Tomorrow the Sun Will Rise

“Because tomorrow the sun will rise.  Who knows what the tide could bring?”

Tom Hanks, Cast Away (2000)

“The only way to know, really know, a city is through solitary explorations.  Nothing else will suffice.”  -from Man Seeks God, by Eric Weiner

After more than 2 years exploring the city of Tampa, I’m no expert but have come to feel a connection to the city.  I’m no longer living in Tampa, so I have not been able to keep up with current events in recent weeks, but hopefully some of the subjects I’ve photographed will remain timeless in the city.  I plan to keep this blog archived here as long as WordPress will let me, so if you ever want a Tampa fix, drop by and browse through the category cloud at the bottom of the page.  Better yet, park the car and take a walking tour of downtown, Ybor City, Seminole Heights, Westshore, or any other Tampa neighborhood.  Because urban exploration – solitary or otherwise – is best done on foot.  And as Finding Tampa rides off into the sunset, sunrise seemed to be a fitting subject for this final post.  Is there any more optimistic time than sunrise?

Several local bloggers have influenced me and probably did not realize it.  I began reading most of their blogs before I started Finding Tampa, and their efforts encouraged me to take this project seriously and to try to keep a positive tone.  Some of them are, in no particular order:  Tampa Do-Gooder, Tampania, Smiles Go With Everything, The SOG City Oracle, The Ybor City Stogie (Stogie, where are you?), Recreating Tampa, and Tampa Bay Breakfasts.  Some of these folks are not posting as frequently as they used to, but if you are not following their work you should be.

It seems odd to say farewell to so many people who, for the most part, I’ve never even met.  But it has been reassuring to me to share these photos over the past 2+ years.  A therapeutic benefit I hadn’t anticipated when I started.  So I’ll just leave with the classic farewell from The Truman Show:

In case I don’t see you – Good afternoon, good evening, and good night!

Floridan Hotel – Part 5

As I’ve written previously, I moved out of Tampa some weeks ago.  I haven’t been able to revisit a few sites I would like to photograph again.  And I wasn’t in town when my favorite Tampa building, the Floridan Palace Hotel – formerly known as the Floridan Hotel – newly restored, opened to the public at the end of July.  But for Finding Tampa’s next to last post, I thought a few last photos of this lovely old building, and that spectacular sign, would be appropriate.

Tomorrow is closing time.

Wat Mongkolratanaram Temple

This is Wat Mongkolratanaram Temple, a Buddhist temple in eastern Tampa along the Palm River.  They conduct regular Buddhist services as well as special events.  The temple is lovely by itself and the location along the river adds to its charm.  The web site includes information on visiting the temple, Buddhist philosophy, and a brief history of Thailand.

 

The general public knows this temple best for its Sunday Market, a weekly event started in 1993 that features a delicious variety of food at low prices.

Sometimes the food tastes better than it looks.

The Sunday market takes place year-round and is highly recommended.

 

Only 2 posts left at Finding Tampa.

Beyond Tampa: Goodbye to All That

Folks generally either love or hate the inverted pyramid pier on the Tampa Bay side of St. Petersburg.  I’ve loved its 1970s design (opened in 1973) from the time I first moved to the area.  Sadly, all good things must end, and, quoting from the Pier web site, “In 2004, the City’s Engineering Department determined the pilings underneath The Pier…were in need of replacement by the year 2014, or so.”  That timeframe sounds conveniently precise to me, but I’m not a civil engineer.  Either way, the St. Pete Pier is scheduled for demolition in 2013.

 

These photos were taken at several different time periods.  While I never frequented the businesses at the Peir (neither, apparently, did many other people), I always enjoyed the views and the downtown St. Petersburg location.  And it made a lovely, unique background for people photography.

Tampa Bay Area model Sydney in front of the Pier

This will not be the first time a St. Petersburg Pier has been demolished.  The Pier’s web site describes the current and previous incarnations of this landmark.  I’m not a fan of the design for the new Pier, currently scheduled to open in 2015.  Whatever is ultimately built at this site, and whenever it is built, I’m sure the views of the Pier, and from it, will never be the same.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only 3 posts left!

Don’t Forget Me When I’m Gone

Just because I’m no longer Finding Tampa doesn’t mean I don’t have photographs to share. If you are on Flickr (or even if you aren’t), I hope you will check my page there periodically or add me as a contact. The photo above is from a set I recently added to Flickr of various formal and informal portraits.

Below is a shot from a model shoot I did back in the spring outside a roller skating rink in north Tampa.  The models were great sports and it was the most fun I’ve had with a formal model photo session.  I’ll be posting photos from this shoot, and other photos, at Flickr in the weeks/months ahead.

Only 4 posts left!

Abandoned Downtown Auto Dealership

This is the building at 401 E. Washington Street in downtown Tampa.  Built in 1946 as a sales and service center by the Ferman Motor Car Company, I’m astonished that this building remains, vacant, in its downtown location.  I would love to see it put to use, maybe the right person/organization will come along and do just that.  Tampania wrote about the history of this unusual building last year.

Old Centro Asturiano Cemetery

This is the first of two Tampa cemeteries established for members of Centro Asturiano de Tampa, a social club for immigrants from Asturias, Spain, and their descendents.  This particular cemetery was opened in 1904.  This information comes from Wikipedia, which currently has the wrong location for this cemetery.  It is connected to Woodlawn Cemetery, which I have photographed previously.

Volunteers place flowers on the grave sites of loved ones on a donation basis, according to Centro Asturiano de Tampa’s web site.

Greater Bethel Baptist Church

The Greater Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in downtown Tampa.  Yet another of Tampa’s grand old churches, this one was founded in 1893.

The church’s web site has some background on the church itself and the social context in which it was founded.  Unlike some of Tampa’s other churches that were built in a similar timeframe, this church is still active.  Be sure to read the History Makers page on their web site.

 

 

Suntrust

I posted a night-time photo of the Suntrust Financial Centre in downtown Tampa back in October. Here is a chance to see what the entire building looks like.

The Suntrust building is currently the 4th tallest building in Tampa, 36 stories and 525 feet.  Construction was completed in 1992 and it was built to withstand a 110 MPH wind (a category 2 hurricane has sustained winds of 96-110 MPH).

The End is Near

A view of the downtown Tampa skyline from a somewhat uncommon perspective. This was taken on the University of Tampa campus, near the Cass Street Bridge.

The title is not a reference to the pending GOP convention.  And it’s hopefully not a reference to Tropical Storm Isaac.  No, as I’ve said previously, this is almost the end of Finding Tampa.  After today, I have 9 posts left.  My final post is scheduled for September 5.