WOW: Saying Goodbye to Florida!

Bill sharing the boardwalk with a friendly Florida alligator...

beauty in Spanish moss covered oaks...

We arrived in Florida Nov. 9, 2011. Through Thanksgiving, my birthday, Christmas, New Year, Valentines’ Day, Bill’s birthday, and St. Patrick’s Day, we enjoyed the warmth of the Florida sun. But now we must start our trek to the north towards Nova Scotia where in July Bill’s high school buddies are holding their nth reunion. Following that we go to Quebec and Ontario before driving through Bill’s boyhood home in Pittsburg, Kansas for their 50^thyear reunion. Then we spend winter in southwest USA or the Philippines for a change.

As we bid Florida goodbye, I thought about what sets this sunshine state unmistakably apart from the rest. I have come up with these Top 10 things we will miss:

beautiful palm trees adorn buildings, too

Spanish Moss and Palm Trees

Spanish moss is a flowering plant that grows upon larger trees, hanging from tree branches in full sun or partial shade, depriving the host tree of nutrients. In the long run, it overtakes the host. The process makes for plenty of unique tree/moss combinations that can ironically be things of beauty.  Aside from Spanish moss engulfed oak and cypress trees, Florida is the home of ubiquitous palm trees. Many varieties of palm trees abound, adorning streets, homes, buildings, and parks. Feels like home!

miles and miles of white powdery beaches...

Beaches

Florida’s beaches also remind me of home. Her coastline is all of 1350 miles, 580 along the Atlantic Ocean and 770 along the Gulf of Mexico. On the Atlantic Ocean the more famous are South Beach, Miami Beaches, Ft. Lauderdale Beach, and Daytona Beach. On the Gulf Side are the Tampa Bay Beaches, etc. Then, of course there are the Keys where you literally have white sand beaches on both sides of the highway that connects the islands.

The Sunshine State!

Sunshine and Snowbirds

Florida’s climate, like the Philippines, is tropical. Winters can have lows in the mid30s at night but daytime hovers around high 70s and low 80s. Almost every day is a day of sunshine, perfect for all outdoor activities. Thus snowbirds come in droves to escape the cold in their hometowns up north. A University of Florida study says about a million of them temporarily add to Florida’s population every winter.  Most come from the northeastern part of the country with about 5% coming from Canada.

snowbirds include Bill and me!

golf carts, instead of cars, park in front of stores!

Golf Carts and Flea Markets

They usually congregate around retirement communities and the hundreds of RV campgrounds in the state. One of the hallmarks of these communities are those cute little golf carts plying to and fro the vast resort acreages at tops 10mph on their own little roads! They fancy the thriving flea markets that spring up on weekends or other special days. The snowbirds love shopping there. I found 3 new summer dresses at the Webster’s flea market for only $30!

just a tiny section of Webster's Monday flea market!

ubiquitous Florida Citrus Centers... 

Oranges and Alligators
Then there are 17 varieties of oranges, all known for their sweet taste and juiciness. They make up 70% of all the citrus fruits sold in the US each year. We always have a lot of oranges when we are in Florida. I love the red navels the best! But as common as oranges are! Most of the campgrounds have small ponds or lakes that have a couple of alligators swimming around. You see a lot of signs that say, ‘Please do not feed the alligators’. I used to be afraid to go near those ponds. I will miss them, too.

Theme Parks

this balloon will always lead you
 to Downtown Disney

My grandkids visited us last holiday season and they specifically said they did not want to experience them. They had only one thing on their minds: the giant theme parks. There were about 80 million visitors in 2004, making Florida the top travel destination in the world, generating an economic impact of $57 billion on Florida’s economy. The biggest draws are Disney World and Universal Studios in Orlando. But there seems to be always new parks opening, the latest being LegoLand.

So if by chance you are visiting Florida, please do not forget to go to Key West, the Everglades, Miami and Tampa Bay Beaches, the Kennedy Space Center, and the Orlando theme parks. If you have more time, there are so many amazing places. We tried to describe as many as we can in our posts from our visits in the winters of 2011/2012 and 2009/2010. This is the state we have most thoroughly covered. In fact, we could choose to settle down here, if only our children are not all in the west. So with much regret, Bill and I bid a sad goodbye to this awesome sunshiny state!

Being Closer to Family, an Orlando Reunion OLA

an enchanting Loch Ness monster on Pleasure Island in Downtown Disney

New Year's Eve dinner at Giordano's, our treat! 

"A thing is mighty big when time and distance cannot shrink it". Such is family. Just as 2011 was ending, the Aberions  from Seattle, Washington (eldest daughter Trisha, her husband DJ and grandkids Yeye and Kenji) and  the Vidallos from Calgary, Alberta, Canada  (second daughter Claudine and her husband Arnold and grandkids Ashton, Andre, and Enzo) arrived to help us be true to one of our resolutions.

fireworks at the hotel parking lot!

Orlando is not a nice place to be if you are on a diet. New Years’ Eve Dinner was at Giordano’s (famous for their deep dish pizzas and pastas) near their hotel, the Maingate Lakeside Resort. Then, as is the Philippine custom, we greeted the New Year with some legal (not lethal) fireworks at the hotel.  The frenzied exchange of delayed Christmas gifts ensued and the toasts of champagne completed the night!

New Year's Day pandemonium at the RV!

On New Year’s Day we brought a hearty Filipino brunch to wake them up. That was when we also distributed our gifts to everyone. Kenji so loved his 5 gifts (he turned five on Dec. 16) that he danced Happy Feet for us! At 5PM, after an afternoon of swimming, mini-golf and a round of horseshoes at the Orlando Thousand Trails’ clubhouse complex, we had New Years’ Day dinner at our ‘patio’.

lunch at Ichiban, Trisha and DJ's treat, on that cold Florida day!

The following day the Vidallos were off to a fun day at Sea World and the Aberions to Disney’s Magic Kingdom!  Unfortunately, the following day turned out to be a record cold day in Florida, highs of 40s and lows of 30s (an arctic blast came quickly…but also left as quickly!). We all just went shopping at Downtown Disney, sandwiched by a Japanese /Chinese buffet at Ichiban for lunch and a Hibachi dinner cum chef show at Kobe Steakhouse.  Kenji said it best, “Happiness is eating too much!” But for Yeye, it was shopping too much!

dinner at the Kobe Steak House, Claudine and Arnold's treat 

The following day still started out cold but the sun raged and the day ended with high 60s so the two families enjoyed the first of their 2 Universal Studios sprees. It was fortunate that the next day was even warmer, inching up to the low 70s! In the tradition of eating too much, both couples opted to pay for the $20 for adults and $10 for kids all-day eat-all-you-can meals (with a lot more taken out for midnight snacks back at the hotel)!

right at the entrance of LegoLand, a fave dinosaur!

at the entrance to Legoland

Then the couples had their day of rest as Bill and I took the four little boys on a visit to Orlando’s newest theme park, LegoLand!  Designed for kids under 9, the boys had a blast! Between the flying, driving, and boating schools and the build and test race cars at Imagination the little boys all voted Legoland the best theme park of their visit! They were all amazed at the millions of Lego bricks used to build Miniland and delighted at the safari, the Island in the Sky, etc.

mesmerized at Miniland's millions of bricks

The Aberions had to leave early. It may have been a short trip but we were definitely thrilled to be able to hold Kenji and Yeye in our arms and to behold Trisha and DJ’s animated faces as we talked. The Vidallos had an extra four days which they used well to scour every inch and corner of Disney World and its 4 parks. We had a final dinner on the evening of the 8^th, , very glad to have nice talks with Claudine and Arnold first hand and to squeeze the little boys in tight hugs.  Enzo must have posed for me a hundred times with his Harry Potter smile, complete with glasses!

the little boys having fun with Arnold at their hotel room

It is definitely a wonderful start.  But to be closer, despite the time and distance, will require much more than annual visits. Constant communication throughout the year will be necessary. Technology will certainly help. But fervent caring will always be the key. When the Aberions and Vidallos left to go back home, we felt like saying, ‘We will hold you in our hearts til we can hold you again in our arms’.

Saluting Man-Made Wonders of South Dakota OLA

an ordinary American couple among America's greatest men
in one of America's finest memorials to democracy 

South Dakota is a true revelation. We thought that the only thing to see there is Mt. Rushmore and the unfinished Crazy Horse Memorial! Little did I know that tourism, aside from cattle, is its life blood. So, instead of a single post, it will probably take me 2 to tell all our stories and show our best photos! In this first part I will include the wonders made by man while the second will deal with those made by nature.  

the profile of America's father

Seeing Mt. Rushmore for the first time gave me goose bumps. 60-ft faces of 465-ft tall Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln were carved by Gutzon Borglum, under commission from the federal government, and 360 men on the solid granite walls of the mountain. Dedicated in 1927 and completed 2 years after the death of Borglum in 1941, it stands as a solid memorial of American democracy. Film greats such as National Treasure: Book of Secrets and North by Northwest were filmed there.

the Crazy Horse Memorial after 60 years
of dedicated work by the Korczak family...
to be completed in perhaps in another 60 years?

The other solid memorial will be the world’s largest sculpture, 641 feet long and 563 feet wide. Crazy Horse was the leader of the Indians who won at the Little Bighorn Battlefield and massacred the 263 men (please see my post last week), including Custer.  A private project started by the Lakota (Dakota came from this name) elders who in 1948 contacted Korczak, a Polish immigrant and former assistant to Borglum, it is now being continued as the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation of Korczak’s family.

the missile in its underground silo
ready for its asignment...no more!

Aside from these inspiring works, there is also a menacing testament to war and destruction. At the East Entrance to the Badlands is the Minuteman II Missile Historic Site, the first memorial to the Cold War after which thousands of such sites were deactivated. It consists of 2 sites: Delta 01, the Launch Control Facility and Delta-09, the Underground Silo. I shivered at the thought that 500 of these missiles that can be deployed remotely by the flick of a finger and render human tragedy are still active in the country.

the Traveler's Chapel at the Wall Drug Store

well, what can I do? Bill found another!

 At the West Entrance is the inspiring story of a hardworking prairie family. Ted Hustead graduated from pharmacy school in 1929. After 2 years of working with other pharmacists, he, wife Dorothy and son Bill set out to look for a small town with a Catholic church and found Wall. Five years later they stumbled upon the secret that made their store famous: free ice water for thirsty travelers! They continue to serve 5,000 glasses of ice water a day and Wall Drug Store has become a tourist destination with many ice water wells, a Traveler’s Chapel, 26 western retail outlets, 300 Western paintings, a 560-seat restaurant of western cooking, singing raccoons, a Jackalope, a roaring T-Rex, and other fun stuff!

the view of Rapid City from the Dinosaur Park

Washington and 43 other presidents
grace downtown Rapid City 

Rapid City has complemented all these attractions by building a Dinosaur Park with towering life-size prehistoric dinosaur replicas on its highest point. 43 presidents also grace downtown Rapid City! Kids will also have loads of fun at Teddy Bear Town (with the largest collection of teddy bears in the world), and Storybook Island, a 4-acre park of the best-loved fairy tale characters!

the absolutely lovely Chapel on the Hills

Another unique structure is Chapel on the Hills, an exact replica of the famous intricately carved wooden Stavkirk Chapel in Borgund, Norway (which we plan to see when we go to Europe). And Sturgis, the city that draws hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists for a mammoth rally every August, is just nearby!

the unique town of Sturgis

Colossal, menacing, inspiring, child-like, and quaint works of legends like Boglum, Korczak, the Husteads, etc. are all around the Black Hills of South Dakota. I am glad we allotted 3 weeks to stay here. We have not even told you about the works of nature. The Badlands, Custer State Park, Devil’s Tower, Mammoth Site, the cave systems, etc.  Stop by again next week!

OLA: Marveling at Palawan's Beauty, Part 2

Baker's Hill a la Knotsberry Farm

Would you believe there is a smaller version of Knots Berry Farm called Baker’s Hill? Children can play on its themed grounds for free while their parents saunter around for souvenirs, baked items (especially hopia, their flagship product, and great views of the city. Nearer the city is the Bay Walk which is the half-finished area around Puerto Princesa Bay reclaimed from squatters who have been relocated to tenement houses nearby.  A statue of Princess Eulalia (born in 1864 to Queen Isabella II of Spain) lords over the city named The Princess’ Gate, the largest in the country in terms of land area. 

Princess Eulalia at the Baywalk

And it cares for the future of people.

Viet Ville today

 Here, on the road back from the Underground River, you will pass by Viet Ville, the camp established for about 90 refugees from Vietnam after it fell to Communist rule in 1989. The population grew to 1,600 until the US finally agreed to give them asylum in 1995. Now only about 7 families (those who intermarried with Filipinos) remain in Viet Ville, largely propped up by the Catholic Assistance for Displaced Persons who took over their care in 1996. A Vietnamese Restaurant, a souvenir shop, and a noodle factory remain as sources of livelihood.

prison without walls

Then, there is the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm. In contrast to a penal establishment one would have in mind, it is essentially a ‘prison without walls’, a village of about 28,000 hectares, for about two thousand inmates. One will be surprised that the colony only has barriers for the maximum security sectio). No prisoners attempt to escape because they would face certain death on the mountains. Besides, the inmates (minimum and medium security) are allowed to live with their families during the time they are serving their sentence and are provided with the resources to build a livelihood such as land and farm animals. The sign in front says (translated from Tagalog): ‘A prison can be a paradise if it is conceived with God in mind and run in a humanitarian spirit.’ Part of the land is actually used by freed prisoners who have made Palawan their permanent home!  

Palawan's famed cherry blossoms

Conclusion

Skylight's breakfast buffet

With our stay at Skylight Hotel for just $30 a night, inclusive of a huge breakfast buffet every morning, we spent only a little over $500 for our 5-day/4-night stay inclusive of airfare (40%), accommodations (25%), tours (25%), food (5%) and souvenir items (5%)! It is not a backpacking trip and neither is it a first class vacation but it was a vacation where we met people who belong to the same generation as us, the Z Generation and their cruising lifestyle: Jure and Katerina from Slovenia with whom we shared the Underground River tour and a crocodile dinner at Kinabuch; Bryn and Sofia from Hongkong with whom we shared the Honda Bay Cruise and a seafood feast at Kalui.

Mendoza Park at night

The beauty of Palawan is forever preserved in eco-tourism, abundant in her many natural playgrounds, and etched in her heart for many humanitarian causes. It is such a special place on earth and the tropical cherry blossoms among centuries-old acacia trees adorn its streets. Mendoza Park and its eternal Christmas trees rock with variety shows on Saturdays.  Then when you think about how affordable it is to create a magical vacation there, it has become a top Philippine destination and a place not to be missed by Filipinos and foreigners alike. And we have not even seen El Nido, Amanpulo, Coron, the Palawan Safari, and Tubbataha Reef! We eagerly await the next chance!

Daniel, Jure, and Katarina with Bill

Bryn and Sofia with Bill

Stopping by Little Rock, Arkansas, then Celebrating in Branson, Missouri

We had to leave Memphis right away because the front air conditioner of M’A ‘turn had failed the last day we were in Nashville and days were in the high 90s at high humidity.  I was not getting any ‘beauty’ sleep!  A Camping World outlet is in Little Rock, Arkansas, only two hours away!  While the repair job was being done, we went around town.  Since it took two days, we were able to cover major attractions.

First is the longest pedestrian bridge in the world (4,226 linear feet), the Big Dam Bridge. The marker said it so nicely…it was dedicated to the idea that people need to make connections in this world.  The bridge is often used for marathons and bikathons.  I thought…how nice of the city to provide such an impressive facility that leads to healthier and happier residents.

Second is the Bill Clinton Presidential Library.  It is a structure that is imposing enough, especially since it is adjacent to the Arkansas River and the old beautiful bridge that spanned it. But what is remarkable is this:  the lobby had a preponderance of African-Americans.  I wish we had more time to take the tour though.  After all it was the first presidential library I have ever visited (not that I like this Bill C.).

Third is the downtown marketplace.  We found big concrete unique Little Rock letters atop the farmer’s market.  And at the end of the colorful marketplace is the biggest ceiling fan I have ever seen! Finally, at the end of the block was the Capitol Building on whose grounds stood the Little Rock Nine, statues of the nine African-American students who became the important symbols of desegregation in Arkansas.

But when the repair was completed the next day, we were ecstatic!  For we were to spend a few celebratory days with Bill’s sister Rosemary and her husband Jack in Branson, Missouri, only 3 hours away, before resting awhile in their hometown, Pittsburg, Kansas.  And surprise of surprises…the Treasure Lake campground there is a true-blue RV resort.

First, it is right on the Strip.  Second, it has fabulous facilities: two pools, one indoor, one outdoors, a clubhouse, a lodge, tennis courts, mini-golf.  Third, the days were full of scheduled activities, free concerts, potluck dinners, karaoke nights, Texas Hold-em days, movie screenings, all kinds of tournaments, etc.  Fourth the campsites were paved, with cute picnic tables, and with lots of trees.

Missouri is the Show-Me State and Branson is its jewel. The city has more than thirty shows (including those of Andy Williams, The Platters, and The Osmonds. There are three outlets and many restaurants. There are several strips that burst into bright lights at night. We went to the Landing, the Showboat at Table Rock, and the Silver Dollar City.  

The Landing is about two miles of stores and restaurants on both sides of a road plied by free shuttle rides that take you to and fro.  In the middle are condo buildings and alongside is a river that runs through it.  But the highlight of our Branson vacation is the shows.

The Showboat is a dazzling night of music on board a 720-seat paddle boat, the largest of its kind ever built on a fresh water lake, Table Rock Lake ( the area is filled with many rock formations that resemble table tops, hence the name).  The full moon was enchanting and the show was first class, a high being the 39-song medley of greats. But the sure winner was the ventriloquist who used dogs, giving the appearance that they are talking dogs.  It was incredible!

Silver Dollar City is so different from traditional theme parks that are dominated by rides. First, it is built on top of Marvel Cave, a huge natural cavern where everyone that comes in has to be able to crouch through 4-feet high narrow passageways.  Next, instead of being dominated by rides, shows fill up your time.  It rained during our visit but we were sheltered inside show venues.  There were also nice sideshows and craft demonstrations. We also found a great BBQ buffet in a restaurant inside a cave. 

Gossamer Magic was spell-binding and I was hugely overcome when a big yellow van appeared on stage in an instant right before our very eyes!  The Stunt Dogs Show feature rescued dogs that have been in all kinds of TV shows for their wonderful antics.  And GAC Nights is the Grand American Country cable channel’s musical show at Echo Hollow, a beautiful amphitheater amid tall trees.

It was definitely a hectic time o we all looked forward to ten restful days in Bill’s hometown.

Next Stop: Pittsburg, Kansas