My first trip to Florida was when I was fifteen, and what I most remember was that it was ridiculously hot in Miami Beach. Having spent life in our family in the more northern states I was not accustomed to such heat and humidity. Living in Georgia means I now live in heat and humidity but there are two things in my favor. One is that I am older and I more enjoy the heat than the cold. Second is that the heat and humidity in Georgia are nothing compared to what you'll find in Florida. And for that I am thankful.
Our love of this view (Myrtle Beach) reminds me of our week in Florida 1973
It was August 1973 and we were taking a trip from Illinois to Miami Beach, Florida, for a ministers convention. I was fifteen and that meant I was itching to drive but unable to do so. It was a long trip made worse by the fact we were driving in the family Buick, all six of us. Yep, that was before minivans and SUV's took over the automobile landscape. We first stopped at the motel that my parents had reserved for us for this event. We had been shown pictures of it as our parents sought to make the stay exciting, but those photos must have been fifty years old as the place looked like a dump in real life. We got the key to look at the room and the first thing that jumped at us were several cockroaches. It was one long room with beds and cots and a sink that passed for a kitchen. My dad went back to say he wasn't taking the room and the desk clerk was incensed and insisted there were no bugs and wanted to be shown. As the clerk walked in the door. the cockroaches jumped at him as if on cue and he turned all apologetic, but refused to give our money back. My dad said that was fine as they didn't have any of his money. We got it the car and drove to the convention. There my dad met up with a fellow pastor who was all excited about his accomodations and asked if we had a place to stay. Dad told him the story and his friend told him to run right down there and get one of the suites. Well that sounded expensive and dad wondered how much more it would cost him than the $30 a night the cockroach place wanted. The place was beautiful, like a resort, and was right on the beach. Would you believe they wanted $30 a night for a living room, dining room, kitchen, master suite, and balcony? Neither did my dad but that's what he paid. We were on the 14th floor, which everyone who frequents hotels knows is really the 13th floor and they just skip that number in the elevator. We didn't care since we are not one bit superstitious (and not even a little bit "stitious") and we enjoyed that place for the week we were there. I don't remember any place as nice as that in all the years I was home. Perhaps that's why we've sought out resort-type places that are on the beach.
Years later we look for places like the one in Miami Beach
Many years later, we had access to a resort and my wife decided it was time she got to go to Disneyland. We stayed at a resort in Orlando and drove in each day to Disneyland. That is quite the place and I took a lot of pictures as it is colorful and amazing. My favorite was the great places to eat and we took in several I remember to this day. Probably won't go back but there are some trips you enjoy once and live with that memory forever. This was one of those places.
You can't visit Disneyworld without stopping at Cinderella Castle
Hangin' out with the spicy girls
Since Disneyworld we've been back to Orlando several times, especially since we're closer since living in Georgia. We've visited friends nearby in Kissimmee, stopped at St. Augustine, been down to Delray Beach to visit our nephew, and enjoyed Panama City Beach a couple times. But we always look forward to Orlando, with the idea we may try a trip down to Miami Beach!
Arktander
(aka David Andreasen)
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