The beautiful Ca' d' Zan

Sarasota is really close to both where Josh's family lives and where the Don Cesar is. So near there, we checked out a wedding venue right near there, which was the Powell Crosley. I had picked up a little leaflet in the hotel about the Ca' d' Zan, which was the house that the famous Ringling brothers (who owned the circus) built for his wife and lived in. We really didn't know where it was, but we actually drove by it by accident. Since we had a few hours, and it was so darn close, we had to visit. We were met by lovely volunteer who told us all

about it. First, we visited this amazing model which someone had built of the circus coming to town by train - about how it was set up, and how everything was packed in trains, and what went on for all the people that worked for the circus. It was so interesting to see - because I wasn't aware how much work went into getting it around! Especially back in the day! We also visited the pretty rose garden, which has lots and lots of these old trees, which are all over Florida. I don't know what they're called, but they are old, and ropey, and so pretty, in a way. They

remind me a little of weeping willow - but actually more like the big tree out of Pochohontas. We then visited the beautiful museum, which was full of the rt that the Ringling brothers had collected over the yers. It was great, some of the stuff they had in there - stuff I really like, like 17th century

Italian paintings and such. It was set in this (yet again, pink!) lovely Venitian style courtyard with lots of statues and curving colums. However, the masterpiece was the mansion, set at the back, right on the water. It was simply amazing - so beutiful and Venitian- just so simply amazing. It was incredibly colourful and we took a tour along the inside. It was full of these pretty chairs and tables, and some of the clothes that the owners of the house had worn. It was really like something out of a Great Gatsby movie - all grand and ornate and sparkly.

It was just me, and the pianst they had in there - so I ballroom danced all by myself along these beautiful big state rooms - it was simply wonderful! The view over the bay outside on the huge patio was wonderful too!