Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Saturday, December 24, 2011
A Real Christmas
Do yourself a favor and listen to my favorite Christmas story by following this link. It'll be the best 10 minutes you spend this Christmas.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Florida
Year of First Visit – 1989
Point of Entry – Orlando International Airport
Even before visiting any of the Disney parks, she cam up from under water in the 80s pool at the Pop Century resort and peacefully declared, “Florida is a great place.”
That’s what I thought, too, the first time I landed there. It was between my freshman and sophomore year of college and it was the first vacation I’d ever taken that didn’t involve visiting family at least someplace along the way.
When the Northwest Orient jet touched down at Orlando I was amazed. It was the first time I’d seen palm trees other than in shopping malls. Everything was completely exotic. Even the setup of trams at the airport seemed like a warm-up to the rides at Disney.
That trip to Disney World with my parents was one of the best weeks of my life. The adventure of Disney was beyond what I could have imagined. A favorite thing was Illuminations at Epcot Center.
More wonderful memories came later with my kids. We took my family on vacation in the Daytona area several times in the early 2000s. We stayed with our friends at their home in Ormond Beach. With it’s screened in pool area and spacious accommodations it was like having a private resort.
From there we went out to see many places. This included a couple of trips to the Kennedy Space Center, Silver Springs, and Marineland.
Naturally, we hit the beaches of Daytona several times. On one trip there I was wading up to my knees when a wave hit and wiped my prescription sunglasses clean off my face. We never found them.
I also had one of the 10 best days of my life on one of those trips when my five-year-old son and I spent the day together at the Magic Kingdom. My wife was pregnant at the time so she stayed in Ormond Beach to sew maternity clothes. I didn’t have any particular agenda there and thought we’d just go until he got tired then go back to Daytona.
He did a great job and we were still in the park when the electric light parade came by. Once it was over he was ready to go but there was no way we could get out from our perch by Cinderella’s Palace until the after the fireworks. With his finger raised, he declared, “I’ll watch ONE firework then I’m going home!” Of course, he stood mesmerized until the fireworks finale faded.
We were riding a ways in the dark in the van on the way home when I noticed he was still awake. I said, “You can go to sleep.” He said, “OK,” turned his head, and immediately fell into exhaustion.
Not all of my memories of Florida are from the central part of the state. We drove one Christmas from Baltimore to Miami. That’s when I discovered that the Everglades are among my favorite places in the world. We also visited Biscayne National Park and Key West on that trip.
Another Christmas, we spent the week at Sea World in Orlando. Most people can cover that park in a day but we spent nearly 4 days there thoroughly absorbing the place. We even splurged and did the Hawaiian Luau dinner one night. On the penultimate day there, my daughter said to my wife, “Have you ever been someplace that you never wanted to leave?” She cried when we had to leave the last day, something that didn’t even happen at Disney World.
And, yes, we did have an amazing week in Florida at Disney World. Though record breaking heat, we thoroughly loved every minute of it. We found ourselves in line at the bus each morning with the same family from Texas. We were taking time off from our national parks trips to go to Disney. They were annual Disney vacationers who were looking to do a national parks tour the next year so we swapped notes and plans.
So much in Florida ---- and I haven’t even talked about our time in Pensacola or all the places that are still on my list to go. I hope to update this portion of my states journal many, many more times.
Point of Entry – Orlando International Airport
Even before visiting any of the Disney parks, she cam up from under water in the 80s pool at the Pop Century resort and peacefully declared, “Florida is a great place.”
That’s what I thought, too, the first time I landed there. It was between my freshman and sophomore year of college and it was the first vacation I’d ever taken that didn’t involve visiting family at least someplace along the way.
When the Northwest Orient jet touched down at Orlando I was amazed. It was the first time I’d seen palm trees other than in shopping malls. Everything was completely exotic. Even the setup of trams at the airport seemed like a warm-up to the rides at Disney.
That trip to Disney World with my parents was one of the best weeks of my life. The adventure of Disney was beyond what I could have imagined. A favorite thing was Illuminations at Epcot Center.
More wonderful memories came later with my kids. We took my family on vacation in the Daytona area several times in the early 2000s. We stayed with our friends at their home in Ormond Beach. With it’s screened in pool area and spacious accommodations it was like having a private resort.
From there we went out to see many places. This included a couple of trips to the Kennedy Space Center, Silver Springs, and Marineland.
Naturally, we hit the beaches of Daytona several times. On one trip there I was wading up to my knees when a wave hit and wiped my prescription sunglasses clean off my face. We never found them.
I also had one of the 10 best days of my life on one of those trips when my five-year-old son and I spent the day together at the Magic Kingdom. My wife was pregnant at the time so she stayed in Ormond Beach to sew maternity clothes. I didn’t have any particular agenda there and thought we’d just go until he got tired then go back to Daytona.
He did a great job and we were still in the park when the electric light parade came by. Once it was over he was ready to go but there was no way we could get out from our perch by Cinderella’s Palace until the after the fireworks. With his finger raised, he declared, “I’ll watch ONE firework then I’m going home!” Of course, he stood mesmerized until the fireworks finale faded.
We were riding a ways in the dark in the van on the way home when I noticed he was still awake. I said, “You can go to sleep.” He said, “OK,” turned his head, and immediately fell into exhaustion.
Not all of my memories of Florida are from the central part of the state. We drove one Christmas from Baltimore to Miami. That’s when I discovered that the Everglades are among my favorite places in the world. We also visited Biscayne National Park and Key West on that trip.
Another Christmas, we spent the week at Sea World in Orlando. Most people can cover that park in a day but we spent nearly 4 days there thoroughly absorbing the place. We even splurged and did the Hawaiian Luau dinner one night. On the penultimate day there, my daughter said to my wife, “Have you ever been someplace that you never wanted to leave?” She cried when we had to leave the last day, something that didn’t even happen at Disney World.
And, yes, we did have an amazing week in Florida at Disney World. Though record breaking heat, we thoroughly loved every minute of it. We found ourselves in line at the bus each morning with the same family from Texas. We were taking time off from our national parks trips to go to Disney. They were annual Disney vacationers who were looking to do a national parks tour the next year so we swapped notes and plans.
So much in Florida ---- and I haven’t even talked about our time in Pensacola or all the places that are still on my list to go. I hope to update this portion of my states journal many, many more times.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Delaware
Year of First Visit – 1998
Point of Entry – I-95 near Newark
I was surprised to find myself Delaware that day. I was on a “Press the Flesh” tour in Maryland for my new job. We learned upon arrival at BWI that the boss’s boss’s boss would be in Philadelphia the next day and that an appearance was required.
I hopped in the passenger seat in the morning not really thinking about the route to Phili other than that it was up I-95. An hour later I was able to mark The First State as my 23rd state.
Thought I get frustrated every time Delaware charges me an entrance or exit fee (East Coast drivers know exactly what I mean!) I have to say that when I’ve actually stopped the car in the state it’s been worth the price.
The Hagley Museum is a favorite place. It’s a great place to learn industrial history and enjoy some stunning outdoor settings at the same time.
We also have made several trips to the Rehoboth outlets for shopping right after Christmas. Clearance racks with no sales tax make a Happy New Year.
It’s small. It’s close to where I live. It’s a place I know I’ll be again. I just need to remember to stop the car someplace in Delaware other than at the toll booth.
Point of Entry – I-95 near Newark
I was surprised to find myself Delaware that day. I was on a “Press the Flesh” tour in Maryland for my new job. We learned upon arrival at BWI that the boss’s boss’s boss would be in Philadelphia the next day and that an appearance was required.
I hopped in the passenger seat in the morning not really thinking about the route to Phili other than that it was up I-95. An hour later I was able to mark The First State as my 23rd state.
Thought I get frustrated every time Delaware charges me an entrance or exit fee (East Coast drivers know exactly what I mean!) I have to say that when I’ve actually stopped the car in the state it’s been worth the price.
The Hagley Museum is a favorite place. It’s a great place to learn industrial history and enjoy some stunning outdoor settings at the same time.
We also have made several trips to the Rehoboth outlets for shopping right after Christmas. Clearance racks with no sales tax make a Happy New Year.
It’s small. It’s close to where I live. It’s a place I know I’ll be again. I just need to remember to stop the car someplace in Delaware other than at the toll booth.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)