'Oh, we do like to be beside the Seaside...'
Yesterday, we decided to explore the area for a couple of hours. Helen, our host, had told us of a quaint little place to visit called Seaside. We took the scenic route so that we could be close to the ocean for most of the journey.
Stopping off to take a look at Laguna Beach, Rosemary Beach, and Seacrest on the way, we reached our destination after about 90 minutes of leisurely driving.
We should be getting used to it, but it still seems strange to see decorated Christmas trees among the palms...
... but seeing an orange tree reminds us of where we are and how different Florida is from our usual haunting grounds.
Before we reached Seaside, we took a short walk to a beach access to see the homes situated on the dunes. In the far distance, we could see the hotels/buildings of Panama City Beach. 
Of course, we took the inevitable selfie!
Seaside is a unique place that has a charm all of its own. This beach community is best known as the location for the film, 'The Truman Show', starring Jim Carrey.
The main parking lot was in the shape of a horseshoe surrounding an ampitheatre, with the quaint post office nestled in between the two heels.
All around the park are specialty boutiques which are, themselves, one of a kind.
At the 'toe' of the horseshoe, behind the Christmas tree, there was a short walkway under the arches which led to a shady park, with a wrought iron framework at the entrance.
As soon as we walked into the park area, there was a sense of peacefulness which was really tangible. In fact, the walkway around the rectangular park called 'Ruskin Place' was reminiscent of a monastic cloister, providing a cool, serene contrast to the sunnier central square.
The tree branches showed off some interesting shapes, and there were some subdued colours among the plant leaves.
We realized that this was the domain of various artists displaying their crafts with elegance. The sheer variety of the differing art forms was awesome - from fabrics to pottery, metalwork to paintings and etchings - each form had its own attraction. 
At the other end of the 'cloister' was a white interfaith chapel, whose bell announced the passing hours. Unfortunately, we couldn't go inside as it was closed for a private function. When we returned to the main complex, the lawn fountains had been switched on making for a picturesque photo shot with the back of the post office showing on the other side of the park.
Needing a stamp for a card being sent to Canada, I found my excuse to get inside the Post Office, which I found intriguing in its simplicity and beauty. Once inside, I was momentarily thrown when the assistant told me that they would have to 'piece the stamps together'. I thought they had been torn! Not so! The cost was $1.20, and consisted of a $1.00 stamp and two 10 cent stamps! So they needed to be put together. I've notched up another little piece of information from shopping locally. There's nothing quite like getting right in there to learn and appreciate these nuances!
Across the main street, on the beach side of the township, there were some other walkways that took us through various restaurants and more specialty shops. Although this is considered as 'off-season', there were quite a few people mulling around and the Pizza Bar had several people inside partaking of their lunch. 
... and to even things out...
We took one last look at the entrance to the beach, then headed back to the car for the drive home.
We DO like to be beside the Seaside - especially when the town bears the that very name!
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