We had a bit of a to do here in our little panhandle port of Pensacola this week. It seems a Spanish gentleman named Don Tristan de Luna and his merry bunch of folks landed here 450 years ago and began a settlement. After several weeks of exploring and homesteading a hurricane beheaded his plans. He lost several of his ships and tragedy befell his efforts. Tristan de Luna Expedition
But his legacy lives on. Two of his ships have been located and excavated by our local university archeological teams, and the TT Wentworth muesum carries and exceptional exibhit of the finds, as well as other interesting content.
This week was the pinnacle! King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sophia of Spain (yes, the real King and Queen!) came to our humble city to celebrate America's First Settlement. The King and Queen landed in a thunderstorm at our Navy base and spent the night at a beach hotel. The Queen declared our beautiful white sand beaches like "magic sugar". The King and Queen breakfasted at the Hilton Beach hotel with some of our Spanish population and then gave a speech from the balcony of the TT Wentworth Museum. Afterwards they lunched with the Florida elite at our fabulous Naval Avialtion Museum (Spanish Air Fleet train here in Pensacola) and then departed for some little event in Miami. They were served one of Pensacola's finest menus for lunch. One of the best was Grits a Ya Ya. Here's the recipe! Cookbook: Good Grits : Recipes : Evansville Courier Press
So anyway, we are proud to be honored by the presence of royalty here in our lovely little bayfront port town. What a cool thing!!! Ya'll come see us, ya hear?

Tami