Now that [livejournal.com profile] colour_red and his wife are on their way home...

Sep. 24th, 2005 05:18 pm
azdesertrose: (Default)
[personal profile] azdesertrose
So, for those who don't know, [livejournal.com profile] colour_red and his wife came over to visit. They got here on the 10th, and their plane home was supposed to leave about an hour ago. And I've been promising [livejournal.com profile] iflie a nice long entry about their visit, so here goes...

So, [livejournal.com profile] colour_red and I have been emailing each other for a good while (since about February), originally about Harry Potter and fanfiction, but we've gone way off on a good many tangents. So, he and his bride came to Florida to a) chill out, b) house hunt for a home in a warmer climate than central England, and c) visit with me!

They decided to stay in Orlando, as it's fairly central. We met on Monday the 12th in St. Augustine, which is the oldest European settlement in the USA. We went through Castillo de San Marcos (Spanish fort) and had lunch and went shopping. They brought me pressies, t-shirts, and the first season of the new Dr Who series on DVD, and tea for my mother, and all sorts of nice things.

Then I spent last weekend in Orlando with them. I took the train down for two reasons; I didn't want to leave [livejournal.com profile] paradink without transportation, and the train ticket was actually cheaper than the gasoline would have been. They picked me up at the Orlando train terminal and we went out to the Kennedy Space Center. I'd never been, and it's really cool. (My parents and daughter have gone, but I was in Charleston going to college when they went.) They took loads of pictures, which I'm sure I'll see copies of, and then we went back to Orlando, checked me into the hotel, and went to supper at this little steak house not far from the hotel. They'd already made friends with the evening manager, and the manager wound up getting us all three well tipsy, if not drunk. Good thing we'd walked rather than driving.

Sunday, we were going to go to this botanical garden thing, except we couldn't find it, and then when we did find it, it had closed. Okay, fine, whatever. We all went back to the hotel and lounged around the pool drinking pina coladas. No skin off our backs. And I think [livejournal.com profile] colour_red needed the afternoon by the pool more than he was willing to admit.

Sunday evening we had supper at the Olive Garden, which has always been one of my favourite places to eat.

Monday, we went bird watching, about which I know nada, but I've always operated on the principle of "shut up and listen and you might learn something" so that's what I did.

They both seemed very impressed with Floridian wildlife; Florida is rather a show off in that way, although I'd never really paid attention, as I've lived with the profligacy of Nature in the Southeast all my life. It's interesting what you notice when someone from far away visits. The things you overlooked because you see them all the time suddenly jump out at you.

They also seemed quite impressed by US casual dining; I wish I'd been able to take them up to Charleston, because if they were impressed with it in Florida, they should see what it's like in the politest city in the USA. Charleston has Johnson and Wales, a hospitality college; a lot of the people who work in food service in Charleston are students at one college or another, but a fair few are J&W students, so they intend to make hospitality their career. You can get truly spoilt to the level of service there.

Monday afternoon I took the train back up to Jacksonville, but they were right fond of St. Augustine and wanted to go again. So we met up again in St. Augustine on Thursday (22 Sept) and took the San Sebastian Winery tour, then just wandered aimlessly about St. Aug again. We ended up on the seawall watching the St. Aug porpoise pod frolicking in the harbour. According to one of the aging-hippie St. Aug locals, it's mating season for the porpoises, so apparently we were witnessing marine mammal naughtiness. *grin*

In any case, they both seemed to greatly enjoy Florida and their stay, and I believe they intend to purchase property here both for themselves and to rent to vacationers and snowbirds. That ought to get interesting, as it sounds like I'm going to become their agent in the States. Hmmmmm. *grin*

I certainly enjoyed their visit; I even cried a little driving back from St. Augustine Thursday evening, because I could pretty easily get used to having them nearby. They are both very kind people, good natured and friendly and just generally pleasant to be near; [livejournal.com profile] colour_red is even crazier in person than over emails and IMs. I wonder if he's not borderline hyperactive; he doesn't seem to be capable of holding still. *tickles [livejournal.com profile] colour_red in ribs to let him know I'm joking, mostly*

I suppose we'll see what [livejournal.com profile] colour_red has to say about it himself once he gets home and unpacked and all.

Glad you guys had fun!

Date: 2005-09-24 10:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] iflie.livejournal.com
Ah I hope he will not be too exhausted when he gets back here (I use the term here loosely *wink)

Yes it is nice to see your place trough another persons eyes particularly from another country. I am curious about how the property thing will go and about the pictures they took. And I hope is not upset about me not sending mails. I couldn't think of anything worth while mentioning. I didn't want to send a crappy mail (I did start some so I know they were crap *grin).

I missed him though.

~Iflie

Re: Glad you guys had fun!

Date: 2005-09-24 10:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] azdesertrose.livejournal.com
As to exhaustion, he seemed kind of tired on Thursday in St. Augustine, but it's hard to tell with someone as energetic as he is.

As to emails, I think I killed his inbox anyway, as I sent him some music, not thinking about the size of the emails. I'm sure he'll email or IM you at his nearest convenience anyway; I told him about the fork threat and so forth, so you've not been forgotten or anything. *grin*

Re: Glad you guys had fun!

Date: 2005-09-24 11:04 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] iflie.livejournal.com
LOL Oh I'm not worried about him forgetting me or anything. I just didn't want him to think I had as I made a point of telling him to check his mail and then I di'dn't send any *blush

~Iflie

Re: Glad you guys had fun!

Date: 2005-09-24 11:07 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] azdesertrose.livejournal.com
Well, the hotel was supposed to have internet access but their room didn't or something. Also, near as I could tell, the hotel room was a place to sleep, shower, and store their clothes. They really didn't spend much waking time in the room.

Re: Glad you guys had fun!

Date: 2005-09-25 04:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] colour-red.livejournal.com
Yeah, where is my email! Hmmmm?

Re: Glad you guys had fun!

Date: 2005-09-25 11:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] iflie.livejournal.com
In my drafts where it is staying. *grin Maybe when my foggy brain thing clears I will think of something decent to write.

~Iflie

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