance. And if you don’t
have a partner, you can dance alone. On
‘my’ island this is called joie de vivre – and
here we have plenty of it.
7995 MAHOGANY R UN L N.
NAPLES, F L 34113
PHONE 239.732.9920
FAX 239.732.5561
2–3 LUXURY BEDROOM CONDOS, 2GOLF COURSES,
TENNIS COURTS, HEATED POOL, WHIRLPOOL,
FITNESS &WELLNESS CENTER, CONFERENCE CENTER,
RESTAURANT, FAX/COPY &INTERNET SERVICE,
JUST MINUTES TO DOWNTOWN &BEACHES
G REENL INKSNAPLES. COM
May/June 2008 www.german-world.com
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