Sometimes you get thrown a curve ball and life seems to be fraught with changes that you didn’t expect and sure as hell didn’t want. Well, welcome to autumn 2024 in our household. Mrs Y retired from teaching in July with the sole purpose of joining me on my business travels for the next couple of years; enjoying some precious time together rather than being separated by thousands of miles on a regular basis! However, just 2 days after we returned from our wonderful lakeside summer holiday, I lost my job. Their suggestion was that I could continue working but on a freelance basis. So, we swiftly found ourselves, both in our early 60’s, setting up our own business over a weekend and navigating a whole new life experience. Hence the reason we now find ourselves in Orlando, Florida for 4 weeks in November!
We last visited Florida back in 1992 with 2 small children in tow for the ubiquitous Disney experience. This visit is to be the polar opposite of that as we planned to stay very low key, visiting some of the gentler attractions and keeping well away from that giant mouse and theme parks! Our weeks were to be very low key but we planned on making the most of every weekend.
As the clocks do not go back until the end of our first week, we are making the most of the warm evenings before darkness limited our activities. We have used the first half of the week to settle in to our long stay Marriot hotel and recover from travelling but the gorgeous Floridian weather enticed us out to nearby Jay Blanchard Park. There is a well maintained and busy walkway that meanders through the park. We strolled along the path watching people arriving for fitness bootcamps, soccer practise as well as running on any and every available space. It was lovely to see how the locals used the park to socialize after work. Finishing our walk, we sat by the lake to watch the fishermen on the bridge as well as the birds around us. There were a large number of signs warning of alligators but, unfortunately, we didn’t see any this time!
Our visit was short as it was late in the evening and after working all day, but the park is so close to our hotel that we will definitely return just to experience the peace in a city that never seems to stop for a minute.
Weekend 1 – Friday
Working weeks are very gentle, working from 7:00AM-4:00PM’ish, so after eating there was very little time or energy for anything else! But, it did allow us to plan our weekends with the intention of seeing as much as possible whilst we are here without repeating the things we did on our last visit with the kids. Always on the lookout for a bargain, we discovered that nearby in Winter Park there is a museum with the world’s largest collection of Tiffany glass and during November they have free entry from 4pm-8pm on a Friday evening. So, straight from work and after a quick change, we were on our way. On our arrival, we discovered that the museum wasn’t counting 1st November as being part of November, so the museum wasn’t actually open! However, the town itself was charming – a proper little historic centre with sidewalk restaurants and cafes. We wandered around enjoying the balmy evening and window shopping. The buildings harked back to the 1920’s and evoked a feeling of Gatsby; the icing on the cake was the cute railway station the sits alongside the large, well-manicured park. Sitting in the park, by the fountain, listening to the trains as they arrived in the station made us feel like we were sitting in a Hallmark movie! One thing we hadn’t prepared for was the most of the shops close at 5:30 and the restaurants clearly need to be booked in advance as customers were already spilling out onto the sidewalk by 6:00.
We decided to go against online ‘popular‘ advice and drive to Winter Park Village to eat. It was suggested that the restaurants were just poor quality chains but with Main Street being very busy we had little option. But as it turned out, this was not an ugly strip mall but a very pleasant area close to the town centre (it would actually be possible to walk there) with some less common eateries. We finally grabbed a seat in the Hangry Bison and were impressed – portions were not too large, the wine was very good and the service was really friendly. It is clearly a Friday night hangout for locals and the atmosphere across the entire complex was warm and welcoming.
We were a little disappointed that the museum wasn’t open but they have confirmed that the rest of November, on a Friday evening, it will be free! We are definitely returning next week and already looking forward to turning back time for another evening.
Weekend 1 – Saturday
Our first lazy breakfast together since we arrived so we made the most of it before heading out for the day. We were really excited to discover that there was a Fall Festival happening over the weekend and even more excited when we found out that it is one of the top rated festivals in the USA. The Fiesta in the Park was taking place around Lake Eola and was just 30 minutes’ drive from us. The website was great and pointed us to the best carparks to use as well as what was going to be there. Parking was really simple and just 2 blocks from the lake which was great. The area was quiet but almost soulless and we were uncertain as to how we felt about our surroundings. The closed roads to accommodate the Fiesta only added to the strange atmosphere although once we arrived at the park itself, it was lovely. Craft booths were dotted all around the lake edge with areas of food trucks; the weather was simply perfect and allowed for gentle exploration of everything rather than having to keep stopping for shade or refreshment. This was the Florida we hoped to find on this trip – foreign tourist free and not commercialised in the slightest. The layout of the festival allowed us to walk the entire perimeter of the lake in one direction and then turn around and return along a different route; this meant we got to see every nook and cranny of this beautiful city park. The park itself is a real hub of the community with a very impressive bandshell donated by Walt Disney at one end and the walkway dotted with sculptures and viewpoints of the lake.
As the day passed we noticed a storm threatening so decided to grab a quick coffee before heading back in the hope we would dodge the rain. We headed back around the lake towards Foxtail Coffee – there is a branch near our hotel but it is always too full to use so we wanted to try it out at a quieter location. Firstly, this branch was quiet and only had a handful of customers, so we ordered a coffee and an iced tea and waited…and waited…and waited!! 20 minutes after placing the order we finally got our drinks; was it worth the wait – no, not really! Reading reviews of the branch near us everyone commented on the terrible service but having been unable to even get in the car park we had written this off as due to the number of customers, we now feel differently and will not be returning. The delay with our drinks meant that we were now running out of time to stay out of the rain so we quickly made our way back round the lake, stopping on the way to watch the turtles balancing on rocks around the shore, towards the carpark. We loved the festival and the beautiful setting along with the gentle feel of the entire event but couldn’t really make our mind up of the environment away from the lake and park.
Weekend 1 – Sunday
Today we actually have a plan!!
Whenever we are away from home we really miss our church and our church family, so finding a local church that we could call home was top of our list. Our other church in Cleveland, GA was found using Google so we always make this our top priority before we’ve even left home. Separately, we investigate potential churches and then compare our notes and choices – this always throws up at least one common name that we then prioritize to visit on our first Sunday. This trip we had both liked the look of Journey Church East Orlando Campus which was just an 8 minute drive away. From the friendly guy at the car park entrance to the very welcoming greeters, we were instantly made to feel very welcome and were shown around – things looked very promising. Once the worship started and we both knew instantly that we had found our local church, and our Sunday mornings were sorted!
After the service we had an hour to gather everything we needed to travel across to Titusville to watch a planned Space X rocket launch later in the day. Rocket launches are now very frequent so finally 32 years after our first visit, when rocket launches had been stopped due to Hurricane Andrew making landfall on our arrival day we set off to see a launch! A parking spot directly opposite the launch site was recommended to us by a local so we made our way straight there to check it out. Rain meant that the visibility wasn’t good but we were expecting that it would be clear by launch time. Feeling confident we took a drive up the coast towards Titusville in search of food. Preferring to use local businesses over chain restaurants we stopped at Steve’s Family Diner that was full of older local residents grabbing their Sunday lunch. The food was fresh cooked and really good value so we were able to enjoy some time watching the rain pass by and planning the rest of our afternoon. On our last visit, Ron Jon’s Surf Shop was high on our to-do list so we decided to take a drive there again. It would be easy to say we weren’t disappointed, as the tiny single story shop is now 2 separate locations that wouldn’t look out of place on the Las Vegas Strip nestled amongst the cheap souvenir shops, but we found it very over-commercial and too tourist driven. Being short on time, we parked up and shot inside to explore (although the inventory was not really a surprise!).
As we had driven a significant way down the coast, it was time to make our way back to our chosen viewing point. The rain had cleared and the launch area was now clear under a blue sky as predicted. When we left only 2 cars were parked up but on our return the car park was almost full and the wooden pier was filling up with observers too. It was lovely to see that despite the regularity of launches and the number of years they have been happening people are still as excited to witness one first hand. Using the recommended Space Coast Launch app we could track what was going on. 9 minutes beforehand the countdown began with video live from the launchpad – anticipation turned to excitement as we saw smoke rising from the rocket and the countdown continued. 3 minutes from launch we began to guess how quickly it would disappear from sight, then the live feed/countdown disappeared! The live feed then informed that it would resume in 24 hours! A few people began drifting away – clearly local and understanding the situation – but we stayed for a while in confusion. After 5 minutes with no further updates, we decided that there was not going to be a launch. The entire journey we planned a journey back for another launch but still felt uncertain about what was actually happening. Later, back in our hotel, the app showed the launch as scrubbed so we were right to leave.
Weekend 2 – Friday
Following the disappointment of discovering the Morse Museum was closed last Friday, we ventured back knowing for certain that it was going to be open this week! An early finish meant we could have a slow dinner before visiting rather than try to keep hunger at bay until after our visit. Our plan wasn’t to return to Hangry Bison, but after taking a look at other options we decided that it was our best option, especially as it allowed us to make the most of the glorious weather and ate outside.
We made our way to the museum but had no idea just how amazing it would be as we entered through a very understated side entrance. It was suggested that we watch a short film before looking around and were so glad that we did as it gave a solid context to museum and its contents. We knew about his glassware, especially his lamps but not the larger pieces of his work; the film gave a full history of the museum’s owners and their passion for creating a full Tiffany collection as well as a history of the magnificent chapel that has been reconstructed in the museum. Fridays in November are free in the museum so we expected it to be packed, but there were only a few of us which allowed us clear uninterrupted views of everything. The highlight of the museum were the stained glass windows bursting with the most beautiful colours and lit as if sunlight was gently behind them. Having visited a number of Rennie Mackintosh sites, we couldn’t help but imagining the amazing designs that would have been created had they both met! Every room produced more wonder, culminating in the recreated Tiffany Chapel which was beyond anything we imagined.
On leaving the museum, we both agreed that the museum is almost too much to take in with one visit as it has so many incredible pieces to look at and was overwhelming.
With Daylight Saving Time, it was dark when we exited and the main street was full of people strolling along the illuminated sidewalks and park. We decided to finish our evening by joining them.
Weekend 2 – Saturday
Being keen to make the most of our weekends whilst we are here, we had planned a long trip out today. Having covered most of Florida south of Orlando, we decided to head north for the day to the town of St Augustine. St Augustine is considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited town in the US – founded in 1565 by Spanish colonists. After a slow breakfast we loaded the car and took to the road for a 2 hour road trip north.
We had been warned that St Augustine was a tourist spot but were not prepared for the limited parking and the inflated prices. Following the coastal road through the town, we realised that parking outside the main centre was the best option so we found a free spot with 2 hour limit just a short walk from the centre. The walk gave us an opportunity to pick up a cold drink in a little independent coffee shop too. The warnings had been correct as the narrow streets were packed with visitors keen to see the historic buildings. The old town was very cute but most of the businesses were tailored to tourists and didn’t hold much interest to us. As we popped out of the main centre into Plaza de la Constitucion the crowds disappeared and we had the area to ourselves. We continued to meander through the nearby streets that were also filled with historic houses but minus the tourist shops! This felt like the real centre but without the chaos and we were able to admire the historic streets and buildings unhindered. The town sits on the water’s edge and our craving to be by the sea led us through the warren of narrow streets towards the promenade. Making our way forward we stumbled upon a restaurant housed in one of the historic buildings with a shady garden – our first though was that this would be expensive but we were wrong so made an instant decision to have lunch in OC White’s. The food was good value and delivered promptly all under the shade of an umbrella in the sun.
We completed our day with a slow walk along the water watching the pelicans dipping and diving whilst boats lazily moved in and out of the waterway. The historic centre was as busy as on our arrival but we were hoping to catch a rocket launch further down the coast so had to move on!
The confirmed launch time was 4:39pm and we knew that we were at the mercy of traffic if we were to make it in time. Swerving into a gas station to make sure we had the petrol to get there, we checked the launch was still expected to go on time. As we got closer to Titusville we checked again and surprise, the launch had been moved to Sunday! We decided that as we were nearly at Titusville a quick trip to Cocoa Beach Pier would allow us to watch the sun go down.
Cocoa Beach Pier is another tourist trap but, the evening was so lovely, we enjoyed standing over the water watching surfers making the most of the final moments of daylight. We were, yet again, amazed that we were lucky enough to be stood on the pier in t-shirts in November! A definite pinch-me moment.
We were disappointed that we had cut short our visit to St Augustine for a rocket launch that didn’t happen, but also blessed that the delay had given us time on Cocoa Beach that was not planned.
Weekend 2 – Sunday
Sunday brings a feeling of joy once we have found a church home and today was no exception. Choosing to collect breakfast and have a lazy start in our room, we decided that we would go straight out from church. Today, we planned to visit the Orlando Museum of Art; we also have tickets for the Christmas Tree Festival on our last full day but were uncertain whether the art would be available to view or obscured by the trees. As seniors rate in the US is 60+ we were able to get reduced admission and as it was Sunday the museum was really quiet. The real reason for our visit was to see the exhibition Torn Apart: Punk & New Wave Graphics, Fashion and Culture 1976-1986. We knew this would be very evocative and were also interested to see the US take on an era that was dominated by the UK. We loved it, spotting items we ourselves owned or concerts we had attended. The real joy was the acknowledgement that this decade was driven by UK music and we felt great pride that our culture encourages individuality.
The entire museum was great although not very large and made up almost entirely of changing exhibitions. We loved each of the exhibition especially the photographic images in the music exhibition that portrayed stars no longer with us.
The only thing we have noticed here is the distinct lack of a coffee shop in museums and galleries; is it even a real gallery without the distant chink of china teacups? Gift shops are also much less impressive than at home and tend to be incredibly expensive. Once we were certain we had seen everything, we left and made our way to the adjacent park. The park looked huge on the map but turned out to be just a green area linking the other nearby museums. The walkway provided a circular walk bringing us to the edge of a nearby lake so we decided to follow the sidewalk as far as possible. This too stopped at the nearby hospital so we detoured around it to find a Starbucks for a quick coffee before making our way back to the car. Our hope for a walk in the gorgeous weather hadn’t really materialised as even with the additional hop to Starbucks we only managed 2km!
As we left, we had a quick rocket launch check and discovered that it had been moved on 2 hours. We decided to go back to the hotel and make sure we had everything needed for the trip then make our way to Titusville, stopping at Cracker Barrel for lunch on the way.
As we wandered to the car, we checked times again only to discover it was moved on a further 2 hours meaning that with the drive and presumption it would be on time launching we would be driving back late. With work the next morning, we decided to eat in The Dough Show and make a decision whilst there about whether to make the trip. We made the decision not to go, as with 2 more weeks of our visit left and launches happening 3 or 4 times a week we felt we could plan another visit before we left. This turned out to be the best decision for 2 reasons: 1 – the launch was eventually cancelled and 2: the service in The Dough Show was appalling and we waited more than an hour for food!
All in all a day of highs and lows but we still feel fortunate to be able to have these opportunities.
Midweek treat
Whilst we were eating in Winter Park Village previously we noticed a board promoting live music on Tuesday evenings until the end of November. We made the decision that, as the evenings are balmy here, we should make the most of it before returning to UK winter. Googling around, we discovered that Rollins Museum of Art is open until 7:00 so it was the perfect opportunity to spend an evening exploring. As the Museum is on a college campus, the parking is terrible so after cruising for a while we finally park in Winter Park and walk across. The museum is small and one of the rooms had a live dance performance which restricted the ability to view paintings inside it. The best part of the building was the closeness to the exhibits which enabled really detailed inspection of the small details. It was very quiet with only half a dozen visitors (apart from the dancers) but was a great way to spend time on a midweek evening.
We drove the short distance to Winter Park Village, picked up an ice-cream in Jeni’s and found a seat on the Plaza. The entertainment was a young man singing a variety of covers across all genres. We settled in and enjoyed the atmosphere for a while before returning to our hotel.
Weekend 3 – Friday
Incredibly, our last full weekend in Orlando so we wanted to make the most of it. As always, we started as soon as work was finished for the week by making our way to a local restaurant for dinner and to plan our evening. We wanted to stay local so decided to visit a local mini golf – Congo River. As with everything in the US, it was huge with waterfalls, rivers and even a plane wreck to negotiate. When we arrived there was a massive party of children celebrating a birthday in front of us so the girl suggested starting at Hole 10 and then playing the first 10; this was supposed to avoid the party as we were starting 8-9 holes ahead of them! However, the children were horrendously unruly and just ran through holes reaching us at hole 12!! They ignored our balls, hitting theirs all over our green and running over our game. We picked up our balls and stood back in the hope they would pass through quickly but parents also came and stood by us watching the carnage!! Not one adult acknowledged that we were there or had stopped our game for their children, they just stood chatting. We stepped back a hole and sat down to wait but the party was huge and just as one group rampaged through another group followed. Luckily, pizza was waiting in the clubhouse and the children had no real interest in the golf anyway so peace finally came to the course. As we approached the desk, to collect another ball for the first 10, the receptionist apologized for the children and suggested that we now play the entire course without disruption.
The evening was not life changing but it was so much fun and we enjoyed the simplicity of it. After 3 weeks of work, a gentle evening was exactly what was needed to help us relax.
Weekend 3 – Saturday
Today was a really early start but had been planned way before we arrived. Having previously visited Florida during the summer, and with small children, our visits had been dominated by Disney. This time we wanted to see more of the natural Florida, especially the native wildlife. Before leaving the UK, we had discovered that there was a natural spring not far away where manatees spend the winter. When we last visited there were only 1800 manatees across the entire state and they were endangered but now the population has risen to approximately 11,000 and they are no longer endangered. Blue Springs State Park sees a mass migration every winter that brings up to 700 manatees into the warmer water; this migration starts in mid-November and continues until March. We knew that it was a risk visiting so early in the season and especially as the weather was unseasonably warm still but with this being our last weekend it was too much to pass up. The park is so popular that they often close it at weekends because it is full to capacity, especially during manatee migration season. Everywhere recommended arriving before the park opening time to guarantee entry so we grabbed breakfast to go in the hotel and were in the car at 7:00!
Arriving at the gate, we were pleased to be the third car in the queue so guaranteed entry. We made our way to the car park and remained hopeful. The park has restricted access at the moment as they are repairing part of the boardwalk so we made our way to the edge of the spring. The water was clear turquoise making it possible to see right to the bottom; hundreds of huge fish slowly made their way up the spring but no manatees. A manatee ranger had arrived with us so we asked if there were any in the spring yet – he said a few but it was still too warm this year. He said that the previous day he had seen 11 and was expecting a further 30 over the following week. We were not deterred and walked the length of the available boardwalk looking for wildlife; arriving early meant we had the park almost to ourselves which was wonderful. In a state that gives the impression it is all about theme parks and tourist attractions this was an oasis of calm as we listened to the birdsong sat on rockers in the morning sun.
It would have been easy to just leave but we both felt that we wanted to stay longer and just soak up the atmosphere. Strolling towards the boat dock to look out over the adjacent St Johns River, we were disappointed that we hadn’t brought water shoes/clothes to hire a kayak but decided to investigate the boat trips. We considered the hour cruise but that would have meant trying to pass 4 hours in the park (no café or open gift shops at this point), however, the 2 hour cruise seemed too long. We wandered away to consider our options. Walking back towards the spring, we chatted about what we had seen and what we might see if we took the boat trip. Decision made, we bought tickets for the 2 hour cruise and found a place to while away an hour before boarding.
Fortunately, the boat was only half full and we sat in the back half as a large party elbowed their way to the front. This was the best decision, as we were able to walk from one side to the other without missing any of the wildlife. Our guide and driver was incredibly knowledgeable and also funny as well as being a skilled driver; she seamlessly moved from one side of the river to the other pointing out wildlife camouflaged in the environment. We saw raccoons, owls, a huge variety of water birds as well as a number of large alligators – including one swimming across the river in front of us. Everybody on board was on the lookout for manatee and she carefully explained the signs to look for as we slowly cruised down the river. Suddenly, ahead of us we spotted bubbles rising to the surface at the edge of the floating greenery! Our guide cut the engines and allowed the boat to float towards the area only for the bubbles to move a little further down river. Patiently we waited and then slowly the body of a manatee floated to the surface, the tail flipped and then disappeared again. The boat trip had delivered everything we wanted as well as being the best way to spend a sunny day.
We are very resistant to organised tours of any kind but would recommend this to anybody as it enables you to get right into the areas around the river that are not accessible in any other way. It was fun, informative and relaxing. We returned to the dock at 12:00 ready to find lunch.
Investigating the local area, we had seen that Sanford was a town square community so decided to head that way as it was the half way point of our return journey. As we turned off the main road we were surprised to find ourselves on a lovely road running parallel to Lake Monroe. The most surprising thing was how European the area was – the road was narrow and had regular speed humps to limit speed as well as roadside parking spots to enable access to the lakeside walkway that ran the entire length of the town. The main centre was full of free parking to encourage people to stop and the town had a bustling Saturday market set in a small square. When investigating the eating options we noticed a large proportion of local breweries; after a gentle wander we settled on Dees Brothers Brewery for lunch. The food was simple but everything was fresh cooked and all beer was made on the premises. The main glass doors at the front were all open to the street market so it was also a great spot to people watch. The food was great…as was the beer.
The early start meant we had an earlier than usual finish but felt that we had really had a great day.
Weekend 3 – Sunday
Sundays have a different vibe for us as we are able to have a slow breakfast in our room before making our way to Journey Church East for the 11:00 service. Our plans for the rest of the day were very fluid as we were going to fit our day around a third (and possible last) chance to see a rocket launch. If it remained on schedule then we needed to be at the viewing point for 4:00.
Returning to the hotel after church, we packed up a bag with sweatshirts, binoculars, sunglasses, bug cream, suncream etc. and took a short detour to Jay Blanchard Park. Since the start of Daylight Saving Time, we have been unable to walk in the park and really wanted to return. Parking the car close to the entrance, we followed the walkway along the Little Econ River along the length of the park. It was lovely to see the park full of people picnicking, playing soccer, running, fishing, cycling, playing tennis etc. We joined the walkers enjoying the sun and felt blessed to be there. With a watchful eye on the launch app and consideration for getting food beforehand, we decided to make our way to Titusville for dinner in Cracker Barrel.
At this point, we had little confidence that a launch would go ahead but the app was still saying the time was correct. We arrived at the viewing point at 4:00 for a 4:29 launch and managed to get a perfect spot in a picnic shelter directly opposite the launch pad. The app starts a live video feed 10-15 minutes before take off so at 4:10 we logged in and it confirmed 4 minutes to live stream! Having got to take off -2 minutes last time, we knew things were still not certain. Suddenly, the countdown to livestream changed to 30 minutes and our hearts sank. Just as we convinced ourselves that it wasn’t delayed by much, the countdown changed to 50 minutes making a delay of an hour. A couple of young girls had asked to share our shelter but had no way of knowing when the launch would be; they were Austrian and asked us when it was happening so we were able to share the updated information with them. They returned to their car as they had only vest tops and shorts on and the sea breeze was now very cool. We stayed put for fear of losing our perfect spot and were soon joined by 2 older ladies, sisters who lived relatively locally who were then joined by their 92 year old mother. Constantly watching for updates, we watched the minutes tick away and then finally at T-15 minutes the live stream started. Again we were not hopeful as we feared a repeat of our first wasted trip. We knew that if it got down below 2 minutes then the launch would happen so we waited patiently. Finally, it hit 2 minutes and things began to happen – not sure whether it was the quickest or the slowest 2 minutes ever!
It is impossible to describe the experience as it is so unlike anything we have ever had. The visual spectacle is overwhelming but the most unexpected things were the delayed smell of fuel that was blown across the water and the delayed noise. The silence when it first launched was unexpected but filled the air with a sense of awe this was followed by an all-encompassing roar that seem to fill every corner. The clouds were low but this only made the experience more evocative as the rocket briefly disappeared behind a low band of cloud, emerging a few seconds later to continue it’s trajectory.
We had come close to abandoning this final chance to see a launch because we were convinced it would be cancelled but were so glad that we made the effort. We have done some great things in our time here but the rocket launch will stand out as a highlight when we return home in a weeks’ time.
WEEKEND 4 – Friday
This time we didn’t have a whole weekend to play with as we’d be flying home on the Sunday, but once again, we planned to make the best of our time in Orlando and fill it with interesting things.
Friday work finished early again and we headed straight out to our favourite town of Winter Park passing through the centre to find Mead Botanical Garden. Parking up we set off to explore the garden and what a delight it was. Stumbling across tortoise nesting areas, all manner of trees, a wetlands area, a river-side walk (some of it taped off due to flood damage from the recent hurricane) Such a wonderful place to enjoy. Peaceful and relaxing.
We took a stroll through Winter Park as the sun began to set enjoying the Christmas lights coming on and as it was our final Friday in Orlando we ate in… yes, you guessed it, Hangry Bison.
We headed back to the hotel, making one final stop at Twistee Treats for one last ice cream
Saturday was a day Mrs Y had been waiting for our entire visit, having purchased tickets way, way in advance for the Orlando Museum of Modern Art Festival of Trees. The whole gallery is absolutely full of every size and shape of Christmas tree, Christmas wreaths, ornate Christmas table settings and all things Christmas. Each tree was massively overdecorated in every style imaginable. Also, every single tree and wreath can be purchased with all the proceeds going to local charities. Quite possibly the highlight of Mrs Y’s entire visit, but we did feel slightly underdressed as everyone, especially the women were dressed in fancy Christmas wear with us just in t-shirts and shorts.
Following our visit to the gallery we headed back towards our office and a lunch date with a long time colleague Ravi and his lovely wife who had cooked us the most delightful Indian meal. It was wonderful spending time with them and the lunch was so tasty.
Sunday, our final day in sunny Orlando.
With our cases packed to bursting we had one last breakfast in the hotel before checking out, packing the car and heading to Church for one last service. With a long flight home ahead of us we grabbed a Mikes Sub and headed back to Jay Blanchard to sit in the sun, enjoy the peace and a sub from Mikes. Then it was time to hit the airport and head back home.
That’s it. It’s a wrap!
We had such a great time in Orlando. Way better than we could ever have possibly imagined. We loved the quiet, non-touristy area we were in. Loved the sights we saw and explored and both of us felt calm and relaxed at a time when we didn’t feel it with all that was going on. Our opinions of Florida and particularly Orlando have been changed and we have developed quite a soft spot in our hearts for East Orlando.
We’re hoping the office will invite me back again and we can repeat it all over again.
mrandmrsyoung 