Space Center Sunday

We said goodbye to our temporary Orlando home Sunday morning and headed out to Cape Canaveral to visit the John F. Kennedy Space Center. It was amazing!

Fountain in front of our hotel

We were told to spend the extra money and do the tour that goes up close & personal to the launch pads - there are two: 39A & 39B. Definitely worth the extra dough! There's a rocket on 39B - scheduled for liftoff the end of May. Everything is GINORMOUS. I suppose it has to be, to get enough power for liftoff, but seeing the scale in person really brings it home.

Launch Pad 39A

Launch Pad 39B

Rocket Assembly Building
(look how tiny the cars are!!)
(the stripes on the flag are the length of a bus)

Rocket Exhibit

We found out all kinds of interesting things. They flood the launchpad with hundreds of thousands of gallons of water - to use as sound insulation. The sound of a liftoff can be fatal, if you're within 800 feet (400 feet will get you fried). The "official" safest distance for viewing a liftoff is 3 miles - although they have emergency personnel as close as 1.5 miles. They have to bolt down the generator and some of the equipment that is used (that's not on the launchpad) because one time the vibrations shot the generator into the ocean. They re-use the parachutes on the fuel cells approximately 20 times, and the fuel cells themselves get reused a few times also. There's a dive team whose job it is to recover the fuel cells after they've been ejected from the shuttle liftoff.

Shuttle on Display

Turns out the Space Center hosts a 140k acre wildlife preserve, so while we were touring, we saw alligators, eagles, two eagle nests, lots of different kinds of birds, and a turtle - but no wild pigs (Greg saw a manatee, but I missed that one). To prevent harm to the animals during a liftoff, they come out days beforehand and broadcast predator sounds over speakers to drive the animals away. They also have orange groves on the property. Who knew?!?

There were loads of displays and interesting things to see and do. We went to an IMAX presentation about the space station; a simulation of a liftoff; the memorial; the rocket garden; and two bus tours. We saw several learning displays and even touched a moon rock! And of course there was a cache...

Greg on the Moon

Touching the Moon
(my manicure from less than a week ago
obviously wasn't that good)

The center closed at 6 - but we were already in the souvenir shop, so they didn't have the heart to kick us out until a bit later. From there, we headed to Coco Beach to check out some touristy things and found a nice place for dinner. We used Mom & Sara's gift card to buy dinner - thanks guys!! And it was yummy! I had blackened chicken alfredo - too bad I couldn't eat it all and we couldn't take the leftovers - and Greg had snapper done in the St. Claire style. Both were fantastic!

From there we headed south to Davie. Apparently we took the "scenic" route for part of the way, since the highest speed limit we encountered was 45mph - and most of the time it was lower. After talking to Chad, we followed signs to a major freeway and disregarded the directions on the GPS - since it was determined to take us on a more direct, but much slower route. We made it to Chad & Angie's really late, but safe & sound. On tap for Monday: hanging out, caching, visiting, airboat ride in the Everglades, visiting more & having fun.

Universal Saturday

Today we spent all day at Universal Studios. It was a great day!! We got to the park around 9:30am - after stopping by a grocery store with Chad & Angie to get breakfast. They have a season pass to the park, and helped us get cheap tickets - additionally, because they've been a couple of times already, they're marvelous tour guides!! Abby was ready to go in her sunbonnet and shades.

We started with the closest ride, the Hulk... *fantastic*!! Lots of screaming, twists & turns, upsidedown - a real heart-pounding thriller. From there, Greg & Chad did a ride similar to the teacups. The whole point is to get your little "cup" spinning as fast as you can while the cups are on a section that spins three, and the whole group is going 'round in circles. I'm sure the reason more people don't puke is that they don't get the little cup going very good. Greg & Chad were really spinning... (but no puking!)

We did the 3-D SpiderMan next, then a couple water rides. The first one totally drenched my bottom half and did a fair job at soaking the rest too. One gal in our conveyance was drenched head to toe - not a dry spot anywhere, and most areas were waterlogged enough to need wringing out. She hit every spot there was to get extra water dumped on her. The next water ride succeeded in soaking my top front side. So the only dry space I had was my shoulder blades. Good thing it was warm & sunny... Angie missed most of the dousing on the second one by ducking behind me for the big splash. Next time, I'll make sure she's on the first ride with us... =)

By the end of that run, it was time for lunch. Mmmm. Pizza! =) We ate expensive park food, but it was fun and filling. From there, we hooked up with some of Angie's family and spent a most enjoyable afternoon touring the rest of the park. While we were waiting in line for the Simpsons ride (new this year, and the only ride we opted to go on thats wait time was more than an hour and a half), a stranger offered us a couple express pass tickets. This allows the holder to bypass the regular line and go directly to the front. We originally opted not to get them, as it's more expensive. Now I may have changed my mind. I think it would depend on the time of year - if it's off-season and the lines are short, no need. But May through August or September might warrant the extra cost. It's amazing how much more time we had when we weren't stuck in line waiting. There was at least one ride we chose not to experience because the wait was going to be at least 45 minutes. Instead of almost two hours, the Simpsons took us maybe just a bit longer than a half hour.

We had a wonderful day with Chad & Angie, made even better when Angie's family shared their time with us. To close the evening, we had good food at the Hard Rock Cafe. The waiter was fun (although a bit slow), but they forgot to make my bacon crispy. Oh well. The burger was still good. By the time we headed out, lots of little ones were asleep or ready to go there (except Samuel, who was wide awake and ready to play), and I was ready to hit the road too. We made a couple stops on the way out of the park, and by the time we got to the car my dawgs were barkin'!!

We finished packing just a bit ago. We're going to check out of the hotel tomorrow morning, then head to the Kennedy Space Center. We'll spend the day there, exploring, learning, taking pictures, and having fun. Then we'll head down to visit Chad & Angie in their natural habitat. =) Should be another fun day tomorrow!!

Family Dinner Night - Friday

I spent most of the day doing domestic things... sleeping in, working out, doing laundry, etc. All in preparation for the arrival of Chad & Angie - the part of this vacation that I've been looking forward to the most. Wahoo!! Today was also the last day of Greg's conference, so now it's Play Time. =)

Turns out the laundry was pretty much a waste of an hour and a half. According to hotel rules, I'm not supposed to leave my laundry unattended. So I took the paper to read and do puzzles while I was waiting. The machines have automatic soap dispensers, just have to pay $2 to wash and another $2 for 30 minutes of dry time. I didn't figure out until I finished one dry cycle that the soap dispenser was probably out - mostly because my sweaty workout shirt still smelled like sweat - wet, then warm air-dried sweat, but definitely not clean. And of course the first 30 minutes didn't dry them, so I had to fork over another $2 and wait another 30 minutes before I was free to take my dirty clean clothes back to the room. Nice...

Anyway, we hooked up with Chad & Co. right after I picked Greg up, and came back to the hotel room where we got to show off some of the swag Greg has collected and the souvenirs we've accumulated. Abby tried on Greg's new hat - almost looks cuter on her than on Greg. =)

We opted for Cuban cuisine for dinner - a very local flair. Thanks to GPS's, we found Bob Marley's Tribute to Freedom, in the Universal park. We'll be back tomorrow for the rides and more fun, but tonight was dinner with family. Ahhhh. The food was good, but it was particularly satisfying to visit. Everyone had something different for dinner and we all shared. I had a jerk chicken dish, Chad had Jamaican curry chicken, Angie had mango chicken with habanero, and Greg had curry lamb with potatoes & vegetables. Very tasty!! Abby liked the strawberries from dessert (chocolate mango cake with a caramel drizzle), but we accidentally fed her something spicy and she didn't appreciate that at all!

On tap for tomorrow: Univeral, baby! We're meeting Chad, Angie & Abby around 8am, grabbing food, and heading to the park (which doesn't close until 8pm)... A long day of fun in the sun!!

Shopping Again on Thursday

Yesterday was a laid-back, lazy day. I made it to Bennigan's for lunch - the food was good and it had a nice atmosphere. I had their signature chicken salad, a spicy cheese dip w/ chips, and a blackberry lemonade. Very tasty! From there, the outlet mall...

This whole week makes it seem like I'm an avid shopper, when in reality I usually go shopping with a list and get in & out as quickly as possible. I'm just about shopped out! This outlet mall has some of the same stores, some new. Didn't find the Crocs I was looking for, but got a book from the Borders outlet store - our discount number even works in Florida! =) I think I looked around for 45 minutes, then was done. I took my new book to a sunny corner of the world and read until Greg was ready to be picked up.

From there, we headed to dinner. Another new place for both of us: Red Lobster. They had some of the best biscuits I've ever had!! Light & fluffy, with some kind of seasoning.... I had a shrimp, chicken, & scallop combo that was delicious! And Greg had lobster, shrimp & scallops. We were too full to try the key lime pie - Greg says it's really good here in Florida, so we're going to make an effort to get some before we head home.

Lego Tourists (probably shopping)

The rest of the evening was spent at Disney Downtown. It's kind of crazy there! They have shops, eateries, and clubs. As we were leaving (at around 11pm) the clubs were just gearing up. We (of course) did more shopping - I've shopped more this week than I normally do in a month back home. But we found some fun things. There's a Lego store that has all kinds of amazing things to buy, cool displays, and even people showing how to build things (we watched a guy put together a "stone" skull for a pyramid display). And outside, there were other huge displays done by the "master builders". Most of my pictures didn't turn out because it was too dark to get good ones. I especially liked the sea serpent that wound in & out of the water, but I couldn't get a good photo. Oh well.

Fighter Dude in the Lego store

Lego T-Rex
(complete with moving head)

We also spent some time watching a glass shaper make a dragon figurine. Cool - and amazing to realize how much work goes into those things. They didn't have anything I liked featuring Grumpy. Oh well. A stop by the Ghirardelli store for some fine chocolate made for a nice interlude. Then more shopping as we headed back towards the car.

Fixing a crack in the dragon's neck

Today's agenda: get in a workout, do some laundry, read & relax (NO shopping) until Chad & Angie get here, then hang out with them (maybe shop for my Crocs). Greg gets done by 5pm at the latest, so we'll all be hooked up then...

House of Blues Wednesday

Wednesday was pretty laid back - until the evening, when we went to Disney's House of Blues. Wahoo!! I spent the day primarily (ok, entirely) at the hotel. Not necessarily in the room, but on the premises. Since I was determined to go somewhere not available in Alaska for lunch, I hit the Village Marketplace (owned by the hotel). I took the puzzle section from the complimentary newspaper we've been getting so I could sit in the sun, eat, & do puzzles. The food was just fine - but expensive... it was $20 for lunch, for just me. I had a chicken sandwich, onion rings, and a slushee. Crazy!! Today, I'm definitely going off-site for lunch. I've already picked the place: Bennigan's (because it's close to a Wal-green's, and I need to get some dental floss).

Greg got done a bit early, so I picked him up. He wanted to get out in the sunshine and away from the convention center - and we had an hour to kill until tonight's entertainment. So we went caching - got two more - and back to the hotel for a bit.

As previously mentioned, the entertainment for tonight was at the House of Blues - a concert by Hootie & the Blowfish. YES!! Including the two concerts I've been to this week, that makes a total of 7 that I've been to in my lifetime. I have to say that the last two, so far, have been the best - although Blues Traveler was pretty good too (especially once we got to sit for a while).

At the Hootie Show
(thanks for the pic Vicki!)

We hooked up with Vicki again - Paul & Eric attended different events. We were bussed over from the convention center, so we didn't have to worry about transportation or parking (or getting back after). Food and beverages were provided on site, so once we arrived and scored seats, we started taking turns hitting the food tables. Once again, the food was delicious. And we continued to make merry while the music flowed and we had a great time! We tried to call Brian & Heather, but couldn't hear enough over the music to let them know we were on the line - left a loud, noisy message on Heather's cell, and Brian hung up on us. =)

All in all, the evening was *fantastic*! The icing on the cake was learning that I'd get my very own Blackberry Pearl, just for attending the concert. Sweet!! Greg got one too (in addition to another Blackberry of a different type that he won earlier in the week), but it's a different color. Looks like we'll be a Blackberry family...

On tap for today: Chad mentioned some really comfortable sandals made by Croc - I'm going to see if I can find them. Also found another outlet mall (thanks, Eric!) that I think I'll check out. There is no convention sponsored dinner or entertainment tonight, so Greg & I will be on our own... =)

Shopping Spree Tuesday

It seems that I've been spending the first part of my day... sleeping in. =) Since I'm not meeting anyone and don't have a particular schedule to keep, that works fine for me. It's been a little disconcerting for the hotel staff - they keep trying to clean the room around 9am (when I'm still in bed), and again around 11am (I'm still there, but usually dressed and lounging around by then).

Yesterday was a day for shopping. Monday I located one of the outlet malls, so Tuesday was time to see what's there. On my list of things to get: new sunglasses, clothes for work, and new sandals that hopefully won't kill my feel when we're wandering around Universal on Saturday. Oh - and anything else that catches my eye. =)

I did lunch at the mall - thinking it'd be close so I could get shopping as soon as I was done, and they'd have something unique to try. I got as unique as A&W... but I don't go there at home, and I had the corndog bites. They were good, but could have been better if they were jalapeño cheese corndog bites. And I had the fountain rootbeer - it'd be a shame to go to A&W and have a Diet Coke... =) Today's lunch will be someplace truly unique - at least, not in Alaska.

I found most of what I was looking for - which means that while I *can* go shopping today, there's not lots of motivation to go. I'm not sure what I'll do, but I have to get out and about - at least for lunch...

An M&M Vending Machine

In addition to the "list" items, I went looking for a beverage - and found a fudge shop. Free samples... Yum! So I got one slice - and then they told me that if I bought another, I'd get a third free. What am I going to do with my three slices of fudge?!? Hopefully Chad & Angie like maple nut, dark chocolate w/ nuts, or rocky road fudge... =)

Todd's Shop - I didn't go in
since it was men's clothing

I took my booty back to the hotel, and decided to finish reading my travel book: Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz. I know several people who've read the book and really enjoyed it. I have to say it was very entertaining, and I'll be picking up the sequels sometime. My next travel book is The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. I saw the previews and thought it'd be a very interesting movie - so when Greg found the book at the airport book shop, I figured it would work for travel entertainment.

And then it was time for the evening entertainment. Tonight, the conference was hosting a John Mayer concert. This also included dinner, Cirque USA performances (jugglers, contortionists, aerial performances, a cube spinner, fire jugglers, and more), a band (Mechanical Soul), and a DJ (Soul Kitchen). The room was set up almost like a lounge area - very relaxed - with huge displays to show what was happening on stage (or the dance floor, where most of the Cirque performances happened), but most people gravitated towards the live performance, so there was always a wall of people wherever things were happening. It was still an amazing night of performances.

Mechanical Soul

Igor the Cube Spinner

Stilt Walker

John Mayer
(picture by Vicki - thanks!!)

It was an enjoyable evening. I met some of the people that Greg is attending the conference with. Vicki braved the crowds to get us some great pictures of John Mayer. Eric was disappointed that no one was going to be tasered (because John Mayer music is just not conducive to taser-deserving behavior), and Paul performed the dyslexic version of YMCA. Plus, the DJ at the end was fantastic! The dance floor was packed and he kept the crowd enthralled - which meant there were plenty of people for me to watch. =)

The Fun Group: Paul, Greg, & Vicki
(Eric was called away before I could get the picture)

Lazy Day

Today was Greg's first day at the conference he's here to attend. So he had to get up early, and I think he missed lunch. (But they made up for it by serving free dinner...) I, on the other hand, continued on my vacation. In some ways, it was like being home *and* on vacation - the best of both worlds. No, I did not feel my cats sleeping at my knees... but I did sleep in until around 10am - like home, since on holiday we're running around seeing & doing things, but like vacation because I don't get to sleep in until 10am on a weekday (unless I forgot to set my alarm...).

By the time I was finally ready to leave the room, it was past lunch. The first thing I did was make sure I knew how to find the convention center, since I was meeting Greg there for dinner. After that, I was looking for some outlet malls that are supposed to be around here - I figured they'd have some food joints nearby... I ended up getting a bit lost. I usually try to eat local food when I'm traveling - something we don't have at home. Lunch was McDonald's today, but I justified that because I went to the coolest Mickey D's I've ever seen. It was either right next to or inside the Disney compound, which might explain some of the features. The outside was 3-D; the inside has one wall that's almost entirely TV screens where they're playing Mickey Mouse shows; above the condiments and by the soda is a revolving Mickey Mouse hand that's pouring a bottle of cola; the floor has a McDonald's timeline; the ceiling is decorated with all kinds of black & white pictures of Disney & McDonald's related things. It was crazy! I'm guessing that Mickey D's & Mickey Mouse have some kind of relationship, since they sell nuggets & french fries inside the park - they don't have the official arches, but the packaging and the food is there.

After lunch, I got un-lost - at least in the sense that I knew my location. Still hadn't found the outlet stores. When I finally pulled into a Walgreen's to get some supplies (I only forgot a couple things at home... like my hair pick!), I asked for directions. Turns out that at least one set of outlet malls is on the other side of my hotel. I hadn't been down that road, but it's easy to get to! So I headed out that way, and what did I find? A place that sells sunglasses (which is on my list of things to get) and a day spa. The clincher for the spa was a sign that said foot massage. Oh, my poor dawgs have been barkin'!! So I treated myself to a pedicure - and today's special was a free manicure with the purchase of a hot rocks pedicure. My feet love me now. =) And my nails are pretty too. (Don't you just love the hotel carpet?!?)

I was late to meet Greg (for a good cause!), but got to the convention center by about 6:30pm. Called to let him know I was on my way, was there, was waiting, was waiting, was waiting... I figured he couldn't hear his phone because of the noise, but eventually he'd wonder where I was at and call me... And I decided I'd wait about 45 minutes, then head out to get my own dinner. Just under the time limit, he called and we finally hooked up. Since this portion ended at 8pm, that gave me about 45 minutes to wander around with him and grab some food. I've never been to a convention, and this one is a no-holds-barred kind. This was the "meet & greet" dinner - so there were booths everywhere, food everywhere, and even entertainment. There was a band playing Jimmy Buffet at one end, African drummers, a stilt walker, and of course the patrons.

Now I'm going to read some and relax before I pick Greg up at midnight. He'll be starting early again tomorrow, poor guy. I, on the other hand, will be sleeping in, then shopping, then hooking up with him to go to a John Mayer concert put on by this convention. No-holds-barred. It should be another fun day!!

Mother's Day Meander

Yesterday was a long but enjoyable day. We were up early - at least earlier than normal for me on a weekend day. Up by about 7:30am, dressed and headed down to breakfast. The hotel here has a really good breakfast buffet - my favorite part is the Mickey waffle maker. Yummy - and cool! =)

Spaceship Earth

We didn't make it to Epcot right as it opened (9am), but we were there shortly after. And the fun (and walking) begins. If you're going expecting lots of rides, Epcot will be disappointing. But if you're going for interesting exhibits, activities (especially for the kids!!), and food you'll be highly satisfied. Since we went on Mother's Day, they gave out carnations to the moms and adjusted some of the skits - we watched a street skit about Queen Arthur and the Holy Grail that was very entertaining. =)

The Seas with Nemo & Friends

We started in the section called Future World - it opens and closes earlier than the other section, the World Showcase. Although we spent a little more time in line that I would have liked, most of the lines were indoors (read: air conditioned) and had lots of things to see while we were waiting. The longest wait for a ride was about 45 minutes for Soarin', but it was a fantastic ride and I'm glad we did it (altho I wouldn't wait in line to do it twice). We saw ourselves in the future, rode the test track, and went under the sea. It's absolutely amazing to think of how many people Disney employs. Not only the parking guys, ticket takers, and shop sellers, but the marine biologists, and scientists - and let's not forget the landscapers and fireworks guys too...

Peter Pan Play Area

We waited to eat lunch until we got to the World Showcase. When we talked to Chad, he said the last time they were there, they tried to eat at each world location. Sounded like a worthy goal... unfortunately, that meant I didn't get lunch until around 4pm - which means I was getting a little cranky. My fault, as there were plenty of places to grab some food or snacks to tide me over until the real deal. Once I took the edge off, the wait was worth it! We started in Canada, but didn't eat there. We ate first in the UK - fish & chips. In France, we had pastries (three of them - we were a bit greedy and didn't pace ourselves well); Morocco was a falafel wrap; skipped Japan, America, and Italy since we were really full; ate again in Germany: brat w/ sauerkraut & a pretzel; and just visited (no food) China, Norway, & Mexico. It was late and we only had an hour left by the time we got to China, so we wandered through the rest without worrying about trying the "local" fare. There were also a couple adventures that we missed because there just wasn't enough time. It was a great adventure!

O Canada!

Norwegian Troll

The finale was the fireworks over the lake - what an amazing display! By the time we were done, I had to hobble back to the car - I didn't wear the best shoes for a day full of walking and standing - but it was a great day. To top it off, we were able to call both our moms when we got back to the hotel. One of the benefits for being in an early time zone is that we could wait to call until after 11pm and it wasn't waking anyone up or seem like an emergency. =)

On tap for today: shopping. Greg starts his conferencing today, so I'll be doing some shopping and then we'll hook up for dinner.

Saturday in Sunny Floriday

Today we didn't plan a particular adventure. Just figured we'd recuperate from travelling and see if we couldn't get the lay of the land a bit. We had breakfast at Cracker Barrel - and after, found the first cache for the day. Did some more caching, then went to find the hotel. We were still a little early, but they let us check in anyway. Which was nice for me, since I was in long sleeves & jeans. We changed into shorts and a new top for me, then headed out again.

Wildlife while on Walk-About

Little Parks Everywhere

Caching by the Palms

One of the big differences I've noticed is the little parks, green areas, and water features that are everywhere in this environment. I realize it's because it's more tropical here, but it's still enchanting to me. Some of the trees are absolutely gargantuan - and they've been growing for hundreds of years. In fact, one tree we saw had branches big enough to be individual trees. Those branches have grown up, then bent & touched the earth, and become roots for additional new branches & leaves. Absolutely amazing!

200+ year old tree, whose branches are also roots

There was a Flash Mob event (another geocaching thing) that Greg wanted to hit, so we headed out that way. Took a nice walk and found a few more caches, then headed out again. Another area for caches - and then I was hungry. Thanks to the maps in Greg's GPS, we found an Olive Garden that was just around the corner. That served us for lunch/dinner - and then we headed out again. Yup. More caching. We spent some time in the Orlando Loch Haven Park. I think it's associated with a university or school - but we got to see some nice artwork.

Art Sculptures at Loch Haven Park

Flash Mob Event

It was a long day. I am a bit sunburned, my legs are a little swollen (always happens when I travel - I expect it'll be better tomorrow), I was swarmed by ants and now my ankles itch, and most of the day I was a sweating puddle of goo. But it was still enjoyable. I'm looking forward to relaxing for the rest of the evening, then getting back to the adventures tomorrow: Epcot Center, here we come!! =)

Flordia Trip - Travel

We're in Sunny Florida - as of this morning at 7am (3am AK time). I was late leaving work yesterday and had most of my packing yet to do, but we made the flight with plenty of time. I snagged a little lunch while I was working - good thing, because dinner was a bit sparce. Greg had an ice cream sandwich and a chocolate bar. I supplemented the plane food (below) with cheddar & peanut butter crackers, nibs, and chocolate covered peanuts. =)

All the bags made the trip - wahoo! And we met Billy at the airport to transfer some fish. One leg of the journey completed successfully. Yay!

After we collected the bags, we got our rental car and headed out. First stop - breakfast! Directly after breakfast? The first cache. We got 15 of them today. Could have done more, but I'm still learning to work the equipment.

I've got lots of pictures from today - but I'll put them in the next post. Suffice it to say we're here, we're safe, we're staying busy... On tap for tomorrow: Epcot Center.