We loved visiting Orlando and getting some time with Eli to see the city, tour the spaces he has been studying and working in and have some time for a bit of sightseeing. Despite the sprawling strip malls of Orlando, there is a huge city park called Bill Frederick at Turkey Lake just 20 minutes from downtown that served as the perfect spot for ZsaZsa….Tim was there for 10 days, I spent a bit of time in SLC for some meetings…and we loved the serenity of the lake, the trees and the critters. Great horned owls, raccoons and birds entertained us and we had our own little Thanksgiving dinner with Eli at our campsite.
Eli took us on tours of downtown Orlando, the Lake Eola Farmers Market and both UCF and ROX where we has been studying/working. Although he’s ready to be back in his mountains, his time in FL has included great co-workers, cool adventure trips and a chance to explore FL, North Carolina, Alabama and a host of other places.
We drove up to St. Augustine and spent a whole day exploring. It’s the oldest city in America, settled by the Spanish and has beautiful architecture, cobblestone streets and a wonderful walkable historic area. We toured the fort, the shopping district, the Cathedral and the Lightner Museum and started and ended the day at two great eateries…..Schmagels Bagels (open at 8:00am until they sell out…) and Nonna’s Trattoria, a charming little Italian restaurant in the heart of the Arts district. Bagels that rivaled Rich’s and Bolognese that rivaled Osteria Amore. Not bad!
Heading to the Keys next….Key Largo for one night and the Key West for a few weeks. Stay tuned for more sunshine.
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