The Adventure Begins

Who knew that Orlando could be so entertaining? OK OK... the whole world comes here to play, but we've been here for 2 decades, so didn't expect anything new. Kelly & Glenn (daughter and Son-in-law) drove us to a hotel near the Orlando airport so we could get an early start tomorrow. We hear that the TSA is now recommending that you arrive for International flights *3 hours* ahead of your flite, so we wanted to eliminate the morning drive - and we didn't want to pay the $8 per day parking, either.

So. We arrived at our nice LaQuinta hotel, kissed Kelly goodbye - and wondered what to do with ourselves since it was only about 4PM.

So Kathy suggested that we lay out by the pool and read. Huh. Lay out by a pool in Florida. Who would EVER have thought of that? So. I read Steve Martin's "Pure Drivel" - and the AAA guide on the new Harry Potter land at Universal (officially opening June 18) - and napped - and Kathy again started her Historical Fiction about the Tudor era. And we talked to another couple who are staying at the same hotel - headed for Pittsburgh tomorrow. They, too, got burned by the stock market crash - and are adjusting their lives accordingly.

Then we tried to decide if we could just *walk* to dinner (a McDonald's was close-by - and a "Waffle House" (ain't they just *wonderful*???) was a mile away - and we ultimately decided that walking was just not reasonable, so we asked the front desk where we could get a good Mexican dinner. She recommended Garibaldi's - and called us a cab. Cab driver was from New York. Been driving a cab for 30 years. Interesting guy - struggling like everybody else these days - working 20-hour days to keep his head above water.

Then we had a wonderful Mexican dinner (... uhhh... is it OK to eat Mexican while on your way to *China*???) including fried ice cream and sopapilla's for dessert.

Then we ambled out into the huge parking lot - and wandered into a store called "World Market". Wow. Never heard of it before, but it seemed like the place that the Vanderbilt's would come to buy their decorations for Biltmore. Huge solid-marble fireplaces and Roman columns and statues. A life-size Komodo Dragon - probably 15 feet long - standing on top of a vintage pool table. Beautiful carved entertainment centers - as big as a whole wall. A bar stool which consisted of a pair of women's legs with a seat on top. We started off making fun of the stuff - and wound up really being impressed. The place was HUGE. Stuff after stuff after stuff. A life-sized statue of a tiger. Huge painting with antique frames. Anyway. Really cool and totally unexpected. Right next to the big "Florida's Mall" that we've been to many many times.

Cab back to the hotel. Overall, the cab rides cost more than the dinner, but I'm really glad we didn't try to walk it: we'll be doing plenty of walking once we get to China.

Anyway. Early morning expected. Looong flite expected. But. Beijing, here we come!

Stay tuned.