Herbie

Orlando - Off The Beaten Path: Discovering Central Florida Without Visiting Any Theme Parks... Can I by Susanne Pacher

One of my husband's favourite places is Florida, since he is an avid golfer and likes to get away from the cold Canadian winter for his birthday in early December.

For a while now we had planned to visit Orlando, but neither one of us are into theme parks. So there was the challenge for me: would we be able to visit Orlando without setting foot into Disney or Universal Studios? For someone as curious as me this was a suitable challenge and I had been doing weeks of searches on the Internet and communicating with the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau to find out about interesting destinations off the beaten path.

Well, I am happy to say, we arrived back safely yesterday from our trip, and the trip itself was quite an adventure since we decided to drive from Toronto to Orlando, about 2100 km each way! Actually, the drive was not as painful as I expected. The drive through Pennsylvania and West Virginia was nice and hilly, and I particularly enjoyed coming over the ridge of the Appalachians, right where Virginia and North Carolina meet, where you get a beautiful view of the piedmont area around Winston-Salem that spreads out towards the Atlantic in front of the mountain chain.

And I am even happier to say that in the 14 or so days that we spent in Orlando, not only did we get to play a lot of golf (to make my husband really happy...;) - including Mystic Dunes, Champions Gate, Royal St. Cloud Links, Hawk's Landing and Timacuan Golf and Country Club, not to mention the Walking Hall of Fame experience of the PGA Father Son Challenge at Champions Gate, but I also got to explore some really interesting places, destinations I would not have expected in Orlando and its surrounding region. I also had a chance to do an interview with GolfOrlando to get a much better idea of why Orlando is called "The Ultimate Golf Theme Park".

We started off our first week with a visit to the Orange Country Regional History Center, which gave us a suitable historic background of Orlando and Central Florida. Then, for some sociological and cultural insights, we visited the Well's Built Museum for African American History and Culture in Orlando. To top off our first day of exploration we enjoyed a walk around picturesque Lake Eola in downtown Orlando.

The next item on my off-the-beaten path agenda was a discovery of the City of Winter Park, a beautiful suburb of Orlando, reminiscent of Old European towns. I also went on the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour, which was an entertaining, informative and visually appealing excursion.

The adrenaline revved up significantly on our next outing: a very high-speed airboat ride at Boggy Creek, that was followed up by a much lower speed swamp buggy ride in a custom-built monster truck that took us through authentic Florida landscape.

After our golf outing at the Royal St. Cloud Golf Links we enjoyed a wonderful picnic by the waterfront in sunny downtown Kissimmee. Then, on a beautiful Sunday morning we drove about an hour outside of Orlando to reach the quaint town of Mt. Dora, where I hopped on the "Herbie Express", part of the Mt. Dora - Lake Eustis Scenic Railway.

From midweek in the second week onwards the weather took a turn for the worse. While planes were sliding off runways in Chicago and record temperatures were registered in the mid-western states, we were freezing in Florida where the mercury hovered around 68 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (around +20 degrees Celsius). So I bought a rain jacket, and determined not to let the freezing cold interfere with our plans, we headed out to continue our explorations.

On a day that was forecast to be rainy, but just ended up being a bit grey and clammy, we went out to discover Loch Haven Park, Orlando's center of science, art and culture. We then continued our explorations further south to discover some of Orlando's historic neighbourhoods and parks such as Lake Cherokee and Lake Lucerne.

As the drizzly weather continued, we went on to visit Florida's Natural Visitor Center in Lake Wales, about an hours drive south of Orlando, where I got a really good understanding of Central Florida's citrus industry. I spent the afternoon in another famous attraction in Lake Wales which holds two National Historic Landmarks: the Historic Bok Sanctuary, where I got to see the beauty of the Bok estate and its historic carillon tower, combined with a tour through the historic Pinewood Estate, which was decked out in full Christmas decorations.

During these 2 weeks in Florida, we got exposed to a lot of its plants, flowers and wildlife, much of which you run into casually even while playing golf or picknicking by the waterfront. Florida has a surprising amount of natural diversity and I enjoyed watching the various types of birds, lizards, and squirrels. The only thing we didn't get to see was a live alligator (with the exception of the well-hidden rear end of a small alligator during our swamp buggy tour - unfortunately I couldn't even get a good picture of that one..). Apparently winter time is too cold for these creatures to come out of the water...

On our drive home, on a bright sunny day (of course...), we stopped off in St. Augustine, a historic town founded by the Spaniards in the 1500s, and the oldest continuously inhabited town in the United States - a mighty photogenic place, I should add.

So, you ask, is it possible to spend 2 weeks in Orlando without even setting foot inside a theme park and still have a good time? Well, based on the above itinerary I'd say that my plans to explore Orlando off the beaten path came to full fruition.

Mission accomplished.

This entire article including photos is located at http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/orlando_off_the_beaten_path.htm

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of http://www.travelandtransitions.com, a web portal for unconventional travel & cross-cultural connections. Check out our brand new FREE ebooks about travel.

Article Source: http://www.earticlesonline.com/Article/Orlando---Off-The-Beaten-Path--Discovering-Central-Florida-Without-Visiting-Any-Theme-Parks----Can-I/175960

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Herbie: Fully Loaded (DVD) $8.89 The Love Bug is back! Herbie (AKA #53), the sweet little '63 Volkswagen bug with a mind of his own.

Herbie Goes Bananas (DVD) $7.99 Herbie sets sail for Rio de Janeiro where he takes part in the celebrated Grande Premio racing competition. There Herbie and his owners get sidetracked by a smuggling syndicate, pestered by a street-wise pickpocket, and even lock horns with a ragi...

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Herbie Rides Again/Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo - 2-Disc Set (DVD) $9.99 The Love Bug?s hilarious antics continue in this double feature of Disney sequels: HERBIE RIDES AGAIN (1974) follows the charismatic car as it helps a woman save her home from a greedy real-estate tycoon; HERBIE GOES TO MONTE CARLO (1977) sees Herbie j...

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The Love Bug (DVD) $9.89 Special Edition Herbie the super-car saves the day for a fading race car driver and leads him to victory and romance. Stunts are enhanced by excellent special effects.

Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (DVD) $6.92 After an international spy ring hides a priceless gem in Herbie's gas tank, the exciting race is on. To further complicate matters, Herbie falls in love with a sleek, sporty Lancia. Can lovable Herbie win the race and save the day by foiling the c...

Herbie Jones and the Class Gift $4.94 Disaster strikes when Annabelle trusts Herbie Jones and Raymond with the job of picking up the class`s gift to their teacher.

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Herbie Rides Again (DVD) $7.99 Family fare from Disney, this 1974 sequel to THE LOVE BUG has the extraordinarily personable and powerful Volkswagen Bug help elderly Hayes save her property from an evil real estate tycoon who wants to erect a giant skyscraper. Herbie rode onward...

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What's the Matter With Herbie Jones? $4.94 When Herbie Jones gets the dreaded girl disease and becomes lovesick for Annabelle Hodgekiss, it threatens to break up his friendship with his good pal Raymond.

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Herbie Jones and the Class Gift $10.27 Disaster strikes when Annabelle trusts Herbie Jones and Raymond with the job of picking up the class`s gift to their teacher.

Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo - $8.99 It's love at first spark plug for Herbie, the spunky Disney Volkswagen, in Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo. Herbie reunites with Jim Douglas (Dean Jones), his driver from the original The Love Bug, as they participate in the annual Monte Carlo road rally. Herbie holds his own in the qualifying races, but he blows a gasket over a lovely powder-blue Lancia named Giselle. Jim also catches the eye of the attractive driver of Giselle, the fresh-faced Diane Darcy (Julie Sommars). With the love bug biting again, the romantic infatuations of man and metal end up interfering with the auto race. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

The Herbie Hancock Collection $19.95 By Herbie Hancock. For solo piano. Hal Leonard Artist Transcriptions. Jazz. SMP Level 7 (Late Intermediate). Collection. Chord names and introductory text (does not include words to the songs). 86 pages. Published by Hal Leonard

Herbie Rides Again - $8.99 Herbie Rides Again is the first sequel to Disney's fabulously successful The Love Bug. The emphasis here is on Mrs. Steinmetz (Helen Hayes), a feisty old San Franciscan who refuses to sell her home to conniving developer Alonzo Hawk (Keenan Wynn). Hawk's nephew, lawyer Willoughby Whitfield (Ken Berry), joins Mrs. Steinmetz's camp when he falls in love with her niece Nicole (Stefanie Powers). (This, of course, is after Nicole angrily slaps Willoughby with a boiled lobster, sending him plummeting over a balcony railing and into the drink). The day is saved by Herbie, the almost-human Volkswagen, who rallies every VW in town to thwart Hawk's machinations. Herbie Rides Again performed admirably enough to inspire still another sequel, Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Herbie: Fully Loaded (DVD) $18.5 The Love Bug is back! Herbie (AKA #53), the sweet little `63 Volkswagen bug with a mind of his own and a serious love for speed, pairs with Lindsay Lohan in HERBIE: FULLY LOADED for a sunny comedy. Maggie Peyton (Lohan) is a third generation member of a NASCAR racing family and dreams of winning from behind the wheel, but her protective dad Ray Peyton, Sr. nixes the idea, while her brother Ray, Jr. (Breckin Meyer) carries on the family legacy (even though he`s not a very good driver). After graduating from college and securing a job at ESPN, Maggie has one month at home before leaving for New York City. When Ray Sr. offers her a car as a graduation gift, they visit a junk yard to pick out a used stock car and end up coming home with a thrilled Herbie. Maggie quickly discovers Herbie is more than just a regular car, and soon they`re on their way to realizing her dreams of racing glory while battling ego-inflated champ Trip Murphy (Matt Dillon) with the help of her cute mechanic friend Kevin (Justin Long).As Maggie, Lohan is spunky, determined, and adorable; young girls will love this inspirational character. Herbie himself is as winning as ever. The movie cleverly opens with highlights of Herbie`s past exploits, going all the way back to his debut in 1969 in HERBIE THE LOVE BUG. Older fans of the series will delight in seeing Herbie back in action, while the newly initiated will easily see what makes this car so special. NASCAR devotees should look for cameos from drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears, Kevin Harvick, and Rusty Wallace. Fun, exhilarating, and touching, HERBIE: FULLY LOADED is the perfect family comedy.

Herbie Jones & the Second Grade Slippers $30.84 Herbie, Ray, and their second-grade classmates learn more about treating each other with respect.

Herbie: Fully Loaded [ECD] $13.99 Track Listing: 1. First, 2. Getcha Back, 3. Walking on Sunshine, 4. Fun Fun Fun, 5. Magic, 6. Working For the Weekend, 7. Roll on Down the Highway, 8. Born to Be Wild, 9. More Than a Feeling, 10. Metal Guru, 11. You Are the Woman, 12. Hello, 13. Welcome to My World, 14. Herbie - (Fully Loaded remix), 15. Herbie vs. NASCAR

Herbie Goes Bananas (DVD) $16.61 Herbie sets sail for Rio de Janeiro where he takes part in the celebrated Grande Premio racing competition. There Herbie and his owners get sidetracked by a smuggling syndicate, pestered by a street-wise pickpocket, and even lock horns with a raging bull.DVD Features:Region 1Keep Case

Volume 11 - Herbie Hancock $15.9 "By Herbie Hancock. Edited by Jamey Aebersold. For any C, Eb, Bb, bass instrument or voice. Play-Along series with accompaniment CD. Jamey Aebersold Play-A-Long series. Intermediate, advanced. Book & CD. 54 pages. Published by Jamey Aebersold Jazz"

An Evening with Herbie Hancock and Chick... $12.99 Full title: An Evening with Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea: In Concert.Personnel: Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea (piano).Producers: Herbie Hancock, David Rubinson.Reissue producer: Bob Belden.Recorded live at Masonic Hall, San Francisco, California; Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, California; Golden Hall, San Diego, California; Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan in February 1978. Includes liner notes by Bob Belden and David Rubinson.Digitally remastered using 20-bit technology by Mark Wilder and Rob Scharz (Sony Music Studios, New York, New York).Since Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock had by 1978 spent several years mostly playing electric keyboards, their acoustic duet tour surprised many listeners who thought that they would always specialize in fusion. This double album contains many fine performances including lengthy versions of "Maiden Voyage" and "La Fiesta" but it is the striding by Corea and Hancock on "Liza" that is most unique. ~ Scott Yanow

Herbie Hancock - Possibilities (DVD) $19.64 IN THEATERS APRIL 14, 2006Providing a look at the working process of one of jazz`s most innovative performers, this documentary traces the making of Herbie Hancock`s 2005 album, POSSIBILITIES. On it, the keyboardist collaborates with such unusual suspects as Christina Aguilera, Sting, Brian Eno, Damian Rice, and Carlos Santana.

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