Ron in Orlando, Florida - Trip Down Memory Lane (again)

Me on main street at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World, Orlando, Florida, "The Happiest Place on Earth"

Hey folks, it's been a while since I've taken you on a trip down Memory Lane.  Well, here goes again. While looking through my thousands of photos for a particular photo that I wanted to post to my blog today I came across my photos for my trip in 2001 to Disney World in Orlando, Florida. 

The entrance to the Doubletree Hotel guest suites were we stayed - we each had our own rooms! I only share rooms with men - nothing personal Aunt Mabel

The recent tragic events at Orlando, Florida brought back memories of the first and only time I visited Orlando, Florida.

The really grand hotel where we stayed - like royalty!

Way back in the year 2000 I was awarded Best Guest Service Representative for my work at the Hampton Inn in Exton, Pennsylvania.  I didn't think I did anything extra ordinary but my boss felt that me coming in during Hurricane Floyd was worthy of note.  Oh how well I remember going to work during that hurricane, dodging downed live power lines that were dancing on the wind and rain soaked streets, encountering one flooded detour after another and almost narrowly missing getting my car flooded and floating down the street, only to arrive at the hotel that had no power. She put me in for the very prestigious award unbeknownst to me.  

The beautiful landscaping around the Doubletree Hotel where we stayed - egrets roamed around common as Philadelphia pigeons

A month later I was informed by phone from the vice president of the Hilton Hotel Corp that I was selected as one of their best guest service representatives.  My reward was an all expense paid four day trip to Disney World ("I'm going to Disney World!") in Orlando, Florida.  In addition to the all expense trip I received $500 and a plaque with my name on it as "Best Guest Service Representative" for the year 2000 (so long ago now isn't it?)  

The walkway around the Doubletree where we stayed - I LOVED IT!

Several things I remember about this trip.  First was that I had tickets for two but I couldn't find anyone to go with me.  Bill doesn't like to travel and none of my friends wanted to go with me.  Of course this was before I met my good friend Pat. He would have went with me! But this was many years before I met Pat so I searched around for someone to share that other ticket. The lucky recipient was my Aunt Mabel.  The wife of my Uncle Ed who was my father's older brother.  My Aunt Mabel was great company.  She always had a laugh and a smile and that deep southern accent she never lost (she was from the mountains of Virginia) as delight.  Of course sometimes she was hard to understand but her joy of life I always understood. And this was good for her because she couldn't make any more trips after this because of her health.  I am so glad that she had this last memory of a fabulous time in Disney World. 

My dear Aunt Mabel - always happy!

Another thing I remember was the two brothers who befriended me.  They were from Jordan.  The heavier brother managed Fess Parker's ("Davy Crockett! Davey Crockett" for those of you old enough to remember) in Santa Barbara, California. 

Unfortunately I don't remember their name but I do remember that they were both very Middle Eastern. And I remember very clearly the one brother who was the manager who was very friendly with me.  Perhaps too friendly but hey, I was by myself (my aunt stayed in her hotel room most of the time due to her physical limitations only came out for the evening functions the the luau at the hotel)

Aunt Mable at the luau

and the awards ceremony at the Epcot Center where I received my award along with other winners from across the United States.

Me receiving my award at the Epcot Center from the vice president of the Hilton Hotels

By the way, posting these pictures I am now filled with regret that I didn't have an iPhone back then when I could have taken videos! I'm veering off subject here again but could you imagine the photos and videos I would have now if I had an iPhone when I was growing up?  Literally millions! So maybe it's a good thing I didn't have one and only my Kodak camera with black and white photos, eight to a roll that took a week to process. Talk about ancient times.  But back to my adventure in Disney World.

Me and my Aunt Mable at the Epcot Center during the awards ceremony - I have to admit that the Hilton Hotel Corp treated us like royalty.  I LOVED IT!

So here I am "palling around" with two Middle Eastern types during my four day stay in Disney World.  This was in April 2001, six months before 9/11.  But you know folks, even back then I was a little bit uncomfortable with these guys.  The one guy (whose name I just cannot remember but it was a Muslim name like "Fareed" or something like that) was, as I said very friendly. His brother, not so much so.  But we made the rounds.  On the Merry-go-round. 

Me and "Fareed" on the Merry-go-round  in Disney World - 2000

Not a long line to get on that ride.

We took the river boat cruise to "Pirate's Island."  What I remember about that was how murky the water was and the only "pirates" we saw were mechanical, very fake looking.  

"Fareed" and his brother on the Pirate's river boat ride - we didn't see any crocodiles - wait!  Yes, we did see one!

I thought at least they could have Johnny Depp, aka "Capt. Jack Sparrow", make an appearance.  HA! Dream on Ron.

Me on the "Pirates" cruise - I still have that T-shirt and pants - hat is long gone - looking at these pictures I do get around don't I for someone who hasn't traveled much during his lifetime

We also did the roller coaster ride through the mountain thing.  That was sort of interesting being jerked around in total darkness (get you mind out of the gutter). 

Did we meet Mickey?  You bet!  But I didn't meet Goofy, who is my favorite Disney character.  

Me, Mickey Mouse and Aunt Mable - we made it!

Another thing I remember clearly was how humid it was during our stay.  I couldn't live in a climate like that all the time folks, just couldn't do it.

But all in all it was a wonderful trip.  Disney World was everything it is hyped up to be.  One thing that amazed me but probably should have, was the diversity of the folks who throng the streets of the Magic Kingdom.

A typical day on Main Street in Disney World. hardly any elbow room

  

So many people from different countries.  I heard a report that the Orlando gunman had originally targeted Disney World for his murderous carnage spree but decided against it because security was too tight. Can you imagine? Thank God that didn't happen.

I probably will never go back to Disney World again but I am so thankful that my manager was appreciative of my efforts at the hotel she managed.  She will always be a gem in my mind.  I don't know where she is now but her name was Beth Mancini and I wish her and her family nothing but the best. Maybe she'll read this blog posting and know how thankful I am.

The Hampton Inn Team, Exton, PA 2001 (I'm standing to the right of Beth Mancini)

I worked at the Hampton Inn for almost four years.  I left a few months after 9/11 due to a dispute with the new assistant manager, the details of which I will not go into at this time.  

Beth Mancini at her desk - one of the best bosses I ever had!

Even though I left under unpleasant circumstances I will always have fond memories of my time at the Hampton Inn and working for Beth, my co-workers (except for that one person) and the guests.

Linda West (sales director), one of the owners of the Hampton Inn and Beth Mancini 2001 - great people!

Working for a hotel is and has always been fascinating, though at times frustrating.

To this day I still work as a guest service represent (or "agent" as we call the front desk clerk now, all so politically correct don't  you know).  I won't be winning any trips to Disney World these days folks but you know what?  Every day is like a vacation day to me now, every day.  

Maybe someday in the future, when I'm wasting away in an assisted care facility (God, I hope not) or as a lonely old man, I will remember these days as the Glory Days.  You never know.  But I will never forget that trip to Disney World in Orlando Florida during that magical time pre 9/11. 

I always manage to find a "passive friend" whenever I'm on one of my adventures

Tragedy in Florida

This morning I woke up to the news that a Orlando, Florida night club called "The Pulse" is now the scene of the largest mass murder in American history. 

A gunman, identified as Omar Mateen, opened fire with an automatic assault rifle and killed fifty victims and injured fifty three others.

I cannot tell you the profound sadness that I feel right now.  So, so sad.  


Reports says that the shooter's father reported that his son, Omar Mateen, was very angry when he say two men kissing. 

How ironic, that an act of love would result in such a horrific act of hate. 

I don't know why.  I really don't have an answer to this evil. 

Many times in my past I have frequented gay clubs like "The Pulse."  These days, in my old age, I go to bed too early to attend such late night activities.  

My heart goes out to the families of the victims.  

So sad and horrible.

The Final Count

The election results are in!  Florida went for President Obama.  All that voter suppression that the Republicans shamelessly imposed on American citizens backfired and only got more voters out to the polls even if they had to wait in line six, seven and sometimes eight hours.  

The Republicans are in the second stage of grief now, anger.  They're trying to figure out what happened.  Uh, you got beat guys.  Not REAL HARD to figure out.  The MAJORITY of the American voter didn't believe your lies, didn't want to go down the Road of Ruin by electing a pathological liar.  They didn't elect a man as vice president who wanted to eliminate Medicare by turning it into a voucher system and to privatize Social Security.  As the Republicans were so fond of saying after the 2010 elections:  "THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN."  

I for one am thoroughly enjoying watching the Republican clown entertainers on Fox and other conservative propaganda outlets try to process through their narrow minded heads what happened.  They cannot fathom that there is more to the American voting electorate than Old Angry White Men and their Obedient Wives.  

Get used to it Old White Guys (and the Obedient Wives), you're losing power.  This is a diverse nation of old, young, white, black, brown, yellow, red, gay, straight and everything else.  Your day has passed.  I know it may take a while to figure out but it is called EQUALITY.  Look it up, it's in the Constitution.

I'm a Thug (?)

I wear a hoodie - DON'T SHOOT ME!

The Cold Days of Winter

January and February are my least favorite months of the year. One of my goals in retirement was to have enough money that I could move to warmer climes during this time of year. I also wanted to have an in ground pool. The pool I can do without. However, I haven’t given up on my goal of leaving the cold northern winters.

Two good friends of mine depart today for a cruise in the Caribbean. While that sounds romantic and luxurious, I don’t want to go through the hassle of taking a plane to the ship departure point in Florida. It would take me at least a week to recover from the stress of modern day travel. I haven’t taken a plane since 9/11 and I don’t intend to while taking off one’s shoes is a requirement to fly as a passenger in a plane.

Other friends and relatives have winter snug boxes in Florida. My cousin Jack and his wife are already ensconced in their North Port Myers Florida abode. Friends Sandy and Bob, Evie and Barb, and Jack and Judy are all enjoying the warm tropical nights of the Sunshine State. A very good friend of mine, Stuart, didn't take any chances of catching a winter chill. He lives in Ft. Lauderdale year round. But there is a price to pay. Stuart misses the change in seasons. He laments that he doesn’t see those colorful harbingers of Spring, the tulips

My winter stays in the north aren’t as bad as they were when I lived in Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania, the first snow usually hit the ground around Thanksgiving. Throughout December and early January more snow would fall. Some year (like this year), one would also get the freezing rain. Freezing rain looks pretty on the trees and bushes but isn’t so good for the electric power. Nor is black ice good for traveling the winding roads of hilly Pennsylvania. The good thing about living on the coastal plain of southern Delaware is that when we do get snow it doesn’t last for more than a day. What we do get in abundance down here are the strong winds. At the end of the year we had wind gusts up to 50 mph. Those winds will cut right through you and make you wish you were sipping a pina colada on a sandy beach in Florida.

My solution is to stay in my house as much as I can. My house has a lot of windows which takes advantage of the passive solar heat. My bedroom is ideally located to capture the warmth of the daytime sun. Like my brother John who lives in Greenville, South Carolina who manages the heat and humidity of the southern summers by darting between his air-conditioned house, car and church (where he works.) I manage the cold by darting between my house, car and hotel (where I work.)

One good thing about living in southern Delaware that I take comfort in is that the winters don’t last as long as they did when I lived in Pennsylvania. Where I live now, spring arrives when it is supposed to arrive. In just a little over a month the first daffodils will push their way through the cold earth to be greeted with appreciative smiles from all of us who stuck it out this winter in Delaware. That day can't come soon enough. It's cold out there!