We were up and off the boat by 9:30 so that we could walk to the bus stop for the ride to the Ringling Museum. Guess what! Buses don’t run on Sundays in Sarasota.

We walked over to the Visitors Center. But they weren’t open. No help there.

We wandered over to the Hyatt because it was close. The concierge said that we could walk there because it was about a 20 minute walk, one mile. Kelley is thinking that that can’t be so we walk out to valet parking and ask the guys there. They say it is over 4 miles. The van driver said that he would take us there and pick us up for $8 dollars. Deal.

The museum consists of John and Mabel Ringling’s house,

and in the back was their patio and a spot where their yacht would be tied when they were present.

There is also a museum with circus miniatures, made by a man named Howard. He created the whole Ringling Circus, but couldn’t call it that so called it the Howard Brothers Circus. It was incredible.

There is another building with wagons from the original circus, and a huge art museum that is unbelievable. To think that John and Mable traveled all over Europe and brought back the art pieces that they did surprised me.

Sure enough, Virgil returned to pick us up. Needless to say, we paid him for both trips…

After returning to the boat we had hours to kill before dinner. Off come the bikes and we rode over the bridge to Siesta Key and St. Armands Circle.

This is indeed a circle with shops and restaurants filling the whole area. It was a pleasant ride and nice to walk around and look in the shops. Kelley was patient and waited silently as I went in and out of doors. What a sweetie!