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June 23, 2008
Some things I like about Orlando, and some things I don't
So, I was in Orlando for about 9 days. At the end of 6 days, I was TOTALLY ready to come home. Of course, it probably had more to do with the fact that I was constantly nauseated, and the food choices were not all that great (although not horrible, either). I felt way too busy, given my current situation. But anyway, I took in a few things other than work, and even though I offer no pictures (yet again--by now you're probably used to it), I'll share my thoughts on Orlando.
I LOVED the Peabody ducks! If you ever get to Orlando (or Memphis, where there's also a Peabody), I recommend staying at the Peabody, and watching the duck parade every day at 11am and 5pm. Duckmaster Dave certainly loves those ducks, and they are very well-taken care of--they spend most of their time in a duck palace with a rather elaborate marble fountain. C and I got to be honorary duckmasters--it was the highlight of the trip!
I also thought the little lizards that live in the grass and the landscaping were pretty cute. Of course, Minnesota is not a climate that supports those little creatures, so it was more about the novelty than anything else.
It was interesting to learn that Florida is the lightning capital of the United States. It makes sense, what with fronts blowing in from both directions. The intense thunderstorms nearly every afternoon were pretty fun.
Everything I didn't like about Florida was pretty much theme-park related. Way too overgrown with theme parks and theme-park related things. We went to Epcot, and it was okay, but not great. I'm just not really into the whole idea of the rides that purport to teach you something, but all you do is ride by some mechanical, moving animals that make noise in the midst of a bunch of dry ice. The only thing good about it is that it's a few minutes out of the Florida sun.
Someone else told me they went to SeaWorld and saw a show called Shamu Rocks. She also said she felt really bad for Shamu. I'm still trying to understand the educational value of a whale jumping out of the water in time to rock music.
Florida is a serious driving place. The roads were HUGE, the traffic jams long. I was glad I didn't have to drive anywhere while I was there. The whole time I was there, I never, ever, saw any residential housing. None. The commercial areas I was in had loads of employees, so that means either a long bus ride or a big gas bill.
Maybe my feelings of Florida were partly shaped by my shuttle ride in. After having to wait an incredibly long time for the shuttle, I finally ended up on one that wasn't very full. A dad and his pre-teen son were sitting behind me, and it was pretty clear that this was part of summer visitation. The dad was trying so hard to win his son's affection, with promises of buffet lunches, trips to Universal Studios, and maybe dinner at Denny's. I don't even know what to say about that except that I feel sad when I think about that moment on the shuttle. I'm sure they had a good time. I just don't ever want my relationship with my child to come down to a promise of a buffet lunch and an afternoon at Seaworld.
Posted by chri1010 at June 23, 2008 3:53 PM | Other cities