Florida

IS THIS MONTH'S JOURNEY

March, 2008

Let’s begin this month’s travel log on the Emerald Coast, Northwest Florida’s Jewel. Although the preferred activity is “relaxing and doing as little as possible,” undoubtedly the most mesmerizing distraction on the Emerald Coast is the sun drenched white sand beaches that stretch for 24 miles along Emerald waters. Sprawling beaches provide seating for performances by dancing dolphins and sandpipers with postcard perfect sunrises and sunsets over the Gulf.

After visiting one of our favorite beaches in Florida, let’s stop in at one of the world’s most famous beaches, “Daytona”. It achieved this notoriety for its 23-mile, 500-ft wide beach which served as a speedway in the early days of the automobile. Automobiles are still permitted on the beach during daylight hours but only at a maximum speed of 10-MPH. Daytona Beach also became infamous for it’s, everything goes, no holds barred, March break parties. In fact, traditionally for many years, one week each spring more than 200.000 high school, college and university students descend on this Atlantic beach resort to let loose. However, this wasn’t always the preferred locating. Up until the 1980’s, Fort Lauderdale, was the notorious spring break destination. Due to increased drinking and sexuality, public nudity and damage to property, local government passed laws restricting parties in 1985. Spring break partygoers responded by moving to the more liberal community of Daytona.



Doesn't your indoor cat also deserve a KITTY KAT KABANA?

Next destination Disney’s Epcot Centre, another one of Walt Disney’s dream parks. When Walt Disney planned Epcot, he envisioned it as a real working city, thus the name E.P.C.O.T (experimental prototype community of tomorrow). He said, “It will be a community that will never be completed but will always be introducing, testing and demonstrating new materials and systems”. Epcot centre is split into two distinct areas, Future World and World Showcase. Future World is also split into several areas, with each examining and investigating the way different aspects of our lives have evolved with regard o health, communication, transportation, our use of energy and the environment. Moreover, how all these aspects are progressing into the future. This may sound dull but it isn’t with rides that let you soar high above the ground in a hang glider, travel into space or under the sea or allow you meet creature of yesterday. Future World is anything but dull. World Showcase allows you to see and experience the world in a day. From Canada’s aboriginal Soapstone art to a plank walk on a Viking ship from Norway. From a Japanese Sushi bar to mouth watering chicken and couscous from Morocco. From a pint of refreshing German Koclsch to colorful Talavera pottery from Mexico. From a glass of Bordeaux from the wine regions of France to the innovative fashions of Italy.

Florida is a great place to visit with its multitude of temptations, like theme parks, great seafood, warm lazy days, sun-drenched beaches and fabulous nightlife. However, the highlight of my Florida travel was being at Kennedy Space Center for the February 7 shuttle launch. After spending the morning touring the centre, reliving earlier space flights from the first unmanned rocket to Neil Armstrong’s momentous walk on the moon, it finally came time to jostle a gazillion people for a better view of the launch. We figured since it was far too sunny to be sitting in the open for several hours, the best spot was still beside the car back in the parking lot, and being closer to the exit, meant a quicker escape, when it was time to leave. After tuning the car radio to the Kennedy Space Center station, we grabbed our lawn chairs from the back of the car and found a cool spot under a shady palm. Suddenly, we’re not alone as more and more people came up with the same idea to avoid the hoards of people and traffic.

The sky had broken clouds all morning and it was looking doubtful as to whether there would even be a launch. As usual, there’s a ten-minute window, when the space station is directly above Cape Canaveral and during that period, if everything is a go, mechanically and Mother Nature cooperates, we’ll have lift off. Then, as if something or someone parted the clouds, exposing a clear blue sky, the announcer’s voice, crystal clear counted off the remaining seconds to launch. T-minus three, two, one, we have lift off. From four ½ miles away breaking the tops of the trees at 2:40 pm Atlantis came into view, followed by a ball of yellow flame, smoke and steam. It was eerie at first, watching this soundless beast looking skyward, chomping at the bit, moving ever so slowly at first, as if held captive, like a horse at the starting gate. Then, suddenly she breaks free and sputters a thunderous roar that finally reaches the spot we’re sitting where the ground shook beneath us. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience.

Twelve days, eighteen hours and twelve minutes later, at 8:52 Wednesday morning I heard the sonic boom – actually, two distinct claps less than a second apart, as Atlantis sliced through the atmosphere faster than the speed of sound, in preparation for another perfect glider landing at 9:07 at the Kennedy Space Centre.

We’ll just breeze through Palm Beach, as we’re heading for the Keys. Originally, an island of Vanderbilt’s and Astor’s, Palm Beach is still an exclusive playground for people with pedigrees. “The Donald” owns a winter home here, previously a sprawling Moorish estate built by Marjorie Meriwether Post. The Kennedy family owns a large compound as well. Also famous in Palm Beach is the Flagler Museum, the former home of railroad magnate Henry Flagler. In addition, there is the fashion district of Worth Avenue with high-end shops, right up there with those on Hollywood’s Rodeo Drive.

The last stop on our Florida travels is the Florida Keys. This tropical paradise of 1700 islands runs 110 miles south, southwest of the Florida Peninsula. Life in the Keys is different from anywhere else in Florida. It’s a lifestyle of relaxation, sun and fun, from fishing for Tuna and Marlin from a charter boat off Key Largo to the most spectacular sunsets on earth from a Raw Oyster Bar in Key West. However, if you’re looking for soft, sugar-white sand beaches, you’ll be disappointed. Although, there are beached on the Keys, they’re made up of crushed coral, not white and not suitable for walking bare foot. If you go, take sandals.

Stay tuned as we take you from Ontario to the Alaskan Highway Mile Post "0" in BC.

K&G somewhere on the road