Friday, February 8, 2013

Friday Photos

Florida, like many places in the country, is full of the odd and unusual. Sometimes though I get the feeling that Florida tries just a little bit more than the rest of the U.S. I mean the state was essentially established as one big tourist trap because really how else are you going to sell a swamp that periodically gets destroyed by hurricanes? In any event, surprises that pop up around any corner are commonplace and really, one of the perks of living here.

Today's photo is a landmark that I've known about since I moved here back in 2000 but I've never been inside and probably only driven by it a handful of times. As it happened a couple of weeks ago I was bring my dad around on the scnenic A1A and decided to stop and point out this awesome building.

Behold! Castle Otttis!

I captured this from the road, just at the end of the castle's driveway.

This thoroughly medieval looking castle sits a stone's throw away from the beach just north of town. And although it looks as if Templar Knights could come pouring out of it at any moment it was actually built between 1984 and 1991 as an art project. Yup. It's just art. You can go only only by special arrangement tours. And I think you can rent it for weddings. Someday, I'd love to take a tour...oh the photographs I could take!

8 comments:

  1. That is so cool! I had no idea that place was there and am a little surprised my mom (who lives there) never told me about it because she knows how much I love castles!

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    1. It flies by so quickly sometimes it might just not register. Plus, it has tones of overgrowth around it - it certainly could use a little landscaping!

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    1. Thanks! It's neat when you discover cool things around your town!

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  3. Wow!!! I think this is exactly what's wrong with NJ... we obviously need more castles.

    Hugs!

    Valerie

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    1. I don't know...castles and YOU in the same state? That just might be an awesome overload and NJ might explode. We wouldn't want that now, would we?

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  4. I've driven by this place so many times myself and have never been inside. I probably should give it a try. I'd love to see the interior, too. Great photo!

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    1. I'm like you. I drive by and say to myself I should check into getting a tour and then, poof! Out of sight out of mind.

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