People
People in Tampa are very similar to people in Houston. There's a ton of folks from the Midwest and Northeast, and you're just as likely to hear a Jersey accent as you are a Southern accent. It's very similar to Houston in the oil boom years. Unlike Texas, though, I did not see any "I'm not a Native Floridian, but I Got Hear as Fast as I Could" bumper stickers or stickers from a similar genre.
Weather
Absolutely no difference. Hot and humid, with afternoon thunderstorms.
Landscape
If humankind left either Houston or Tampa, within a few years the plant life will reclaim the ground. The only difference is that the earth beneath the plants will be swampy in Florida, and a blend of swamp and mud in Houston.
Dining and Nightlife
Both Tampa and Houston have all the chain restaurants you want. The inside of the hotel rooms look the same. Did I mention that I was working while I was in Tampa, and I'm a boringly (but happily) married man?
That should cover 99% of the traveling population. For the rest of you, please buy my book...or pamphlet.
5 comments:
Actually, there's a third kind of people, those that don't "get" Texas but are quietly content to let the Texans have it to themselves.
Zing!...and a 4th: Liberal, and mostly open minded people who have migrated to the small oasis known as the city of Austin.
I've visited and enjoyed several places in Texas; Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Port Aransas. Even if it had nothing else to offer, giving us Austin City Limits would redeem the state in my book!
@SkiBikeJunkie I'm not sure I get it either, and I've lived here my whole life. As with everything, there are folks that take it "too far, too fast".
@Troy Stop rubbing salt in my Austin wounds.
@jeff ACL is great. Come back anytime, and let's ride!
I visited Florida last year for the first time. It was nice but I didn't see many decent places to ride. I wasn't looking too hard though.
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