On Friday evening I drove to Maidera Beach (near St Petersburg) to meet up with members of the Tampa Bay Adventures to watch an open air movie right on the beach.
The Maidera Beach community does this complimentary movie event on the beach once a month.
The TBA members of the group arrived about 1 1/2 hours early to socialize and to share light snacks. The evening was just perfect with a great sunset over the beach and a full moon to light up the sky afterwards.
Including a few photos below that I took during the event.
Had an interesting conversation that evening with the girl in the photo above. Her name is Martina and she moved to the United States from Hamburg Germany about 1 and 1/2 years ago. She currently resides in Clearwater. Since I had previously lived in Germany for about 5 years back in the mid to late 80’s, I enjoyed speakimg with her and discussing my previous experiences in Germany. Martina was originally from Dresdin, Germany and defected across the Iron Curtain about 2 years before the wall actually came down. Interestingly, back in the mid 80’s I got special visas to drove my car across the Iron Curtain. I had the unique experience to witness first hand what communist life was like on the other side. One of the cities I visited back then was Dresdin, Germany while I was enroute to visit Poland and the former country of Checkoslovakia. I even remembered some of the key areas and special places in and around Dresdin. Martina was amazed that I knew and that I remembered places of where she grew up at. What a small world we live in ! Nice to be able to relate to someone else’s surroundings.
spearfruit 
Yes Derrick, A great encounter with Martina.
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How wonderful to meet Martina and I can imagine she was quite amazed that you knew so much about Eastern Europe before Glasnost and the fall of The Wall. Not many experienced what you did and I am sure it was a fascinating moment for her to be able to share her childhood with someone who understood!
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Yes, I love it when I can appreciate the environment of where someone grew up and that I can understand the many challenges of someone that had to live in such an astere and restrictive environment under a former communist regime.
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I remember my Uncle visiting Moscow in the seventies. His stories were heartbreaking.
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what was the movie? A lovely encounter you had!!
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Goonies. Wasn’t really into tbe movie, but just enjoyed hanging out and socializing witb everyone.
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I’m sure Martina was thrilled to have someone to discuss her old life with – sounds like a great evening. I would love to hear some of your stories of that time. It must have been a fascinating experience.
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Yes, I think she enjoyed having somewhat to relate to having grown up in that environment and yes, having had an opportunity to travel around on the other side of the wall was truly an enlightening experience.
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