Mike Jones
<font color=993300>....nothing clever to say... ju
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2003
- Messages
- 1,372
The Cast: Mike (39/40) & Scott (43), temporary escapees from their respective families.
Day 2 Sunday 13th June 2004 Early morning drive, MGM, Celebration, Siesta Key.
Weather: 78 degrees F at 06:00! Hot & Sunny (over 100 F at times!), afternoon thunderstorms on Interstate 75, hot & sunny at SK, then rain from dusk til about 11:00pm
Option A the short version!
Up uncommonly early, drive to Celebration in the dark! MGM studios, 2 hour drive to Siesta Key, swim in the Gulf of Mexico, long evening in the Daiquiri Deck, lots of new friends!
Option B the Full Monty!
.restless & broken night! Scott was snoring like a trooper from the minute he fell asleep, and although I had retained my Virgin ear plugs, they were 10 floors away in the car! I improvised with a couple of tissues and must have fallen asleep eventually, but found myself fairly awake again at 3:30am! Scott woke about then and wandered off to the bathroom, jumping about a foot in the air when I used my best Sarnt Major voice to command: Get back to bed, Duncan!
We tried unsuccessfully to get back to sleep, before giving in 15 minutes later and making a coffee! Turned the telly on to find that theyve updated the Disney promo channel at long last! Took some daft photos using the self-timer!
I would probably have stuck it out in the room for a couple of hours longer, but Scott was too excited (first time in Florida and all) so we decided to go for a drive out. Scott had his first Florida driving experience, and I navigated. Of course we had the roof down, and it was a pleasure cruising down to the 192 along empty roads! We headed for Celebration and motored slowly through the streets admiring the lovely houses. I pointed out the real estate agent and vets houses surreal!
We parked up on the front promenade, outside Café dAntonios, and walked across to the Hotel. The lobby here is right out of an Oscar Wilde set! We sat a while in the rocking chairs, before noticing that a sheriffs car was cruising towards us, taking uncomfortably close interest in our Sebring! As soon as hed turned the corner onto Market Street, we legged it to the car and drove off!
I guided Scott back to the 192 and west to Splendid China, before turning off to Indian Creek in order to show him where our last two villas were. Little bit of advice here if you want to tour residential communities in a sports car in the early hours, I recommend you put the roof up those lawn sprinklers can come as a bit of a shock!
We made it back to the hotel by 06:15. Scott phoned his kids, we had another coffee and then showered. The plan today was to have breakfast at the Golden Corrall on the 535 nearby, so off we went. Bit of a queue outside at 07:05 were they late opening? No, apparently not they open at 07:30! Ah well, not to worry. We set off along the 535 again, down to the 192 in search of an alternative wed rather be driving than waiting in a hot car park. We found a Perkins Restaurant by 7:20 and went inside. Our server offered us the menus and recommended their Breakfast Special eggs, bacon or sausage, hash browns and pancakes. Sounded good to us! Two please! We declined more coffee in favour of large OJs. Minor translation difficulties when the server asked Scott how he wanted his eggs (on my plate, fool!) he settled for well-done which only lead to three further options! A bit puddled now, he responded to the next question: Sausage or bacon, sir? with Well done, please! He settled for a sausage! The meal was served pretty quickly and came to $17.73 + tip.
Pleasantly stuffed, we made our way to Disney MGM Studios, parking in Stage 41 and arriving by tram at the gate for 8:20.
We made a quick restroom stop outside so we could leg it straight to the rides when the park opened at 9:00. There have been a series of Star Wars weekends at MGM, this being the last one. A lot of Star Wars characters and stars are present, plus a number of SW themed exhibits and shows. Im not an aficionado, so not sure if this is the correct title, but there were a couple of droid style troopers on the roof over the entrance entertaining the crowds until opening time.
I kept an eye out for Stan, the very elderly CM who had been there the last couple of our visits, handing out park maps and Mickey stickers at the gates, but didnt see him anyone else seen him recently?
We were admitted at 08:50, as far as the rope drop at the head of Hollywood Boulevard, and took up the standard attack formation on the right hand side!
Usual dramatic music and guff about the Hollywood that never was and ever shall be before being let loose at 09:00. We turned right, onto Sunset, following the ToT and RnRC CMs at a brisk walk down to the two headliners. We managed to make up enough ground to be the first at the FastPass machines for Rock and Roller Coaster, getting two passes with a return time of 09:40 10:40. About-turned, and ran back to the Tower of Terror entrance just enough of a crowd there now to take about 15 minutes getting on to the lift. I prefer this on previous visits, DD and I have run straight onto the ride, usually in the first elevator, with barely a glimpse at the gardens and hotel interior. This way, we got to see and enjoy all the theming and detail throughout the attraction (could do with a clean, though theres cobwebs and dust everywhere!) The ride was amazing as always! I hadnt primed Scott with too much detail and he was almost speechless when it ended!
We were off by 09:25 and walked down to RnRC. Were a bit early for the ride so entered the store by the back entrance to cool off a bit!
9:40, even by the clock over the FP entrance and in we go! I always feel delightfully smug, sweeping past the long, standby lines! We are inside and ready to RnR within 5 minutes. I enjoyed the pre-show for a change, knowing Scott hadnt seen it before. We progress into the garage, and result! Front row seats!! Whooppee! What a way to do your first RnRC!!! Fantastic ride! We are out by 10:00am, too late for the first Indy Show, so we grab a couple more FPs for 11:05 12:05 before wandering towards Star Tours, stopping for the obligatory photos in front of the hat.
Loads of Star Wars characters knocking about sorry, I dont know the names of most of them! Star Tours had a Standby time of 25 minutes, but we can afford that, and, its air-conditioned inside! It actually takes less probably around 15 minutes before we board for our little trip to Endor! Not the best sim ride in Florida, but always great value! Still early for the next Indy show at 11:15, I guide Scott towards New York Street for a browse, but it is soon clear that large parts are under reconstruction so we return to the plaza between the lagoon and the Indy theatre.
Scott rang his GF, Diane, and we entered the line at 10:50. It is stifling in the queue area and we are grateful to be admitted to the (relatively) cool auditorium. For some reason I can never explain, I have always watched this show from the left hand side of the theatre, so for a change we take seats on the upper levels just right of centre. It did give a different perspective to the show, and I enjoyed seeing different details than on previous visits. The guy with the pink shirt is pretty obvious, as he lurks in the aisle next to us for 5 minutes until he is picked by the CM. Scott was impressed by the action and we leave, satisfied, at 11:45, heading back to Rock and Roller coaster for our second ride. Slightly peckish, we grab an ice-cream cookie sandwich from a vendor cart along the way. Yum!
Our second ride is excellent, and, although we dont get the front seats, we do queue jump about 20 people as the first group of two needed to fill a car.
We leave the ride, and head towards the exit at 12:15. The heat is very oppressive, and, for the first time ever, I can feel a blister starting on the side of my left heel. I didnt pack any plasters, so call at the First Aid post near the entrance for a band-aid. I am given several, requiring just a signature in the log, and spend a second or two to apply one at the benches outside.
We drop our top, and head off for Celebration. For the first time, I follow the signs directing us from WDW, instead of getting on the 192 and finding my own way. This route is a bit convoluted, but guides us past the Celebration High School and through a large, residential area of traditional American-colonial houses. Very pleasant! The car thermometer records 96 degrees!
We park on the promenade for the second time today, (although it is slightly busier now!) and enter the Market Street Café opposite, for lunch.
The air-con is so wonderful that we elect to sit inside and are offered a booth near the rear of the room. Our server is very pleasant (arent they all?) and we order milk shakes and Celebration burgers. Our waitress brings tall, complimentary glasses of iced water while we wait.
Lunch is served within 10 minutes and is delicious! The check is $25, including tip. Now for part 2 of my Celebration rituals we walk (sweat!) our way across the street to Barnies and order coffees I try to leave a $ for the server, but am advised that they are not allowed to receive tips! We walk a short distance back to the lakeside and sit on the oak rocking chairs under shady umbrellas. Its a flat calm day, with not a ripple on the water, a modest number of people wandering the streets and the babble of laughing children dashing in and out of the interactive fountain at the opther end of the promenade. Im at peace!
We phoned home (2:00pm here, 7:00pm at home) and enjoyed our coffee. I caught up on my notes. Somewhat reluctantly, we take a few piccies of the car and head off back to the hotel. (Another brief bit of drop-top advice if you leave the roof down when parking in circa 100 deg heat, shade the steering wheel, or remember to bring asbestos gloves! Never mind, I believe burns like that will heal without leaving a permanent scar!)
We cruise back to DTD via the 192 and 535, with the top down and Dire Straits blasting away on the sound system. The thermometer creeps past 100 degrees! We put a few things together for the night in Siesta Key and head off for Interstate 4 West at 3:00pm. Still over 100 degrees. Scott drove the first 50 miles or so, until just before the I75 turn-off, stopping briefly on a side road to put the roof up, partly because we were starting to shrivel, and, we could see the clouds building up in the distance. I took the wheel for the rest of the journey.
Shortly after joining I75 South, we started to see lightning strikes a few miles ahead. Within minutes we hit the storm front and were appalled at the change in conditions! The temperature dropped from 102 to 74 degrees within 5 minutes, as we were literally drenched by almost unbroken torrents of rain, accompanied by more lightning flashes and thunderclaps. The visibility diminished to about 10 yards and the traffic slowed to less than 20 mph. This lasted for perhaps 8-10 miles, maybe 20 minutes, although it felt much longer. Not the most pleasant driving experience Ive ever had, although it was very dramatic!
It changed almost as quickly back again, and within a few more miles there was no sign of the extreme weather back up the road. The temps crept back to mid 90s and blue skies re-appeared. Hot, hot, hot!
We reached Siesta Key around 5:20pm and I was delighted at the feeling of familiarity as we cruised down the Beach Road towards the Village. I was pointing out various landmarks and yelling the names to Scott, whilst trying to keep an eye open for the hotel I thought I could remember the building, but wasnt absolutely sure. Siesta Key is very low-rise and only a few buildings (mostly a few miles south of SK Village) reach higher than 2 or 3 floors. The Best Western was not one building, in fact, more a collection of attached bungalows with adjacent annexes, the reception building being right on the street, virtually opposite our favourite bar, the Daiquiri Deck. We pulled in and entered the tiny office. Responding to our names, the receptionist grinned and brought out a large giftbag with a Dibb picture on the front! My brain couldnt deal with this at first who the heck had sent this? Then it dawned it hadnt been sent, it had been delivered, by Ken (Hops on the DIBB) from St Petes! We checked in and walked across the road to our small apartment one room with 2 double beds, shower room and tiny kitchen. The row formed one side of a quadrangle surrounding a pleasant pool area. We dropped our gear and I opened the bag 6 bottles of real ale from a variety of Florida breweries. Bless you Ken! I was very touched by this, and we sat outside by the pool with a bottle each!
Sad news when I turned my phone on text from Diane to inform us that England have managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, losing 2-1 to France in the Euros! Oh well, who cares? Im in Florida and its my birthday eve! Depression is pushed firmly away and we discuss our plan for the evening. Every Sunday night on Siesta Key Public Beach (about a mile away) there is a delightful Drumdown ceremony where locals and visitors assemble in large numbers, with every kind of percussion instrument, from professional bongos to pots and pans, to drum down the sun. We caught it in December and it was magic! Perhaps well wander up there before settling in at the bars. We both fancy a swim, but a quick check of the pool suggests that they may have forgotten to turn the heating off its warmer than my bathwater! Instead, we emptied our pockets, (so no piccies I will post some tomorrow from my birthday morning) left the room key-cards at reception and walked across the road onto the pristine beach. There were plenty of people around, but it could not in any way be described as busy. We stripped to shorts and dived into the sea its even warmer than the pool! What a hoot! The water seemed to deepen very quickly to beyond my height, yet a couple of hundred yards ahead we could see people standing up, obviously on a sandbar. We struck out for this, swimming quite hard against the incoming waves, and when we arrived, it was a steep scramble up onto the bar! Oh this is the life! We can see the whole of Crescent Beach (effectively the middle portion of Siestas coastline), and there are pelicans and wading birds feeding along the waters edge. No dolphins though, sadly! A bit hazier now, still incredibly warm, with that heaviness that suggests it wont be long before it pours down!
We dive back in and strike out for the beach swimming back is much easier, as I think both tide and waves were assisting. I do a lot of swimming at home, in pools, but I had forgotten the extra buoyancy you get in the sea! We chat as we head in Scott asks are there any sharks hereabouts yes, I reply, although not seen or heard of any local incidents. A few yards further on he yells out, thrashing his hands for a second, and then I feel something large strike me in the ribs oh s**t! ..Relax its a local teen whos practising his underwater technique and gone off course! Hes very apologetic! (and thankfully, underwater, no one can see the state of your underwear!)
We walk south along the pure, white and hard packed sand, towards the public beach area this is no different to the rest of the beaches, just a bit wider (300 yards or so, as opposed to 150-200) with lifeguard stations (pretty, brightly painted huts) and the odd volleyball pitch. A mile or so down, we turn and head back to the hotel. Its getting sultry now, and we expect rain anytime.
We get cleaned up. I am checking out the telly (just the same rubbish as in Orlando) while Scott showers. Suddenly, dripping wet, he dashes out of the bathroom to wish me Happy Birthday! somewhat puzzled, he points to his watch its 7:00pm, or 12:00 midnight tomorrow at home! Aww! Cheers, mate!
After showering and changing we leave the hotel about 7:30 for the 50 yard dash to the Daiquiri Deck (http://www.daiquirideck.com/siestakey/ ), taking a brolly, as the first enormous spots of rain are starting to splash down, causing small dust explosions as they strike. Well, there's not much chance of seeing the Drumdown Ceremony now - we're not walking a mile there and a mile back in a tropical storm! I like the DD a lot we spent several sessions here with the kids in December/New Year. Its a lively, friendly place, open to the street, with occasional live music, great food and lovely cocktails. It attracts a lot of Harley riders, so the sidewalks are usually decorated with the huge, chrome and leather monsters (the bikes, not the riders!). We check-in for a table, and are given a pager with the information that it will probably be about 45 minutes before we can be seated for dinner. Not a problem, were not in a hurry tonight!
The place is heaving! Every table on the lower terrace, just above the sidewalk, is full, and there are hopeful diners waiting either side of the entrance steps. We climb the few steps up to the bar, where we grab the last couple of stools against the bar counter. Our server is Roxanne, who stays behind the bar. We order a pitcher of Bud, swiftly followed by another one. The bar is set in front of a series of Cocktail barrels with transparent fronts, where you can see the contents swilling around. They come as a slush type, crushed ice drink, or on the rocks.
It soon becomes apparent that the storm has arrived, as we can hear the thunderclaps above the sounds of the rock music playing. Roxanne offers us a menu, suggesting that people will linger in the dining area for much longer due to the weather. I relent eventually, and order ½ lb of peel and eat shrimps, followed by a rare, New York strip steak. Scotts too interested in his alcohol consumption now, and declines to eat, saying hes still full from lunch! He takes my brolly out a few times for a cigarette, as smoking is banned inside all Florida public areas. We start to chat with our neighbours along the bar Don, a shaven-headed, 43 year old, sun-tanned teacher from New York, newly divorced and taking a couple of weeks off before returning to coach American football over the summer break, Todd, a young, Hispanic looking lad from I forget where, who claims kinship due to Welsh and Irish grandparents!
Many others come and go, but I regret that my notes were a bit intermittent that night, and due purely to the loud music (and nothing to do with the booze!) I cant recall all the names. Roxanne recognises the accents (respect! Most of the others think were Aussie or from North East USA!) and asks which part of the UK we are from turns out she is English, with a US forces dad and English mum, and herself born in Leicestershire, where she lived until age 5, returning for an odd year or two before mom and dad decided to settle near Sarasota for good. She is a fiery character, about 5 ft tall and with angelic looks but a savage tongue! She makes great fun of a surgically altered blonde whose ****s arrive at the bar about a minute before the rest of her!
My food arrives and is excellent! Scott has let slip that its my birthday (sort-of, in the UK now, and here at midnight) and free cocktails start arriving from the bar and our new friends! Scott gets in well with a large, Texan guy who wants to prove that Texans can drink Brits under the table. As hes buying virtually all the drinks, Scott does not object to the experiment and gives a very good account of himself! At some point a crowd of us drift outside to steps at the rear of the Deck I think it must have been around 11:00 11;30, judging by the time codes on the pics we took. Its not raining any longer, and pleasantly warm rather than stifling hot.
There mustnt be too many Brits around Siesta Key, and we are very popular! Nearly everyone wants to claim some form of UK bloodline and we have a great time correcting their geographical errors. (Eire being a separate country to England, Scotland likewise, but part of the UK etc!) We also start some singalongs, and I have an abiding memory of around a dozen, drunken Americans singing lustily along to Romeo & Juliet by Dire Straits!
At some point I realise my umbrella has walked away and cant find it for love nor money. I am quite annoyed that any of my new pals would stoop so low, and intend to call back tomorrow, when my ability to speak in full sentences will hopefully have returned, to remonstrate with the management! (I am mistaken, as it happens, but thats part of tomorrows story!)
At midnight I am serenaded with raucous choruses of Happy Birthday and further dancing ensues! I decide that I have had enough by about 1:00 1:30 and stagger back to the hotel room, to sleep, perchance to dream. I am awoken a while later when Scott makes his entrance, (good job our room was 123 not sure we would have remembered anything more complex!) and proceeds to get re-acquainted with his evenings nourishment! I stick my earplugs in and drift off to sleep.
Its been a good day!
Mike
Tomorrow: Breakfast for one at the Broken Egg, back to WDW, Epcot, Illuminations & Jellyrolls!
Day 2 Sunday 13th June 2004 Early morning drive, MGM, Celebration, Siesta Key.
Weather: 78 degrees F at 06:00! Hot & Sunny (over 100 F at times!), afternoon thunderstorms on Interstate 75, hot & sunny at SK, then rain from dusk til about 11:00pm
Option A the short version!
Up uncommonly early, drive to Celebration in the dark! MGM studios, 2 hour drive to Siesta Key, swim in the Gulf of Mexico, long evening in the Daiquiri Deck, lots of new friends!
Option B the Full Monty!
.restless & broken night! Scott was snoring like a trooper from the minute he fell asleep, and although I had retained my Virgin ear plugs, they were 10 floors away in the car! I improvised with a couple of tissues and must have fallen asleep eventually, but found myself fairly awake again at 3:30am! Scott woke about then and wandered off to the bathroom, jumping about a foot in the air when I used my best Sarnt Major voice to command: Get back to bed, Duncan!
We tried unsuccessfully to get back to sleep, before giving in 15 minutes later and making a coffee! Turned the telly on to find that theyve updated the Disney promo channel at long last! Took some daft photos using the self-timer!
I would probably have stuck it out in the room for a couple of hours longer, but Scott was too excited (first time in Florida and all) so we decided to go for a drive out. Scott had his first Florida driving experience, and I navigated. Of course we had the roof down, and it was a pleasure cruising down to the 192 along empty roads! We headed for Celebration and motored slowly through the streets admiring the lovely houses. I pointed out the real estate agent and vets houses surreal!
We parked up on the front promenade, outside Café dAntonios, and walked across to the Hotel. The lobby here is right out of an Oscar Wilde set! We sat a while in the rocking chairs, before noticing that a sheriffs car was cruising towards us, taking uncomfortably close interest in our Sebring! As soon as hed turned the corner onto Market Street, we legged it to the car and drove off!
I guided Scott back to the 192 and west to Splendid China, before turning off to Indian Creek in order to show him where our last two villas were. Little bit of advice here if you want to tour residential communities in a sports car in the early hours, I recommend you put the roof up those lawn sprinklers can come as a bit of a shock!
We made it back to the hotel by 06:15. Scott phoned his kids, we had another coffee and then showered. The plan today was to have breakfast at the Golden Corrall on the 535 nearby, so off we went. Bit of a queue outside at 07:05 were they late opening? No, apparently not they open at 07:30! Ah well, not to worry. We set off along the 535 again, down to the 192 in search of an alternative wed rather be driving than waiting in a hot car park. We found a Perkins Restaurant by 7:20 and went inside. Our server offered us the menus and recommended their Breakfast Special eggs, bacon or sausage, hash browns and pancakes. Sounded good to us! Two please! We declined more coffee in favour of large OJs. Minor translation difficulties when the server asked Scott how he wanted his eggs (on my plate, fool!) he settled for well-done which only lead to three further options! A bit puddled now, he responded to the next question: Sausage or bacon, sir? with Well done, please! He settled for a sausage! The meal was served pretty quickly and came to $17.73 + tip.
Pleasantly stuffed, we made our way to Disney MGM Studios, parking in Stage 41 and arriving by tram at the gate for 8:20.
We made a quick restroom stop outside so we could leg it straight to the rides when the park opened at 9:00. There have been a series of Star Wars weekends at MGM, this being the last one. A lot of Star Wars characters and stars are present, plus a number of SW themed exhibits and shows. Im not an aficionado, so not sure if this is the correct title, but there were a couple of droid style troopers on the roof over the entrance entertaining the crowds until opening time.
I kept an eye out for Stan, the very elderly CM who had been there the last couple of our visits, handing out park maps and Mickey stickers at the gates, but didnt see him anyone else seen him recently?
We were admitted at 08:50, as far as the rope drop at the head of Hollywood Boulevard, and took up the standard attack formation on the right hand side!
Usual dramatic music and guff about the Hollywood that never was and ever shall be before being let loose at 09:00. We turned right, onto Sunset, following the ToT and RnRC CMs at a brisk walk down to the two headliners. We managed to make up enough ground to be the first at the FastPass machines for Rock and Roller Coaster, getting two passes with a return time of 09:40 10:40. About-turned, and ran back to the Tower of Terror entrance just enough of a crowd there now to take about 15 minutes getting on to the lift. I prefer this on previous visits, DD and I have run straight onto the ride, usually in the first elevator, with barely a glimpse at the gardens and hotel interior. This way, we got to see and enjoy all the theming and detail throughout the attraction (could do with a clean, though theres cobwebs and dust everywhere!) The ride was amazing as always! I hadnt primed Scott with too much detail and he was almost speechless when it ended!
We were off by 09:25 and walked down to RnRC. Were a bit early for the ride so entered the store by the back entrance to cool off a bit!
9:40, even by the clock over the FP entrance and in we go! I always feel delightfully smug, sweeping past the long, standby lines! We are inside and ready to RnR within 5 minutes. I enjoyed the pre-show for a change, knowing Scott hadnt seen it before. We progress into the garage, and result! Front row seats!! Whooppee! What a way to do your first RnRC!!! Fantastic ride! We are out by 10:00am, too late for the first Indy Show, so we grab a couple more FPs for 11:05 12:05 before wandering towards Star Tours, stopping for the obligatory photos in front of the hat.
Loads of Star Wars characters knocking about sorry, I dont know the names of most of them! Star Tours had a Standby time of 25 minutes, but we can afford that, and, its air-conditioned inside! It actually takes less probably around 15 minutes before we board for our little trip to Endor! Not the best sim ride in Florida, but always great value! Still early for the next Indy show at 11:15, I guide Scott towards New York Street for a browse, but it is soon clear that large parts are under reconstruction so we return to the plaza between the lagoon and the Indy theatre.
Scott rang his GF, Diane, and we entered the line at 10:50. It is stifling in the queue area and we are grateful to be admitted to the (relatively) cool auditorium. For some reason I can never explain, I have always watched this show from the left hand side of the theatre, so for a change we take seats on the upper levels just right of centre. It did give a different perspective to the show, and I enjoyed seeing different details than on previous visits. The guy with the pink shirt is pretty obvious, as he lurks in the aisle next to us for 5 minutes until he is picked by the CM. Scott was impressed by the action and we leave, satisfied, at 11:45, heading back to Rock and Roller coaster for our second ride. Slightly peckish, we grab an ice-cream cookie sandwich from a vendor cart along the way. Yum!
Our second ride is excellent, and, although we dont get the front seats, we do queue jump about 20 people as the first group of two needed to fill a car.
We leave the ride, and head towards the exit at 12:15. The heat is very oppressive, and, for the first time ever, I can feel a blister starting on the side of my left heel. I didnt pack any plasters, so call at the First Aid post near the entrance for a band-aid. I am given several, requiring just a signature in the log, and spend a second or two to apply one at the benches outside.
We drop our top, and head off for Celebration. For the first time, I follow the signs directing us from WDW, instead of getting on the 192 and finding my own way. This route is a bit convoluted, but guides us past the Celebration High School and through a large, residential area of traditional American-colonial houses. Very pleasant! The car thermometer records 96 degrees!
We park on the promenade for the second time today, (although it is slightly busier now!) and enter the Market Street Café opposite, for lunch.
The air-con is so wonderful that we elect to sit inside and are offered a booth near the rear of the room. Our server is very pleasant (arent they all?) and we order milk shakes and Celebration burgers. Our waitress brings tall, complimentary glasses of iced water while we wait.
Lunch is served within 10 minutes and is delicious! The check is $25, including tip. Now for part 2 of my Celebration rituals we walk (sweat!) our way across the street to Barnies and order coffees I try to leave a $ for the server, but am advised that they are not allowed to receive tips! We walk a short distance back to the lakeside and sit on the oak rocking chairs under shady umbrellas. Its a flat calm day, with not a ripple on the water, a modest number of people wandering the streets and the babble of laughing children dashing in and out of the interactive fountain at the opther end of the promenade. Im at peace!
We phoned home (2:00pm here, 7:00pm at home) and enjoyed our coffee. I caught up on my notes. Somewhat reluctantly, we take a few piccies of the car and head off back to the hotel. (Another brief bit of drop-top advice if you leave the roof down when parking in circa 100 deg heat, shade the steering wheel, or remember to bring asbestos gloves! Never mind, I believe burns like that will heal without leaving a permanent scar!)
We cruise back to DTD via the 192 and 535, with the top down and Dire Straits blasting away on the sound system. The thermometer creeps past 100 degrees! We put a few things together for the night in Siesta Key and head off for Interstate 4 West at 3:00pm. Still over 100 degrees. Scott drove the first 50 miles or so, until just before the I75 turn-off, stopping briefly on a side road to put the roof up, partly because we were starting to shrivel, and, we could see the clouds building up in the distance. I took the wheel for the rest of the journey.
Shortly after joining I75 South, we started to see lightning strikes a few miles ahead. Within minutes we hit the storm front and were appalled at the change in conditions! The temperature dropped from 102 to 74 degrees within 5 minutes, as we were literally drenched by almost unbroken torrents of rain, accompanied by more lightning flashes and thunderclaps. The visibility diminished to about 10 yards and the traffic slowed to less than 20 mph. This lasted for perhaps 8-10 miles, maybe 20 minutes, although it felt much longer. Not the most pleasant driving experience Ive ever had, although it was very dramatic!
It changed almost as quickly back again, and within a few more miles there was no sign of the extreme weather back up the road. The temps crept back to mid 90s and blue skies re-appeared. Hot, hot, hot!
We reached Siesta Key around 5:20pm and I was delighted at the feeling of familiarity as we cruised down the Beach Road towards the Village. I was pointing out various landmarks and yelling the names to Scott, whilst trying to keep an eye open for the hotel I thought I could remember the building, but wasnt absolutely sure. Siesta Key is very low-rise and only a few buildings (mostly a few miles south of SK Village) reach higher than 2 or 3 floors. The Best Western was not one building, in fact, more a collection of attached bungalows with adjacent annexes, the reception building being right on the street, virtually opposite our favourite bar, the Daiquiri Deck. We pulled in and entered the tiny office. Responding to our names, the receptionist grinned and brought out a large giftbag with a Dibb picture on the front! My brain couldnt deal with this at first who the heck had sent this? Then it dawned it hadnt been sent, it had been delivered, by Ken (Hops on the DIBB) from St Petes! We checked in and walked across the road to our small apartment one room with 2 double beds, shower room and tiny kitchen. The row formed one side of a quadrangle surrounding a pleasant pool area. We dropped our gear and I opened the bag 6 bottles of real ale from a variety of Florida breweries. Bless you Ken! I was very touched by this, and we sat outside by the pool with a bottle each!
Sad news when I turned my phone on text from Diane to inform us that England have managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, losing 2-1 to France in the Euros! Oh well, who cares? Im in Florida and its my birthday eve! Depression is pushed firmly away and we discuss our plan for the evening. Every Sunday night on Siesta Key Public Beach (about a mile away) there is a delightful Drumdown ceremony where locals and visitors assemble in large numbers, with every kind of percussion instrument, from professional bongos to pots and pans, to drum down the sun. We caught it in December and it was magic! Perhaps well wander up there before settling in at the bars. We both fancy a swim, but a quick check of the pool suggests that they may have forgotten to turn the heating off its warmer than my bathwater! Instead, we emptied our pockets, (so no piccies I will post some tomorrow from my birthday morning) left the room key-cards at reception and walked across the road onto the pristine beach. There were plenty of people around, but it could not in any way be described as busy. We stripped to shorts and dived into the sea its even warmer than the pool! What a hoot! The water seemed to deepen very quickly to beyond my height, yet a couple of hundred yards ahead we could see people standing up, obviously on a sandbar. We struck out for this, swimming quite hard against the incoming waves, and when we arrived, it was a steep scramble up onto the bar! Oh this is the life! We can see the whole of Crescent Beach (effectively the middle portion of Siestas coastline), and there are pelicans and wading birds feeding along the waters edge. No dolphins though, sadly! A bit hazier now, still incredibly warm, with that heaviness that suggests it wont be long before it pours down!
We dive back in and strike out for the beach swimming back is much easier, as I think both tide and waves were assisting. I do a lot of swimming at home, in pools, but I had forgotten the extra buoyancy you get in the sea! We chat as we head in Scott asks are there any sharks hereabouts yes, I reply, although not seen or heard of any local incidents. A few yards further on he yells out, thrashing his hands for a second, and then I feel something large strike me in the ribs oh s**t! ..Relax its a local teen whos practising his underwater technique and gone off course! Hes very apologetic! (and thankfully, underwater, no one can see the state of your underwear!)
We walk south along the pure, white and hard packed sand, towards the public beach area this is no different to the rest of the beaches, just a bit wider (300 yards or so, as opposed to 150-200) with lifeguard stations (pretty, brightly painted huts) and the odd volleyball pitch. A mile or so down, we turn and head back to the hotel. Its getting sultry now, and we expect rain anytime.
We get cleaned up. I am checking out the telly (just the same rubbish as in Orlando) while Scott showers. Suddenly, dripping wet, he dashes out of the bathroom to wish me Happy Birthday! somewhat puzzled, he points to his watch its 7:00pm, or 12:00 midnight tomorrow at home! Aww! Cheers, mate!
After showering and changing we leave the hotel about 7:30 for the 50 yard dash to the Daiquiri Deck (http://www.daiquirideck.com/siestakey/ ), taking a brolly, as the first enormous spots of rain are starting to splash down, causing small dust explosions as they strike. Well, there's not much chance of seeing the Drumdown Ceremony now - we're not walking a mile there and a mile back in a tropical storm! I like the DD a lot we spent several sessions here with the kids in December/New Year. Its a lively, friendly place, open to the street, with occasional live music, great food and lovely cocktails. It attracts a lot of Harley riders, so the sidewalks are usually decorated with the huge, chrome and leather monsters (the bikes, not the riders!). We check-in for a table, and are given a pager with the information that it will probably be about 45 minutes before we can be seated for dinner. Not a problem, were not in a hurry tonight!
The place is heaving! Every table on the lower terrace, just above the sidewalk, is full, and there are hopeful diners waiting either side of the entrance steps. We climb the few steps up to the bar, where we grab the last couple of stools against the bar counter. Our server is Roxanne, who stays behind the bar. We order a pitcher of Bud, swiftly followed by another one. The bar is set in front of a series of Cocktail barrels with transparent fronts, where you can see the contents swilling around. They come as a slush type, crushed ice drink, or on the rocks.
It soon becomes apparent that the storm has arrived, as we can hear the thunderclaps above the sounds of the rock music playing. Roxanne offers us a menu, suggesting that people will linger in the dining area for much longer due to the weather. I relent eventually, and order ½ lb of peel and eat shrimps, followed by a rare, New York strip steak. Scotts too interested in his alcohol consumption now, and declines to eat, saying hes still full from lunch! He takes my brolly out a few times for a cigarette, as smoking is banned inside all Florida public areas. We start to chat with our neighbours along the bar Don, a shaven-headed, 43 year old, sun-tanned teacher from New York, newly divorced and taking a couple of weeks off before returning to coach American football over the summer break, Todd, a young, Hispanic looking lad from I forget where, who claims kinship due to Welsh and Irish grandparents!
Many others come and go, but I regret that my notes were a bit intermittent that night, and due purely to the loud music (and nothing to do with the booze!) I cant recall all the names. Roxanne recognises the accents (respect! Most of the others think were Aussie or from North East USA!) and asks which part of the UK we are from turns out she is English, with a US forces dad and English mum, and herself born in Leicestershire, where she lived until age 5, returning for an odd year or two before mom and dad decided to settle near Sarasota for good. She is a fiery character, about 5 ft tall and with angelic looks but a savage tongue! She makes great fun of a surgically altered blonde whose ****s arrive at the bar about a minute before the rest of her!
My food arrives and is excellent! Scott has let slip that its my birthday (sort-of, in the UK now, and here at midnight) and free cocktails start arriving from the bar and our new friends! Scott gets in well with a large, Texan guy who wants to prove that Texans can drink Brits under the table. As hes buying virtually all the drinks, Scott does not object to the experiment and gives a very good account of himself! At some point a crowd of us drift outside to steps at the rear of the Deck I think it must have been around 11:00 11;30, judging by the time codes on the pics we took. Its not raining any longer, and pleasantly warm rather than stifling hot.
There mustnt be too many Brits around Siesta Key, and we are very popular! Nearly everyone wants to claim some form of UK bloodline and we have a great time correcting their geographical errors. (Eire being a separate country to England, Scotland likewise, but part of the UK etc!) We also start some singalongs, and I have an abiding memory of around a dozen, drunken Americans singing lustily along to Romeo & Juliet by Dire Straits!
At some point I realise my umbrella has walked away and cant find it for love nor money. I am quite annoyed that any of my new pals would stoop so low, and intend to call back tomorrow, when my ability to speak in full sentences will hopefully have returned, to remonstrate with the management! (I am mistaken, as it happens, but thats part of tomorrows story!)
At midnight I am serenaded with raucous choruses of Happy Birthday and further dancing ensues! I decide that I have had enough by about 1:00 1:30 and stagger back to the hotel room, to sleep, perchance to dream. I am awoken a while later when Scott makes his entrance, (good job our room was 123 not sure we would have remembered anything more complex!) and proceeds to get re-acquainted with his evenings nourishment! I stick my earplugs in and drift off to sleep.
Its been a good day!
Mike
Tomorrow: Breakfast for one at the Broken Egg, back to WDW, Epcot, Illuminations & Jellyrolls!
