Blogs from Orlando, Florida, United States, North America - page 10

And finally the last of my promised blogs from the Eye of Orlando experience. It was a day filled with fun and awe. On our bundled ticket, we entered Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. Fantastic. Most of these figures were ready to speak to us...I just know it. They were completely life- like! They were all so welcoming. Lulu sprung out of her carry bag and threw herself at all of them. It was so difficult for her to contain herself. Did you hear her cries of joy and excitement? She was so loud....people tried to hush her. She was a star amongst stars. She knew it....she thrived on these moments. The figures loved her as much as she loved them. You would, too. When I found Sheldon Cooper; my day was complete. He is my most ... read more

Time is running out on our Universal Studios Annual passes. Put your walking shoes back on 'cause we're going again. Remember we have already gone once this year when my cousin was here. No time to waste. We don't plan on renewing these passes. We been there, done it all. We'll miss some of the perks that go along with these passes (free parking, ticket discounts, etc.) but it's time to say "enough is enough." They aren't cheap but what is nowadays? Parking, alone, at Universal is $20. But now it's time to get our money's worth for the last adventure. It's a nice day: sunny but still jacket weather. Bundle up if you really don't like the wind and coolness. We've decided we should go on the Universal Studios side first. Usually, we head to ... read more

After the chaos and expense of moving across the country, Mark and I decided to take it easy and spend Christmas in Orlando. My sister, Jennifer, determined to spend the holidays together, would brook no refusal and spent Christmas week with us. During her visit, we all enjoyed a few adventures around central Florida. My Gift to You is Disney Visiting a theme park during Christmas week is madness – and despite my sister’s pleas to go, I was firm that there would be no theme park visits. Jennifer made her disappointment known. How could we be so close to the Magic Kingdom and NOT visit? I offered a to visit the Grand Floridian hotel instead, where we could dress up and get our photo in front of the giant Christmas tree that would be in ... read more

Moving to a new city can either be daunting or thrilling. We chose the latter and set out to explore our new town. Our adventures took us all over the city and surrounding neighborhoods, and within a couple months, we felt at home. Amusingly, all of the places we visited seemed to have a Washington counterpart. Downtown and Thornton Park – Downtown Orlando is clustered around Lake Eola, a pretty spot of water with a fountain, swan paddle boats, and a mile-long walking path surrounding it. Sunday farmers markets bring an eclectic crowd, mostly selling chachtkies and food. It is exquisite for people watching. Within a couple blocks are the public library and history museum. The library reminded Mark of buildings in his old neighborhood in Yonkers, NY. We attended a wine tasting at the history ... read more

We made it! A four hour drive, half of which was spent in a rainstorm, brought us to our final destination - Orlando. What a relief! Four and a half days in a truck was fun but exhausting. Even though I had never been in the apartment before, it was home and I couldn't be happier to be there. Take away points This was the second big move for both Mark and me, and a huge lesson in priorities and trust. If I could go back and tell myself one thing, it would be to start preparations earlier. The last minute rush to get out the door felt like mayhem to me, along with the hurried Craigslist sales and needing to dump replaceable, but useful, items to save room on the truck. As for the rest ... read more