For the last five years, my son has lived in Boca Raton, Florida as he attended college at Florida Atlantic University. He graduated yesterday with a degree in architecture (a five year program)- I’m very proud of him as he had a full scholarship and did quite well. But enough bragging. This is Friday Facts after all, not Friday Sentimentalities.
Today’s fact is Boca Raton. It is a town on the East Coast of Florida. The word Boca in Spanish is mouth and is used to describe an inlet. Raton is Spanish for mouse. The Spanish sailors that first came to Florida used the term mouse to describe the small rocks that scraped their ships’ hulls. So, Boca Raton basically means Rocky Inlet. The original area that the Spanish referred to was Biscayne Bay near Miami Beach but sometime in the early nineteenth century, the name mistakenly was used to refer to the current Lake Boca Raton. The name thus migrated northward by some forty odd miles. The actual city of Boca Raton was founded in 1925.
That area of my state is much different than where I live. It’s much more tropical. My son’s first impressions was that there were no trees there. He’s right. The city is lovely with its palm trees but it can’t hold a candle to the panhandle with all the pines, oaks and lush vegetation. Here’s a picture of him on the beach- 
Jillian Chantal 
Love the conquerer look. He’s done a great job. He’s an awesome young man. Didn’t know the rats were really rocks you’ve taught me something new.
By: Darlene on May 6, 2011
at 6:45 am
The goal is to teach! Lol. Yep. Kiddo is awesome.
By: Jillian Chantal on May 6, 2011
at 9:05 am
Congratulations to your son for his accomplishments! And I love the info on Boca. It sounds pretty humid there. Is it that way all over Florida or do you get away from that humidity when you go inland? I need to visit that state and check it out for myself one of these days.
By: Laurie Ryan on May 6, 2011
at 10:40 am
Thanks Laurie. Yes. All over Fla it is humid. Really humid! Yes, you should visit!
By: Jillian Chantal on May 6, 2011
at 1:22 pm
Congratulations, nothing beats seeing our kids succeed. I remember our first trip to Florida. we stepped out of the airport and it felt like we could cut the air. But only took a few hours and I was fine. But then we were catching a cruise ship so not sure how it would have been had we stayed on land.
By: Lavada Dee on May 9, 2011
at 11:18 am
Lavada- thanks for the congrats. He did a great job! Yes, the air can be cut with a knife here. That’s true for the whole state. Sometimes it’s unbearable.
By: Jillian Chantal on May 9, 2011
at 11:22 am