The prettiest and craziest state in the Union is Florida. With an odd combination of Southern gentility, Cuban cooking, Seminole resilience and Old World memories, its a place where the past intersects with the new future daily. From the small lazy towns surrounded by wilderness, like Ocala and Palatka to the skyscrapers of Miami Beach, its a place of opposites and those things attract. Florida is the fourth largest state in population, yet that fault line could shake it loose any day. People come from across the United States, the Caribbean and the globe to make the sunshine state their home. Its a treasure trove of superstition and science, a place whose magical kingdom exists outside the walls of Disney World. Its a state that embraces the crazy architecture, silly stories and old traditions of yesterday, while leading the nation in growth. Sometimes, its a bright, flashy Brazilian model and other times, it just an old fat man eating Mamas fried chicken on the porch. Because of this diverse background, culture and landscape, there are always stories about gators jumping into canoes, people having houses destroyed because they dont like their neighbours and sacrificed chickens discovered in a park. So lets dive on into the strange stories behind this odd and wonderful state. Then, lets wash it down with a Mint Julep, darlin.
