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The Boca Bind: are we obligated to do travel-y stuff when we travel?
People don't walk in Boca Raton. Instead they drive their steel monoliths that pass for automobiles down the wide, palm-lined streets flanked by pink mansions. Or, in one case, they run, evidenced by the shirtless (six-packed) camelback-wearing dude burning off his mojitos from the previous night. And then there's me: dressed for a New York autumn in a blue button-down shirt, a brown V-neck sweater and blue jeans. I'm walking back from the store to my hotel carrying a six-pack of Red Stripe and a bottle of my favorite mineral water, Aqua di Nepi, which I hadn't seen since moving back to New York from Italy a few years ago.I'm also trying to make some sense of this town, a place I dropped into unexpectedly for a few days last week. Here are some things I had just dug up about Boca Raton, Florida: this city of 75,000 is the "spam capital of the world"; it has a long history of being associated with confidence tricks (i.e. the work performed by confidence men or, as they're commonly referred to, "con men"); and according to some U.S. federal indictments a few years ago, the Gambino family still operates here.
I wasn't really sure why I was in this seaside, south Floridian town associated with wealthy geriatrics and cyber criminals (and wealthy, geriatric cyber criminals). When I told friends I was going there, I was often asked if I was attending a bat mitzvah. This was an impromptu trip, booked with frequent flier miles, and one in which I had a lot of downtime. Besides the beach, there are not many attractions in Boca. The National Cartoon Museum is supposed to be here. There are a lot of upscale restaurants. And something called the Sports Immortals Museum.
For a while, walking beside me on my way back to the hotel, a novelty: probably the only fat man in the entire town. "It's nice to see someone else walking these streets," I said as I passed him.
For a while, walking beside me on my way back to the hotel, a novelty: probably the only fat man in the entire town. "It's nice to see someone else walking these streets," I said as I passed him.
"Someone's got to do it," he said and then laughed.
But do they? I thought. And am I obligated to do something travel-y when I travel? I feel the pressure; I'm a traveler. I'm a travel writer. Is it okay to just sit in my hotel all day long, get some work done, read a little, watch old people struggle to do yoga on local cable access TV and await dinner and drinks in the evening? Or do I have to get the most of this place, even if it is a place I'm not wildly sold on? I wasn't planning on doing any of the local things: hit an early-bird special, take oxycontin, enjoy a game of bocce, nap in the afternoon or pass away in my sleep.
Because I usually go somewhere in the world just for eating (and writing about it), I thought I'd give it a try. The previous day I had met with my friend and fellow travel writer Tom Swick, a longtime Ft. Lauderdale native. Fish sandwiches, he told me, were about as local as you could get in terms of food. So I got in a cab and directed the Haitian driver to a place across town, just a few miles away. The cab driver, though, had no idea how to get out of my hotel parking lot. He was struggling with the GPS, trying to put in the address of a restaurant just down the road. I sat there in quiet frustration, as we were stalled on the side of the road, the driver still trying and failing to type in the address, and the taxi meter going up and up and up. Yep, I should have just stayed in my hotel. Just another day in one of the most sedately, strange places in America. I got out of the cab and walked back to my hotel. I had a couple bottles of Red Stripe left and they would do just fine.
Filed under: Arts and Culture, Food and Drink, North America, United States
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Lee Mar 20th 2012 4:53AM
Apparently, this writer never got out of their hotel. The cartoon museum is no longer in Boca (but now in Ohio). And there is a lot to do (aside from the beach), including a very nice fine arts museum, upscale shopping and many fine dining places. Yes... I am a Boca resident, and no I am not a criminal, nor a millionaire, and the same goes for most of the people I know who live there. A few bad apples (as well as a writer chained to their hotel room) does not make this place.
Peck's Bad Boy Mar 22nd 2012 5:50PM
I think the writer instead of doing his job by exploring his surroundings, decided instead to stay in his hotel room and complain about a place he knows nothing about. There are several art museums, a children's museum, nature exhibits and beautiful beaches, gourmet restaurants and great shopping. Compared to many cities in America, this town offers a lot. My parent's used to live there and they were not criminals nor millionaires!!!!
Salil Mar 23rd 2012 2:41AM
So if the writer went to a town, didn't see much beyond a supermarket and his hotel room, does this still qualify as a travel piece? Something that deserves a click and a view? A terribly misleading headline leading into quite simply, a lame write-up about a 'writer' and his struggles with boredom.
lilgtogirl Mar 27th 2012 12:38PM
First, who the hell goes to Boca for anything. Isn't that where you go when you have nowhere left to go in life? But to answer the question, do ANYTHING but tourist-y stuff on vacation. How many churches can you see in Rome? How many people need to say "Look kids, Big Ben, Parliament?" When go get to where you are going, just walk in the direction you want to walk. Maybe that means tourist-y stuff, or maybe that means finding the best Chinese food you will ever eat in a really dumpy neighborhood in Moscow. Life is out there if you just find it.
Gloria Fischer Mar 27th 2012 1:06PM
I lived in Boca Raton for years, Ocean View Lake View Apts on A1A and worked at Harbour Town on Powlerline Rd. Those were the best years of my life, and Boca, heavenly!
Ollie Mar 27th 2012 5:12PM
I just got back from Boca. I go there with my wife every year, for a week or two for the pass 13 years. My parents have gone there, for the winter, for the passed 20 years and we all love it there. There is much to do there, Entertainment, eating out, boating, fishing,etc. and no I have not tried oxycontin. I do admit to drinking a good scotch. The author may not feel the people walk enough, but he is wrong about that.
alyssa Apr 1st 2012 1:06PM
I grew up in Boca. It is definitely not all Jewish or all old people like the article implied. In fact, about 15% of the town is over 65 which isn't much more than any other place. Not that I'm crazy about the town, but this article makes it sound way worse than it is. Also, there aren't pink mansions in Boca and there are plenty of fabulous restaurants. Maybe if you left your hotel room you'd know that.
Recent college grad Mar 27th 2012 7:36PM
This writer obviously didn't leave his hotel room or make an effort to get to know his surroundings. First of all there are a lot of things to do besides the upscale shopping. There are multiple nature centers with things you cannot see in many other places in the world. You can go boating, fishing, waterskiing (at lakes, not just at the ocean), and be outside the whole year round. There are children's museums, the Orchid Society, Morikami Japanese Gardens museum, airboat rides (to see the alligators and croc's in the everglades) just to name a few. Also, there are many other places to visit within 25 miles of this place if you want to do more tourist-y stuff.
Second, the writer should get up earlier or go to bed later because there are tons of people walking around, maybe they don't walk in the downtown part, or out west, but everywhere you look on the beach people are exercising and walking.
Second, Florida Atlantic University has over 20,000 students who are there basically year round. There are also two other colleges in this small city packed with tons of younger people who CHOOSE to be here despite the author's jokes that everyone is older and is a criminal. I am 24, a recent college grad, not a millionaire, not a criminal, and still find interesting things to do here. None of my friends fall into any of those categories either. I couldn't imagine living anywhere else unless it meant furthering my career. This place is a small piece of paradise.