The Moon Under Water

Coming in to land at Tampa last night, I was taking advantage of my window seat to admire the patterns of lights below - something I always find endlessly fascinating when flying at night. (Somehow it always looks beautiful but at the same time artificial, like a vast model).

Then, as we flew over a black expanse - a lake or broad river - I noticed a bright light beneath. Leaning to see further I found myself looking at a clear, sharp full moon. This far south the Moon is high in the sky at night, and was reflecting perfectly from the mill-pond like water. As we skimmed lower and lower over the waterways and ponds north of Tampa, it would come and goo, sometimes visible for a flash in what must have been backyard pools.

And a more prosaic update: Tampa cool, but a lot warmer than DC. Caught the news last night, some reporter outside the White House being sprinkled with snow. Hopefully they'll clear it before we fly back out via Dulles on Sunday.

MC

St Petersburg (Florida) is SO bracing...

Lest anyone think I am having entirely too good a time at taxpayers' expense, I should point out that Florida in January is not quite as delightful as one might imagine. Especially in the middle of a cold snap that seems to be viewed around here as a harbinger of the next Ice Age (headline news: possibility of actual frost!)

Having finished our meeting early I suggested we take a scenic drive out to the Gulf of Mexico coast and down the St Petersburg peninsula before coming across the bay bridge back to Tampa. This plan had two tiny flaws:

- The whole coast, 15 miles or so, is a solid and endless procession of hotels and apartment blocks, so you drive for mile after mile on a road only fifty yards from the shore but never seeing it.

- When you do find one of the (very) occasional public access beach areas, the combination of overcast sky, 10 degC temperature and a force 4 wind can bring back strong memories of Scarborough...

Of course, once we got back the sun came out.

MC