Storms - the way we used to have them

Ok, brief interlude from our ramblings on our trip to Florida. August usually brings the late afternoon storms - bit of thunder and lightning, and plenty of rain, which the locals crave as the earth needs it. We have just reurned from Venice, about 30 miles up the road and this one today started at about 4:30pm and it rained, and rained AND RAINED. The thunder was loud, hmm, very loud and the lightning was spectacular.... forget about theme park firework displays, this was the biz.... !

I rather bravely stood out on the pool deck to film it - I say bravely as standing in a few inches of water, out in the open in what can only be described as God's Thunder, Lightning and Rain Test Zone is perhaps not the smartest thing to do - heck, even the golfers had scurried off in their golf carts back to the club-house for a well-deserved cold beverage, ready to recount tales of "some damned fool they'd spotted waving a camera about....!" They know we're Brits - we've got the flag up on the posts!

The footage is not brilliant but you'll get the drift. The loud thunderclap at 01.02 actually made me jump which is why the camera shakes. I'm not prone to bothering about such noises usually but this was a particularly long, loud and wet storm and was right over the top of us. The joy is, it clears up after an hour or so and is as hot as hell again...!

Oh, and do come to this site again, there's much to go the blog between arriving in Orlando and today's entry... not least I realise my ambition to pilot a "Shuttle" and experience a launch as an "astronaut". For those who know me may recall, one of my childhood dreams was to become an astronaut. I even applied to NASA - got turned down as I had no flying experience and was not a US Navy Marine aviator. The fact I was only 11 years old at the time may also have had a slight influence in the decision by NASA but I hold no grudges. This opportunity was amazing fun, very real and thoroughly awesome to use the oft-overused adjective! I was joined at the controls by Rebecca who was the Flight Commander for the launch and journey to Mars!

Anyway, play the film below for the thunder storm, and come back to read our musings later!

Orlando - ah, we arrive..

There's something very satisfying about coming back to somewhere that you know and are known by staff (and I do mean that, some of the staff here are old timers and have been trained to remember people. That coupled with my natural desire to find out what makes the locals tick, the fact that we are Brits (yep, there are still places in the World who like us) , and that I also lost a rather nice white towelling robe here on my last visit, means they don't forget easily! The Regal Sun Resort Hotel, formerly The Grosvenor in Orlando is just such a place. We've visited this hotel some six times over the years and in the past two it has been upgraded to a "Hotel in the Disney World Resort" - not in Disney, but just yards away from its threshold.

So what? you may ask. Well, even when it's busy, it appears quiet and unhurried. You haven't got hoardes of screaming guests - and that's just the adults, it has good bars, good restaurants, a concierge and cafe that is open 24/7, Disney Character themed events, a Disney shop and free transportation to all the Parks and other attractions. That coupled with friendly, courteous staff, comfortable accommodation, TV, wireless interent, pools and spas, tennis courts, games room and free parking, you're made!

Just 500 metres from DownTown Disney, it is ideally situated close to the theme parks, International Drive and all the shopping. Our rooms, on the 11th floor of the towers overlook DownTown Disney and from here you can see the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, MGM Studios and more and at night the fireworks displays are spectacular.

We check in, settle into our rooms and decide to enjoy a swim in the recently refurbished swimming pool. Simply relaxing - it's 7pm, the light is fading, the pool is like warm bath water and the lights are coming on. It's still busy but quietly so. The bars are serving cold cocktails - the Mojita's are superb - and we decide we'll eat in the hotel this evening, which gives us some more swimming time.

Simply glorious... and tomorrow, we hit DisneyWorld...!!!!

Orlando via Arcadia... part 2

We decided to journey up to Orlando - about 160 miles up through the central parts of the state, thus avoiding where possible most of the Interstates. As much fun as it is driving on the UK motorway equivalent, maintaining 70 miles per hour and watching that you do not slip below 50mph (a traffic offence), can be very tiring, very boring and keeping a constant alert for traffic merging from your right, lorries that seem to have super engines as they power past you, and the occasional lunatic driver, is a drain.

TomTom Sat Nav is really good here in the US and the speed reminder, traffic updates and other points of interest are eerily heralded by a doom-laden gonging sound.

So we opted for a quiet, leisurely drive up through countryside, following the emergency evacuation route through to Arcadia and beyond. Not that the evacuation route was much use in August 2004 as Hurricane Charley, originally expected to hit Tampa and cross through the State over to Orlando, decided to wobble, made landfall at Port Charlotte, just 18 miles from us, tore up the Peace River, and followed the poor souls who had left their homes in Punta Gorda and were dutifully following procedure and the road to Arcadia.

You may recall seeing the image on the top left of the Arcadia water tower. The hurricane devasted the area with many homes and businesses literally disappearing in the space of minutes.

In some earlier footage I took during that hurricane we witnessed a speed boat that had been parked on a driveway hovering some three or four feet off the ground as the storm took hold before it was zipped across the river and through the pool deck cage some 500 yards away.

Anyway, this is a nice journey on a quiet road, with lovely countryside on either side passing through some small towns (village-size) with their very old Floridian-style houses. We also saw huge cattle ranches (NB., at one stage there was a greater herd of cattle in Florida than there was in Texas and much of the land around our home in Rotonda was once owned by the Vanderbilt family and used as cattle grazing land).

We headed in a north easterly direction passing through interestingly-named places such as:

• Zolfo Springs (population 1642 at 2000 Census)
• Bowling Green (population 2,892 at 2000 Census. Second photo shows the historic train station dating back 1911.)
• Fort Meade (3rd photo shows Christ Church about 1889. Fort Meade is the oldest city in Polk County, dating its origins to 1849 when it was an old military road from Tampa (Fort Brooke) to Fort Pierce during the Indian wars. The 1880s business district was located on old Wire Street (now Broadway), which was a casualty of 4 devastating fires. The Future Confederate General Stonewall Jackson, was stationed at the fort in 1851. The town was burned by Union forces in 1864 and all of the original structures were destroyed, except the 2nd fort which was dismantled in the 1890s. Fort Meade has over 300 hundred homes on the National Register of Historic Places and a handful that date to the late 1800s).
• Haines City and back on to the I-4 to Orlando.

Orlando here we com..via Cracker Barrel - # 1

Ok, you cannot come to Florida and not make at least one attempt to get to the theme park centre of the world. Love 'em or loathe 'em, there is still nothing like the American theme park experience.

We decided to have four days up in Orlando and set off early on Tuesday morning to have a breakfast at a Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. These are a real culinary experience - all kinds of breakfasts either from the menu or to suit your taste. They also do lunches and evening fare.

The Cracker Barrel restaurants are usually located just off the interstates or at busy state route junctions. The one we go to is at Jacaranda Boulevard, nestled in amongst the pines and palms of the countryside. Eggs done anyway you want, Grits, Hash browns, sausage patties, bacon strips, whole meal toast, various preserves, pancakes, ice cream etc - you name it, you can have it. Your meal is complimented by a mug of good coffee that keeps being refilled.

You then walk back into the shopping area of the restaurant and can find all sorts of trinkets, books, confectionary and any manner of gifts.

Or sit outside on the stoop in one of the many rocking chairs (that are also for sale) and either indulge in a game of checkers or solitaire or simply sit and watch life pass by.

The car by the way is a Chrysler C300 - a superb car to drive. You can see them on the roads in the UK, but they look way better over here!

No sales tax free week

Despite its outward wealth, lavish homes, boats, fine restaurants and expensive golf courses, Florida's real residents are not awash with money and many struggle to make a living. The average weekly wage is $756 based on Florida State statistics and ranks the State as 27 in the US. The avaerage weekly wage in Charlotte County is between $501 and $700. I feel this is based on "professional workers" rather than your, builder, sales assistants and waiting staff in resturants and does rather give the impression of a comfortably well-off population.

The state was one of the few states to not have a state minimum wage law until 2004, when voters passed a constitutional amendment establishing a state minimum wage and (unique among minimum wage laws) mandating that it be adjusted for inflation every six months. Currently, the minimum wage in the state of Florida is $7.21 as of January 1, 2009. With bread costing anything from $2.50 to $5 for specialty bread, ponder on that one, my fellow Brits...


Unfortunately, the State of Florida has not offered its usual sales tax free week during 2009. In the past, the sales tax holiday was voted upon in the State Legislature, but the measure was not brought up for a vote this year. This event has in the past proved to be very popular with parents - and tourists I guess.


However, good to see some of the bigger stores doing their bit to help, including Walmart, Target and J C Penney, with good discounts and incentives.


In the UK we are fortunate that our education system provides for essentials such as paper, books etc in lessons. Ok, we have to buy glue sticks, pens, pencils etc for our children, but just imagine if we had to also purchase exercise books, folders etc.

OZ meets US

Australia comes to America. The latest restaurant chain to pop up in the shopping malls and plazas is "Outback" and offers an interesting choice of meals at competitive prices. Surf and turf but with a twist - nice sides, good sauces, slick service and an atmosphere that is heightened by the bizarre wall-carvings and decorations and the very subdued lighting.

We enjoyed a quick early evening meal at this one. The steaks were a good size and well cooked and the shrimp was mouth-watering. Instead of the usual fries we plumped for some jacket potatoes which were excellently baked and accompanied by a fine sauce based on Dijon mustard, lovely cherry tomatoes and some dressing - (yes, the good old US can provide a healthy eating experience).

Ok, we lost the plot a bit with the dessert - Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Pie but we shared one between the three of us. Very, very morish!



Oh, and glasses of beer that were referred to as "Australian Blokes Beer", ie you get a pint in a well-chilled glass and still only $2.50 a pint..! They do "take-outs too", just order on the phone, pull up in the car park and they will deliver to your car!

Lakeside dining

I hope our readers don't develop the view that we simply spend our vacation time eating, but you know how it is. You've barbecued your own steaks and chickens, you've lovingly prepared garlic and butter coated shrimp served with a hot rice and accompanied by a salad, the hot chilli you cooked has made you a legend in your own lifetime.

You decide to pop out for a quiet chilled beer and before you know it, some pretty, sassy waitress has plonked a menu down in front of you and with a wink and a smile, announces "I'll be right back to take your order sir".... Gets me everytime.

Farlows on the Water in Englewood is great for a late lunch. The lake borders the restaurant on three sides and it has pretty gardens and even outdoor dining if you wish. A chicken piccato, garlic mashed potatoes and two chilled beers later, we're off on our travels again.

They also have superb evening menu and offer live music three or four times a week. We often pass this restaurant and its car park is usually packed, and I mean packed. Probably why it's been voted a number one restaurant in the area for a number of years running.

We dined here once on St Patrick's Day some years back - everything was green - the beer, the wine, the steaks, the desserts..... and interesting experience in more ways than one!