Sunday 11th April
Up at 7:00 again and headed for McDonalds for breakfast (at DSs request) used our Entertainment vouchers again to get free breakfast bagels. Today we were going to have another new experience. We drove up to Winter Park to do the Scenic Boat trip. We arrived there at 10:00 am just in time to get on one of the pontoon boats for an hours trip. The tours are run by three old boys who are real characters and very very knowledgeable about the area. The trip takes you around part of 3 lakes which have inter-connecting canals. The waterfront homes you pass are just amazing every one of them costing at least $3m and many considerably more than that. Some of the owners buy a house just for the location, knock down the old house and totally rebuild it. Others buy the house next door to their own and then knock it down to make what they call a yard or we would call fabulous landscaped grounds! The trip cost us $8 each and we thought it was very good value. Tom, our captain, was a true gentleman. It was a beautiful sunny morning and was so relaxing and peaceful. Highly recommended. After we got off the boat we went for a walk around the area. Very chic, slightly twee. Lots of very wealthy-looking people strolling around, coming out of church and heading to the pavement cafes and restaurants. We also had a drive around the university there what a great place to study! Most of the shops (which were full of designer stuff) were closed due to it being Easter Sunday.
Feeling in need of a bit more retail therapy we had another drive to the Premium Outlet Mall where I bought a new pair of sunglasses, before going back to Windsor Palms for a couple of hours at the pool. Weather was a bit cloudy. Used the Entertainment book again - at Brunos Italian restaurant on 192. Great pizzas we were hungry so decided (with some encouragement from the waiter) to order one each. They were gigantic! Couldnt eat them all. Feeling absolutely stuffed, we went back to the condo for an early night. Plan to get up early to drive to KSC.
Monday 12th April
Got up at 6:00 am again (no rest for the wicked on this holiday!) intending to go to Kennedy Space Centre. Weather forecast is for heavy rain and storms. Got washed and dressed and then went to wake DS. He was not feeling too well heavy head cold and definitely didnt feel up to a trip to KSC. So we all went back to bed again. Unfortunately, by this time, I was so wide awake that I couldnt get back to sleep ho hum! Got up leaving DH in bed too. When everyone finally surfaced we set off to go to Sizzler for breakfast arrived at 10:45 am to find it absolutely packed. Decided not to bother and headed off to Downtown Disney instead. Parked up and strolled to the Earl of Sandwich and got some excellent sandwiches and coffee for an early lunch (how early does it need to be to qualify as brunch?) at 11:45 am. Walked to the multiplex over at Westside to see what films were on. Nothing was really taking our fancy so we strolled back to the Marketplace and hired a pontoon boat. Sailed to Key West and back (well obviously not the real Key West that would have taken longer than 30 mins!). Looked a very nice place to stay.
More retail therapy was required by this point so we decided to have a look at Lake Buena Vista Outlet. I thought it was very disappointing loads of cheap tat!
We had read a lot on the boards about Sweet Tomatoes so off we went to give it a try. Excellent value all you could eat for $8.99 each! And healthy too (or so I told myself). LBV hadnt done it for me as regards satisfying the need to shop so thought wed wander over to Festival Bay. Enjoyed looking round the Ron Johns. Its a pity that there are so many shops yet to be let it all feels a bit empty. DS was quite impressed with the University Shop (someone & someone cant remember the names!) loads of cheap t-shirts and sportswear etc and reasonable quality. Very few people were shopping in the Mall shame it has lots of potential.
Retail needs now satisfied we returned to our condo for showers and bed. Might try for KSC again tomorrow!
Up at 7:00 again and headed for McDonalds for breakfast (at DSs request) used our Entertainment vouchers again to get free breakfast bagels. Today we were going to have another new experience. We drove up to Winter Park to do the Scenic Boat trip. We arrived there at 10:00 am just in time to get on one of the pontoon boats for an hours trip. The tours are run by three old boys who are real characters and very very knowledgeable about the area. The trip takes you around part of 3 lakes which have inter-connecting canals. The waterfront homes you pass are just amazing every one of them costing at least $3m and many considerably more than that. Some of the owners buy a house just for the location, knock down the old house and totally rebuild it. Others buy the house next door to their own and then knock it down to make what they call a yard or we would call fabulous landscaped grounds! The trip cost us $8 each and we thought it was very good value. Tom, our captain, was a true gentleman. It was a beautiful sunny morning and was so relaxing and peaceful. Highly recommended. After we got off the boat we went for a walk around the area. Very chic, slightly twee. Lots of very wealthy-looking people strolling around, coming out of church and heading to the pavement cafes and restaurants. We also had a drive around the university there what a great place to study! Most of the shops (which were full of designer stuff) were closed due to it being Easter Sunday.
Feeling in need of a bit more retail therapy we had another drive to the Premium Outlet Mall where I bought a new pair of sunglasses, before going back to Windsor Palms for a couple of hours at the pool. Weather was a bit cloudy. Used the Entertainment book again - at Brunos Italian restaurant on 192. Great pizzas we were hungry so decided (with some encouragement from the waiter) to order one each. They were gigantic! Couldnt eat them all. Feeling absolutely stuffed, we went back to the condo for an early night. Plan to get up early to drive to KSC.
Monday 12th April
Got up at 6:00 am again (no rest for the wicked on this holiday!) intending to go to Kennedy Space Centre. Weather forecast is for heavy rain and storms. Got washed and dressed and then went to wake DS. He was not feeling too well heavy head cold and definitely didnt feel up to a trip to KSC. So we all went back to bed again. Unfortunately, by this time, I was so wide awake that I couldnt get back to sleep ho hum! Got up leaving DH in bed too. When everyone finally surfaced we set off to go to Sizzler for breakfast arrived at 10:45 am to find it absolutely packed. Decided not to bother and headed off to Downtown Disney instead. Parked up and strolled to the Earl of Sandwich and got some excellent sandwiches and coffee for an early lunch (how early does it need to be to qualify as brunch?) at 11:45 am. Walked to the multiplex over at Westside to see what films were on. Nothing was really taking our fancy so we strolled back to the Marketplace and hired a pontoon boat. Sailed to Key West and back (well obviously not the real Key West that would have taken longer than 30 mins!). Looked a very nice place to stay.
More retail therapy was required by this point so we decided to have a look at Lake Buena Vista Outlet. I thought it was very disappointing loads of cheap tat!
We had read a lot on the boards about Sweet Tomatoes so off we went to give it a try. Excellent value all you could eat for $8.99 each! And healthy too (or so I told myself). LBV hadnt done it for me as regards satisfying the need to shop so thought wed wander over to Festival Bay. Enjoyed looking round the Ron Johns. Its a pity that there are so many shops yet to be let it all feels a bit empty. DS was quite impressed with the University Shop (someone & someone cant remember the names!) loads of cheap t-shirts and sportswear etc and reasonable quality. Very few people were shopping in the Mall shame it has lots of potential.
Retail needs now satisfied we returned to our condo for showers and bed. Might try for KSC again tomorrow!
not literally !!
