Driving From Tallahassee to Disneyworld

Fireworks over the Magic Kingdom - seen from the roof of the Contemporary Hotel last night.

FAME - Florida Association of Media Educators - meets in Orlando every October. Lulu is usually there to make a presentation. I come along for the ride. 

Yesterday - we packed up our new car at 10:00 AM and head east and south. The new car has a nice trunk - but if you plan to put the hardtop roof down - you must make sure the trunk is only half full.If it is overpacked - the servo will not even open the top. So each of us packed one small suitcase  - and everything was set for the ride. The new car has 230 horsepower and very long legs. I do not go fast - but the test reports say it will cruise at 150 MPH - I think they do that in Germany. On the Interstate highways - we kept the top up. 

When you are an old couple - the big choices for lunch are between Cracker Barrel and Steak and Shake. For me - I prefer to eat at places on the right side of the road - less crossing over traffic. When Lulu picked Steak and Shake - I guess old age love is making 5 left turns to get there.

After our fantastic $4.00 lunches - it was Lulu's turn at the wheel. We arrived safely at the Bonnet Creek Hilton in Disneyworld - the place where all the Florida Librarians convene. Lulu likes this hotel because of the gigantic pool which includes a lazy river - when you get in the current it takes you on a 1/4 mile circle. It is even better when you remember to bring your inner tubes.

The pool - the hot tub not so much. It was great until this overblown male librarian proceeded to spill his guts about being transferred to a bad school because he tattled on the teachers for cheating on the FCAT Test. Finally - I had to tell him back off - I said I was a former school board president and union president. After 10 years away from the classroom - it all seemed so comical. 

My favorite thing so far was Celebration. We drove about 4 miles to this contrived town where people really buy houses and live. We have been there several times before - but this time was the best. It was 80 degrees - sunset - the full moon was rising. Riding around with the top down on the bricks streets of this fantasy village was great. It was downtown Tamaqua in the 1940s - but super clean. All the store fronts were filled with cutsy stuff. There were so many sidewalk cafes to eat.

Around the corner - suddenly - Lulu spied the Columbia. She had heard of this Cuba/Miami eatery before - and it looked so nice. The prices were not Cracker Barrel style - but who know the next time we will see one. The big choice was sitting inside our outside. This picture shows the view from our table.

I thought it was called Columbia House Restaurant in Celebration FL is very nice. When th waiter brought the check - I was afraid he had a bill for some old mail order record albums.

For $18 - I had a steak - rice- plantains. With a glass of sangria - the scene was set and got better with each sip. It was now 9 PM - and I expected to go back to our hotel - but Lulu had other plans. 

Lulu asked Siri - "What time are the fireworks at Disneyworld?" Siri said - "At the Magic Kingdom they were go off at 10 PM." We zoomed to Downtown Disney. Caught the free bus to the Contemporary Hotel to go up on the roof to see the action. One problem - the elevator guy said the roof was full and no one else could go up. Sure. What many people do not know - at the end of every hall in that hotel is a fire escape - and it goes right to the roof. The door out said that once you went out - the door locked behind you. You had to go downstairs. But the steps did not fail us and went both ways - fire code - after a short climb we greeted the people on the mostly empty roof. 

The fireworks were nice - but I was tired after a long day. So back to the room we go.

Long pause - I just got awake - Lulu is at the convention - and I am thinking about breakfast and lunch.

Lulu loves to buy Disney stuff.

With the new Apple Watch or your iPhone - you just put it next to the little Hidden Mickey - your purchase is recorded - no signing - no code. They still take cash and credit cards too.