PECAN PIE

It is always nice to have a slice of Pecan Pie when we are in Florida and it is an easy dish to make at home! This is the recipe for a traditional pecan pie

This is very much like our own treacle tart but the pecans add a more dinner party or special occasion touch

Pastry

8 oz. ...

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Pumpkin puree and pumpkin spices

Pumkins are a huge part of the American diet and they find many a various uses for the glut that are harvested in the autumn (or fall as they would have it)The glut of pumpkins is perfectly timed to tie in with Halloween and Thanksgiving and for us for bonfire night.

Often your recipe will c...

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American Pumpkin Pie

Last time we were in Florida the place was awash with tottering piles of golden pumpkins and it got me thinking on our return of using these wonderful vegetables.

Of course, everyone thinks first of that all American Pumpkin Pie. This is almost always cooked for Thanksgiving and the wonderfu...

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Celebrating Adult Birthdays in Orlando

When you visit the Disney Parks be sure to go to Guests Relations as you enter the park and tell them it is your birthday. You will be given a ' Today' s My Birthday' badge to wear.

Throughout the day Cast Members (and other visitors) will be calling our “Happy Birthday” and wavi...

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Fun at Night in Orlando

There is so much to do in Orlando at night time. One of our favourite nighttime activities is going to Magic Kingdom at night and enjoying the fireworks as well as some of the rides. You will find that even the rides take on a different feel than being there during the day, especially Splash Mountai...

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PERFECT AMERICAN PANCAKES

If you holiday in Florida you will be sure to have had American pancakes for breakfast. They are really easy to make and are a special breakfast for family and friends.

INGREDIENTS

Scant five ounces of milk

Two teaspoons of caster sugar.

Pinch of salt.

On...

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Things to Do at Thanksgiving

Disney is a great place to celebrate Thanksgiving and here are a few ideas.

If you like to people watch as well as eating go to one of the hotels. You can spend many an hour before or after your meal relaxing and watching the world go by in all its finery. However be sure to make your reserv...

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First Day in Orlando

On our recent holiday at our villa my Mother and I as usual woke about 4.30. Normally when this has happened in the past we sit and drink coffee and delight in being back at the villa and talk about how we want to spend our holiday.

Last time however we did what we had promised to do for som...

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History of Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport is one of the busiest in the world, and it is the main hub for Delta flights, both domestic and international. If you fly with Delta to Orlando International Airport, then you will most likely land at this huge and rapidly expanding airport, which has...

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A HISTORY OF MOUNT DORA

On a recent visit to our beautiful villa in Orlando we discovered a new and interesting place which is off the beaten track. Mount Dora is a fascinating and historical town just north of Apopka. It was founded in the late 19th century, when it was settled in 1874 by David M Simpson and his wife and ...

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THANKSGIVING TRADITIONS - PART 1 TURKEY

Thanksgiving takes place in the USA on the fourth Thursday in November, every year. It is a time when families gather together to celebrate and to give thanks for everything they have. It is one of the most important National holidays and dates back to the time of the Pilgrim Fathers, and the first ...

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THANKSGIVING TRADITIONS - PART 2

One of the most important holidays in the USA calendar is Thanksgiving, which takes place on the fourth Thursday in November, every year. It is a great time for families to join together to celebrate, and to give thanks for, everything they have. Dating back to the time of the Pilgrim Fathers, it wa...

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Fort Christmas

Looking for a different day out in Florida, then we would thoroughly recommend Fort Christmas. This is an easy thirty minute drive from the Orlando area, in the direction of Titusville (please either use a sat-nav or get more accurate directions than that! ).

This area, maintained by the For...

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The Museum of Discovery and Science

If ever you visit Fort Lauderdale and you have a few hours to spare then one place I can fully recommend is The Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale was built to provide experiential pathways to lifelong learning in science for children and adults through exhibits, programs and films. ...

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Horse racing in Florida

Although Florida is home to nearly all breeds of horses, Thoroughbreds outnumber all the others. In fact, Ocala, located in North Central Florida, breeds an impressive 3, 500 to 5, 000 Thoroughbred race horses each year.

Unless you follow the Thoroughbred horse racing industry closely, many ...

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THE SNAIL KITE

The Florida snail kite feeds almost exclusively on apple snails and, in the United States, is found only in Florida. In times past the snail kites were found from southeast of Tallahassee right down to the Everglades. Wetland drainage and development has eliminated or altered its shallow freshwater ...

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THE SWALLOW TAILED KITE

What’ s that in the sky? Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It’ s. . . . oh, actually it IS a bird!

The Swallow-tailed Kite is a native Floridian predator.

The easiest ways to recognise these birds are by its long forked tail (very similar to the swallow, hence its name) an...

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THE GREEN ANOLE

Leapin’ Lizards!

Have you ever seen something scurry over your pool cage ? Well it could well be a Green Anole - a little lizard. (pronounced: uh’ no-lee) one of Florida’ s true native lizards. You have no doubt seen them clinging to your shrubbery, climbing your walls and ...

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Purple Gallinule

The Purple Gallinule is one of Florida’ s most graceful wading birds.

Member of the Rail family is a common resident throughout Florida’s swamps and ponds and freshwater marshes. You may have seen it walking lightly on lily pads and floating plants rather like a chicken using it’s very...

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Florida Ranch Rodeo Finals

It is very easy to forget when visiting all the tourist attractions that Florida still has a large farming industry and that cattle ranching is still an important part of the economy. Throughout the year the large farms compete amongst themselves in a range of rodeo type events and this year the fin...

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Unspoilt Orlando – Relaxation Amongst The Excitement

The biggest attractions in Orlando are our parks and shopping. They give us our most memorable experiences (and most memorable credit card statements! ) but it can get a bit much when it is day after day of noise, concrete and action. So how about getting away from it all - without actually getting ...

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The Holiday Adventure Begins

The morning breaks and we are ready

To drive to the airport very steady

It’s holiday time and off we go

To our villa from so long ago

After a drive of 2 hours or so

Arrive at the car park here we go

Unload the car and catch the bus

That takes us to th...

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Key Limes

No trip to Florida would be complete without sampling the wonderful key lime pie – although I’ve yet to find anybody that managed to stop at just sampling it!

Key limes are smaller than your average lime and rounder, a bit like a fluorescent greeny yellow golf ball!

Nearly every type...

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The 50 State Quarters Programme

Our fascination with State Quarters began several years ago when we first visited Florida, and we now have a substantial collection of these interesting coins.

In 1999 the US Federal Government began releasing commemorative quarter coins on a regular basis. These unique quarter coins were or...

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In search of the Florida Scrub Jay

On our most recent visit to Orlando we took along my sister and brother-in- law who were very much into the natural habitats of the many species of animals, reptiles and birds that Florida has to offer. We, on the other hand, had got rather used to the more man-made attractions of Disney, SeaWorld a...

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DownTown Kissimmee

When you find that you have a Friday or Saturday evening available and you feel you need a break from the World of Disney, take a journey back in time and visit Downtown Kissimmee to watch the vintage and custom car parade and enjoy the many other surrounding entertainments.

From the parking...

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The history of Florida

Ever wondered how Florida became Florida? Well I was certainly intrigued enough to want to find out and thought I would share this in a potted history.

The first native Americans, Paleo Indians, entered into Florida over 14, 000 years ago from Asia. In this era it is believed that the sea le...

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A day at the Lightning

Of the thousands of activities available to the Floridian holiday-maker, few offer the same experience as that of the National Hockey League.

Tucked away in the heart of metropolitan Tampa lies the St Petes Times Forum, home of the Tampa Bay Lightning, winners of the 2004 Stanley Cup - the I...

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Independence Day 4th of July

Independence Day is a big celebration in America and there are always lots of events taking place.

This is just one suggestion of a place to visit for the afternoon and evening - Kissimmee Downtown Lakefront. And it’s totally FREE.

We have visited this location on the 4th July twice ...

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Deed Restrictions

Part of Florida life and rental ownership that is not immediately obvious to holidaymakers as they make their way to their chosen villas in Orlando or along the Gulf Coast communities is that virtually all villas, and their owners, are committed to certain Deed Restrictions relating to their particu...

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Separated by a common language

It is often quoted that Britain and America are separated by our common language and the more time I spend in Florida the more this becomes apparent.

From the time the car rental is picked up at the start of your vacation the words hood and trunk are paramount for the bo...

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FORTHCOMING CONCERTS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA - JUL - NOV 2008

Do you ever think of taking in a concert during your visit to the Orlando area? Some of the people we have been lucky enough to see include B B King, Meatloaf, Oasis, Jet, Gwen Stefani, Willie Nelson & Paul Rogers. Slightly unusual choice of singers, but they are a reflection of the musical tast...

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Florida’s Climate

Probably the single most important factor that attracts us back to Florida year on year is the weather. Florida’s Climate can be described as subtropical although odd cold spells are not unknown in the winter time. The seasons in Florida are driven more by variations in rainfall rather than by out a...

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Ice in Orlando ?

It is eighty degrees outside, the sun is shining, people are wearing shorts and tee-shirts – so why are we dressed in thick padded coats which dare as cosy as the warmest quilt? Answer - we are about to enter the fabulous Ice Show at Gaylord Palms! !

The show takes place every year and runs ...

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Just Like the Locals!!

After visiting Florida a couple of times a year for several years it soon becomes apparent that the “native” Floridians have various customs which separate them from us as visitors. One item is their attachment to mobile phones (or cellphones in Floridaspeak! ). Another is their ability to sail past...

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American States and Car Registration Plates

When we first visited Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, we could not help but notice the very interesting number plates on all the cars. Unlike the plain and somewhat boring number plates on UK cars, American cars show their state of origin, often with the state’s official nickname, or motto pr...

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What do I like about Florida - part 1

Friends frequently ask me why do I like Florida. They have never been themselves and were intrigued that we decided to buy a house there and therefore visit at least twice a year. I shall answer my question as a villa owner as I probably see Florida in a different way to a visitor.

I never k...

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What do I like about Florida – part 2

As I said in my previous article there are just so many things we like.

The next thing we like are the restaurants. Whatever your budget there is always somewhere you can find to eat. There are the budget eateries, like Dennys, Ponderosa, Golden Corral and Shoneys. Then there are the slightl...

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What do I like about Florida – part 3

When I started writing part 1 I never thought I would still be going on part 3. It just shows how many things there are about Florida to like.

Before I leave the Orlando area I have to mention the shopping. With the current exchange rate shopping is a ’ shoppers delight’ . Everyo...

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You Say Tomato, I Say Tomato - Part One

One thing that always surprises and delights me on my trips to Florida is that every time we go we learn something new. This is particularly true when it comes to the language. Yes we all speak English but there are so many words and phrases that have different meanings. I have put together some I h...

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You Say Tomato, I Say Tomato - Part Two

Now you have arrived in Florida, stocked up with supplies from the shops and supermarket, it’s time to explore your home for the next few weeks and get out and about to begin your vacation adventure.

The Villa (or Vacation Home! )

You’ve finally arrived, and it’s time to get to know y...

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The “Real” Old Town in Kissimmee

Many visitors will no doubt have sampled the many delights of “Old Town” Kissimmee, the amusement, shopping and dining area, which can be found on the 192 near mile marker 9. This charming area is themed to resemble “Old Town America” and is a great place to spend a few hours during your visit to th...

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Chevrolet Trailblazer

On my last trip to Florida I chose to use Budget to supply my rental car for our 2 week stay and was lucky enough to be upgraded to a Chevrolet Trailblazer, Budget’s standard sized SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle). With my wife and two teenage daughters luggage capacity is one of necessities that has to...

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A light hearted look at language differences on either side of the pond!

The first time we arrived in Florida from the UK, we were pleased we were going somewhere where we would be able to speak the language. However, we were surprised at the differences between British English and American English. Although the same language is spoken in both countries we found many dif...

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One for the Boys - Shave and Haircut - Highly Recommended

On entering premises you are immediately relaxed by the cool air conditioning, a welcome drop in temperature from the 85 degrees outside. The waiting area has a wooden floor , large rug, oval wooden table with magazines. There is a complementary drinks area offering coffee and if you ask you can obt...

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Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings is one of Floridas favourite adopted daughters and you can visit her restored cracker style home in Ocala.

Marjorie moved with her husband to Cross Creek, a tiny community in Ocala in the 1920s and lived the life of a country woman. She was completely entranced by he...

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Florida place names and their origins

As you make your way around Florida I’m sure you will wonder where some of the interesting and unusual names for towns and cities came from. I finally got around to doing some research of my own and have discovered that many of them come from the Native American Indians. For example one of the best ...

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More than theme parks

I love Florida. Of course we all know about Disney and Universal etc. etc. My favourite park is Seaworld and the pirate show, so clever and so funny, but I’m sure that the Magic Kingdom is a firm favourite with the kiddies. Meeting Mickey Mouse and friends must be awe inspiring, oh! to be young agai...

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What’s so Special about Florida? - Part 1

I am often asked so what’s so special about Florida? Well in my view there are a number of things that make it special although I have to state from the outset that most of my Floridian experience is based on frequent trips to Orlando although I have visited places such as Clearwater and Ocala too. ...

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What’s so Special about Florida - Part 2

In Part 1 I talked about the climate and weather being special , well in Part 2 I am going to talk about the people of Florida and how genuinely friendly and helpful they are.

The first thing I noticed on my very first trip to Florida was the people, when I say the people I mean how genuinel...

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What’s so special about Florida? Part 3

So far in my first two “what’s makes Florida Special” instalments have written about the fantastic weather and climate and the friendly and helpfulness of the Floridians but in this instalment I am going to tell you about the service.

Service in most parts of the USA is incredible and obviou...

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Florida Wineries and Vineyards

When you think about Florida many things come to mind; Sun, Disney World even Orange groves. The one thing that never seems to appear on anyone’s list is grapes and the products that come from them, like wine.

Now it’s at this point that most people think that the Florida’s climate while ver...

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Dolphin Facts

Bottlenose dolphins are endlessly fascinating to watch as they are playful and clever. Here are some facts that you might not already know about them.

1. Dolphins live in groups called pods
2. All male pods are called bachelor pods
3. Bottlenose dolphins are pregnant for ...

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Know your bottlenose dolphins

You know that they are fascinating to watch, you know that they are very intelligent, you know that they are grey and live in water, but did you know all this about them? Read on…

Bottlenose dolphins are found all over the world, in temperate water areas. Atlantic bottlenose dolphins are foun...

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The Long Road to Utopia

It’s five o’clock in the morning

And time for us to rise

To catch the big bird in the sky

Yes, it’s time for us to fly

To get some sun and have a break

That really is the score

To visit our villa once again

And relax some more

We purchased it f...

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Manatees – an endangered species

The fascinating Florida manatee is a subspecies of the West Indian manatee. Their numbers in Florida are reducing to the extent that they are now an endangered species and unless man takes more care of their environment their numbers will continue to dwindle and they may eventually die out.

...

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Where to see Manatees

Manatees are fascinating gentle mammals which inhabit the coastal waters around Florida. Sadly their numbers are declining due mainly to human activity, and they are now an endangered species. Many of them die from injuries received from boat propellers or from carelessly thrown fishing nets and lin...

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Collecting Quarters

You may wonder what the title means, particularly if you have yet to visit Orlando, Florida. Why on earth would anyone want to collect quarter coins you may well ask?

Well, I don’t mean the common or garden bog standard quarters, but the fascinating commemorative quarters that are to be foun...

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I Spy with my little eye …….A Snowy Egret

I suppose many of us have seen various types of bird life as we journey to and from the airport on the way to our villa or holiday accommodation and even on our way to the Theme Parks, other Orlando tourist venues or just out for a shopping trip.

One of the most common birds to be seen in Fl...

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Nicknames of Florida's Towns and Cities

Did you know that many of Florida’s beautiful towns and cities have nicknames? These nicknames have evolved over the years and have been absorbed into the history of the area. Many were coined by the locals, or by tourists or outsiders to describe some of the features of their hometowns or cities. T...

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The Lighthouses of Florida

I have to confess that, until I started some preliminary research for a trip to Key West and read about it’s lighthouse, I had not really considered the need or existence for such structures along the (in my mind) sandy shores of Florida.

Clicking, as one does, on a few web links revealed to...

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A Whistle-Stop Tour of International Drive

It is over twenty-five years since we first visited Orlando and stayed on International Drive which, at that time, was by far the most popular area for accommodation. Since then, however, staying in a villa has become increasingly popular, especially with families. What better way to spend your holi...

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Orlando’s Local Vineyard

When most people consider looking for a bottle of North American Wine their thoughts, probably naturally, turn to California and the wine producing areas of the Napa Valley. Names such as Paul Masson, Ernest and Julio Gallo and Kendall Jackson are well known in the UK these days and the average tour...

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A Taste of Spanish Florida

If you take a ride on one of the trolley buses that travel around the narrow streets of St Augustine, you will see much evidence of Spanish influence. Don Pedro Menendes de Aviles, the founder of St Augustine, first laid claim to the area by planting the Spanish flag way back in 1565, making St. Aug...

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Christmas Memories.

First Impressions

A year ago today we made the trip to Florida for our first Floridian Christmas.

The family was split up as we could not all get seats on the same flight. Both flights were to arrive at Orlando International Airport within half an hour of each other so we arranged to ...

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Christmas Memories 2

A Thousand and some Lights

Returning after dark to sample the delights of “The Park by Night” was a wonderful time.

This visit we took the ferry over the lake to the entrance of the Magic Kingdom. It was the best way to go as from the deck in the cool, semi darkness you could see the ...

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Rent a Ford Mustang Convertible

To rent a Ford Mustang Convertible, click here and select Alamo as the supplier.

Whenever we vacation in Florida we make a point of renting a convertible during one of the weeks of our visit. This time I wanted to find something ...

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The Toyota Highlander by Alamo

When looking for a comfortable 4x4 to rent during the summer my usual procrastination was curtailed by price when I was distracted by an extremely good deal (at the time) being offered by Alamo via the car rental pages of this web site (http://www. orlandovillas. com/car_hire. aspx). At approximatel...

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Thanksgiving 2007

Since first becoming a villa owner nearly 8 years ago I have always wanted to be in Florida for Thanksgiving. I think that was mainly because it was celebration we did not have in Britain and was quite fascinated to see what it was all about.

I also think I had had my appetite well and truly...

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Security & Child Safety

When you think of Florida you think of happy times, magical memories, great thrill rides and what to do next. You hardly ever think of the usual precautions you may take when travelling in Europe for instance.

However, unfortunately in Florida as in the rest of the world there are people who...

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hot air balloons

I recently decided to take a hot air balloon ride. This was something I was very nervous about initially because I am very scared of heights. I was told that I would be fine and there was nothing to worry about.

Well we were up at the crack of dawn around 5. 30am. We drove to meet the hot ai...

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Refuelling your vehicle

Getting fuel in the US is different to the UK and can be quite fraught. Firstly petrol is referred to as gas. One good thing, it is almost impossible to accidentally fuel with diesel as they rarely have it on gas pumps, it is usually separate and used almost exclusively for commercial vehicles.
...

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The Titantic Exhibition

If you have a couple of hours to spare, the Titanic Exhibition at the Mercado on International Drive is well worth a visit. We usually combine this with a shopping trip to nearby outlets or with lunch or dinner at one of the many restaurants on International Drive.

The exhibition contains ma...

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The Old Florida Heritage Highway

If you want a sample of historic Florida, you could do no better than taking a trip along The Old Florida Heritage Highway. The Highway is a forty-eight mile trail that commences south of Gainesville on U. S. 441, travels through Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park and meanders through forests and co...

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The Peabody Ducks (1)

When you have exhausted all the attractions of Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld, enjoyed all the thrills in the water parks, shopped until you dropped, relaxed in your home from home villa, what other activities can you do or see in Orlando?

Apart from golf, mini golf, horse...

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A lazy day in Orlando.

Ask any experienced traveller to Orlando and they will tell you that in order to “stay the course”, you need to plan some relaxing days in and between those hectic park days.

So what exactly does a “relaxing day” entail?

Well, especially if you are staying in a villa, the choices are...

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How we spend our last day.

None of us like the thought of our holiday coming to an end and although we don’t mind going home to see family and friends we don’t really enjoy the thought of having to go back to work and the less than perfect British weather. This is the reason we try to make the most of the last day of our holi...

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Talk American

Considering that we are able to easily understand the basic “ English” that our fellow Americans talk there are lots of differences in many of their words and phrases.

Words that we use that have a totally different meaning in American, .

Lets go through some of the most common examp...

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CRUISING DIRECTORY - PART 1

If you have decided to book a cruise then it is important that you become familiar with the ‘lingo. ’ It could save you a lot of embarrassment. So here is a light-hearted guide to all the words and phrases you should know, including some of the more technical terms which you must memorise, in order ...

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CRUISING DIRECTORY - PART 2

If you have read Part 1 then you are well on the way to being a cruising buff. But there may still be some words and phrases which are confusing, particularly some technical terms, so I will attempt to confuse you even more…….

Aft – this is to the rear of the ship

Forward – this is to...

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CRUISING DIRECTORY - PART 3

If you have read parts 1 and 2 you are becoming a true cruise expert. Here are a few more essential words for you to digest.

Embarkation – this is when you board the ship. Bit like checking in at the airport. By the time you embark, the ship will be spick and span and ready for the next batc...

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CRUISING - THE TENDERING PORTS

When cruising around the Caribbean it is almost inevitable that you will find yourself visiting an island where the ship is unable to dock alongside. Many of the Caribbean islands are very small, and do not have the facilities for the larger cruise ships to dock – Grand Cayman is one such port. Surr...

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Florida's Loggerhead Turtles

More than 90% of the loggerhead turtle nesting activity in the world occurs on Florida’s beaches, and Florida’s beaches account for one third of the world’s loggerhead turtle population.

In 1978 the loggerhead turtle was listed as a threatened species and strict enforcement to protect them i...

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Making your villa vacation more environmentally sound

Renting a vacation villa is a great way to enjoy your holiday, with plenty of space to relax and enjoy good times with your family and friends. Some features that are normal in villas, however, can be very different from your own home, so how do you carry on with the sound environmental policies tha...

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A New Event at Old Town, Kissimmee

A new attraction at Old Town, Kissimmee. What a great evening out, until December 2007, Thursday night is now Bike night down at Old Town, located along the 192 East of Disney. You will also find Free parking and Free admission to this evening of fantastic bike viewing.

We started our evenin...

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Entertainment and shopping in Orlando.

Thought it would be useful to share our thoughts on things to do/see whilst in Orlando, we have excluded the main theme parks, as a million words have already ben written about these.

Kennedy spacecenter. Don't go home without giving Kennedy space Center a visit--just over 1 hour drive away ...

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Fantasy of Flight (7)

Aviation nowadays is taken for granted, most of us have, at one time or another, stepped into an aircraft, sat in a ‘comfy’ seat, watched a movie or two then stepped off at your location. All this probably without a thought for the pioneers of those early days of flight…the danger, the thrill, the r...

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Bird watching in the Theme Parks

One of the many unexpected joys of visiting the theme parks for me is the bird life which abounds there.

If you are not a person who loves the rides then the parks still hold many thrills and fun experiences and not the least for me are the many bird encounters which I have had.

Firs...

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T Minus 10

I don’t know about you but ever since I was a small child I have always watched the launches from Cape Canaveral and vowed one day to be there to witness the raw power and the spectacle for myself.

I used to be green as a Martian with envy watching the Apollo program footage and can still re...

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Tampa Bay Ray Devils – the history

On a recent trip to Florida my family decided to experience a professional baseball match. We booked tickets in advance and set off to the Tropicana stadium, St Petersburg, picked up the tickets from the box office and found our seats. Knowing little about the game apart from what we had picked up f...

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Pressed Pennies/Quarters at DownTown Disney

There are many souvenirs you can choose from at Walt Disney World, these range from the free ones, like guide maps, to very expensive limited edition figurines and sketches.

The souvenirs that our girls started collecting when they were only 2 and 4 years old were the Pressed Pennies and Pre...

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Lovebugs

If you are visiting Florida in either late April/May or August/September you may well see some of these amorous creatures. They are not really bugs, but are actually flies (Plecia nearctica) of the family Bibionidae. Lovebugs are known by many names, such as kissybug, honeymoon fly, telephone bug an...

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Home Depot. The big DIY store

So you think B& Q is big, well try Home Depot.

As a seasoned veteran of many DIY stores and builders merchants here in the UK I thought I had seen it all. But on a recent trip to our villa in Florida we decided that we would install some solar powered lights in the spa area of the pool. ...

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DO NOT join a guaranteed rental scheme!

In this article I shall try and warn any owners away from joining a guaranteed rental scheme.

Like most people when they first make a villa purchase this sounds like a great idea and getting those 25 weeks a year is “easy”.

Firstly you get a crummy rate of around US$2000 per month. O...

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Basketball at the Amway Arena

Following our most enjoyable and entertaining evening watching Orlando Magic play Philadelphia 76ers during our last Florida holiday, we decided to repeat the experience during this year’s holiday.

The Amway Arena is quite easy to find, located just off the I4 at junction 83B at 600 West Ame...

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The Dodge Nitro - A new addition to the Dollar car rental fleet

Having booked our SUV (4x4) car rental for our April ’07 visit, I was fully expecting to be handed over a Jeep Cherokee Laredo, a vehicle I have had the pleasure of renting on many visits. On this trip however we were given a brand new model in the SUV line up, namely a Dodge Nitro. For once I reall...

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Orlando Waterparks

There are many places to see and activities to do when visiting Florida, some of the best theme parks are the water parks. These tend to be secondary locations for people to go and as such can be a little less crowded. There are many parks, Blizzard Beach, Discovery Cove, Typhoon Lagoon and Wet ‘n’ ...

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Lakeridge Winery

Why not take the day out to visit a winery; there is one in the Orlando area and well worth a visit it. It was opened in 1989 and has reputedly received over 300 awards

To get to it we take hyw 27 and head north into Clermont and towards the citrus tower it is just past there.

The wi...

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A Florida Quiz

I am sure you love Florida as much as we do, and especially the Orlando area with its wonderful theme parks, and fantastic shopping, not to mention the restaurants.

But how much do you actually know about Florida? Take this quiz and find out:

1. What does the word Florida mean?

...

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Ospreys in Florida

If you have ever peered through a powerful telescope at a solitary osprey sitting far away on its nest in Scotland or the Lake District, you will know what thrilling birds they are – and how difficult they are to see in the UK.

Welcome to Florida! The state is full of spectacular wildlife, a...

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What Do You Know About Florida? Part 2

Of course many of you will already know a little about Florida, the national fruit, the orange, the national flower, the orange blossom, and its nickname, ‘The Sunshine State’, but did you know that ‘Florida’ is Spanish for ‘flower? ’

Hardly surprising, really, as Florida abounds with exotic ...

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What Do You Know About Florida? Part 3

The ‘Sunshine State’ is not only the centre for theme parks like Disney’s Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom, as well as Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, it abounds with flora and fauna, some of which have particular significance as State symbols.

The delic...

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Softball and Baseball Practice Batting Cages – Near the Loop

With us having two boys, aged 12 and 8, we are always looking for new and fun things to do whilst in Florida. We read on the forums that some people had tried out the Softball and Baseball Batting Practice Cages which are situated near the Loop and they had had a great time, so we thought this would...

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What Do You Know About Florida? Part 1

We all love Florida, and particularly Orlando, but I wonder how many of us know much about this, the ‘Sunshine State. ’ For instance, although Orlando and Disney are the main attraction for millions of visitors, did you know that Florida has 663 miles of beaches, and that these offer a variety of ex...

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Tipping In Florida

We have been asked many times about tipping whilst on holiday in Florida.

I certainly feel that it is a purely a personal opinion as to what you give.

The word tip is considered an acronym for “to insure promptness” but these days’ tips are expected and due to the nature o...

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YBOR CITY MUSEUM AND STATE PARK

Ybor City was founded by Don Vincente Ybor in 1886,it was based on the cigar industry and had a largely Latin population though the city also opened its arms to Germans and Afro Cubans

The first cigar factory was opened in 1886 and until the 1930s the city thrived;indeed in the early 20th cen...

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Fun Spot Action Park

After finding the Fun Spot by accident on our last visit and having had a great time on the go-carts there, we decided to revisit on our recent trip in February this year.

Fun Spot is based off International Drive (near Wet and Wild) and has four good go-cart tracks, a huge ferris wheel, fam...

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A Shuttle Launch - nearly!

We have been travelling to Florida for a number of years, and have always hoped to see a shuttle launch. Indeed we nearly did see a shuttle a few years back when we were in Miami, or at least my husband nearly saw it.

Nearly being the operative word! We were staying overnight at a hotel in M...

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Our Florida Wedding

My daughter had the big engagement party. She found it so stressful she decided that she definitely did not want the big wedding.

When we bought our villa in Florida she decided that she wanted a nice, quiet family wedding in the sunshine. I was delighted.

So we looked around for ven...

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Aquatica (7)

Planned for 2008!

Aquatica a whimsical one of a kind water park is currently under construction by SeaWorld. Due to open in March 2008, this is set to be an awesome experience for all age groups.

Located on International Drive across from SeaWorld, the park which will be set in 60 acr...

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A magical place to be on christmas eve

Last year we were in Florida for Christmas and the new year and what made it special was that we had all the family with us even the grandchildren aged 3 and 5 years

So what could we do to make it special?

We went down to celebration

The streets are full of snow and it snows o...

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Kissimmee Old Town (7)

Kissimmee Old Town is certainly worth a visit, lined with shops and bars there is something here for everyone to enjoy. At the head of the town is a small fun fair that has one of those rides that strap you in a harness, hoist you up to some ridiculous height and then instruct you to pull a lever th...

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Jet Ski Hire

If you enjoy jet skis, there is a place on the 192 up by the H27 end and tucked away behind a hotel, but clearly sign posted, where you can hire them, cost, around $75. Last year my eldest son and I tried it out. As my son was only sixteen at the time, he had to pass a simple test on water safety, t...

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John's Pass

Based on Madeira Beach between Clearwater and St Petersburg, John’s Pass is named after freed slave John Le Veque who went on to be a pirate captain who was all heart and treated his captives with dignity always allowing them their lives and their freedom, After a hurricane split the small thin isla...

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Sanford Zoo

We had often seen signs for Sanford Zoo and finally last September 2006 we had the chance to visit it. On the day we visited it was an exceptionally hot day which may not have been a good choice as there is not much indoor cover but we found just by taking it slowly and plenty of cool drinks and ice...

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Halloween in Florida.

If you are lucky enough to be staying in a home in Florida during Halloween, this is my advice; stay home. Just turn on your porch lights and wait. And, if your sub-division is anything like ours, Sunridge Woods, you will enjoy one of the best shows in town right on your doorstep.

The first ...

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Downtown Kissimmee Lakeside Park

Just under the arch at Main St off the 192 east is the entrance to downtown Kissimmee. Pass all of the quaint historic buildings until you come to the business district and you should see a sign to the left pointing down to the lakeside park. You can park for free in the car park right beside the la...

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Christmas day in Orlando

We have spent our family Christmas in Orlando and wanted to share our experience with you.

First of all we had to decide what we wanted to do. The family were split between having a relaxing day at the villa, cooking our own Christmas dinner and playing games. The other half wanted to go out,...

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NASA

I remember when I was young, the USA started their space program, first of all unmanned space craft working up to putting a man on the moon, I dreamt of visiting, but it was out of my families reach, so on my first trip to Florida, one of the attractions that I definitely wanted to visit was NASA. <...

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Working out Florida style

If you are like me, you’ll go through the usual pre-holiday diet frenzy and exercise kick. I want to be fit and in shape for my holiday. I want to look and feel good. So, I work hard at it right up until I board the plane, and then…

As soon as you arrive in Orlando, there are so many temptati...

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A Fantastic Sight

The most fantastic sight I have ever seen while holidaying in Florida was a Loggerhead Turtle laying its eggs on Melbourne Beach and it didn’t cost us a penny to see.

It was in the aftermath of hurricane Charlie when our flight home had been delayed by two days, our airline offered to put us ...

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Salvador Dali Museum - a different day out

What shall we do today? A drive over to the Gulf Coast is voted as favourite and on the way a stop at St Petersburg. A couple of hours later, there we were strolling along the pier at St Petersburg admiring the stunning view out to sea, breathing in the sea air, watching people fishing, when we sudd...

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Birthday To Remember

Late last year my self and extended family all went to Florida to celebrate the family unit as we all live apart from each other in this country and find it difficult to get together on a regular basis. We had our own villas and that of a couple of friends so we were all close by but without being o...

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Champions Gate – One to remember!

If you have been fortunate enough to book one of the many wonderful private villas available to you on the H27, then in the Champions Gate is a useful area to be aware of. The unmistakably impressive iron entrance of Champions Gate at junction 58 off the I4, is clearly relatively new. It just bubble...

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DOWNTOWN ORLANDO

Think of Orlando and in many peoples vision it throws up images of Mickey Mouse and the gang plus the many theme parks and chain restaurants that are on every corner…. almost. But if you choose to venture away from the usual haunts there are many other things to see and do. A trip to downtown Orland...

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IT'S MUSIC TIME IN CENTRAL FLORIDA!

There are some huge names performing in Orlando between late January and March - so if you are a fan make sure you book your vacation to coincide with the concert you want to attend!

SEA WORLD BUD & BBQ FEST

For fans of country music, classic rock, smokin’ Bar-B-Q and plenty of ice...

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Guide Book Reviews

Probably the single most important piece of advice we give our guests, whether first time visitors or those returning to the area, is to invest in a good up to date guidebook.

Why is a guidebook so essential? Well although I have to confess to being something of a guidebook anorak, with an al...

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Spanish Moss

Spanish moss - it’s not Spanish and it’s not moss !!

You will have seen Spanish Moss hanging from the trees and telephone poles in Florida. It hangs in large, beardlike, silvery-gray masses from trees, telephone poles and other plants and bushes. In the southern states of the United States t...

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Florida At 50 plus !

I have never travelled so much and so far in my life. Now at 50 plus I was "on the move"

Last year I was able to take a holiday to Florida, a place I had read about for years and only dreamed of visiting.

For me it was not just the Theme Parks that were the pull it was the whole state,...

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Nail and Tan Salon - Championsgate

When most people go to Orlando they normally come back more tired than when they left home. Sound familiar! Well now there is a way to freshen up and have a little pamper time. If you are staying near Championsgate why not spend some time at Nail and Tan. Here you can have a pedicure, manicure, acry...

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Historic Bok Sanctuary (1)

Visiting Bok Sanctuary has been on my ‘to do’ list for quite some time. Those of you who are lucky enough to go Florida quite frequently will all have a ‘to do’ list and those of you going for your first visit will just have to resign yourselves to the fact that you cannot do everything in just one ...

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Celebration Town (1)

You may well pass Celebration on the 192 on your way to Disney but when you get time either take a detour to drive around the town or even go for a browse around and maybe take in a film or a meal.

When you drive down the boulevard you will initially see the commercial buildings. As you progr...

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Photographing Wishes Without a Tripod

I have long been a fan of photographing the Disney fireworks shows at Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Whenever I am asked about how best to photograph these shows my usual answer involves a tripod and a lot of patience. But I’m also aware that carrying around a tripod would be a huge chore to most people v...

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Photographing Illuminations

I am a huge fan of Illuminations, the Epcot fireworks show. I’m also a keen photographer, and have spent many a happy night trying to capture on film (well, a Nikon digital sensor) a feel of what the Disney Imagineers achieve night after night after night.

Lots of people ask me about h...

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December in Celebration

A visit to the town of Celebration, in the evening, during December is a definite must. Not only will you see some of the most fantastic Christmas decorations on the houses, but you can enjoy the hourly ‘snowfalls’.

The Americans are known for their love of Christmas lights and decorations an...

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Guide to Tipping

Finding out about and using the customs of the place that you are vacationing is one of the best ways to really relax into your holiday and not feel like a tourist. Yet the custom of tipping is one that often causes the most friction between holidaymakers and residents in Florida, especially if the ...

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The Legend of the Sand Dollar

There are many legends surrounding the Sand Dollar, but my favourite has to be that they are the coins of mermaids, who accidentally drop them, and which are then washed ashore on stormy nights.

These small, round and fragile white discs are very collectable, and beachcombers all over the Gul...

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The Sand Dollar

I had never seen or heard of a sand dollar until we visited Treasure Island Beach, on one of our trips to our villa in Florida. It had been a stormy night, and people were walking up and down the beach searching for something. I couldn’t resist asking some Americans who were, I discovered, looking f...

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BUYING YOUR DREAM HOME - HINTS AND TIPS

Today, due to an increase in levels of disposable income, low interest rates, and an increase in the number of people who are approaching retirement age, the purchase of a rental home in Florida has never been more attractive. Or has it? Having had the recent experience of the ups and downs of buyin...

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Alligators

To many people alligators are simply predatory, dangerous animals to be avoided at all costs. After all, they can grow up to 14 feet in length and weigh as much as 1,000 pounds! While this may be true, these magnificent reptiles are also part of the sunshine state's wonderful natural history.
...

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Car Rental can be part of your holiday?

One of the joys of my trips to Florida is the ability to try out different vehicles and experience motoring that can be too expensive to enjoy in the UK. In the summer months, when I get to spend more time in Florida than during the rest of the year, I like to use the opportunity to enjoy different ...

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Orlando Isn’t Just Theme Parks!

Friends often ask me why I like theme parks so much. I answer “I like them but no more than many with a young family. Why do you think I do?” To which they respond with “You go to Orlando so often - you must!”

I find this an amazing view as Orlando and Central Florida has so much to offer! It...

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Go on - pamper yourself!!

What better way to relax on your vacation after a hectic few days at the attractions than to indulge in a little pampering? There is a great choice of salons and spas in the area catering for all your beauty needs – hair, nails and even a relaxing massage are all catered for and more.

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Child Swap

No, sorry to disappoint you, although at times you may want to this doesn’t mean you can trade your tired, hot and naughty child for a very well behaved robot version. Sorry if you got all excited. This little service is the next best thing for people travelling with little ones though.

Most ...

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Safety first!

A holiday in Florida is often a holiday of a lifetime - and we all want to go home not just with our holiday photos - but also with fantastic memories that will stay with us for many years to come.

There are a few simple tips to remember when holidaying in another country - and as a quick rem...

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Short Cuts to Disney from US27

Whilst there are lots of places to stay around the Disney area, each development has it's own charm. It really doesn't make that much difference whether you stay west or east. All the areas are within easy driving distances from the main attractions.

For guests who choose to stay on the US...

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Florida, the Sunshine State

In 1565 the first permanent settlement was founded in St. Augustine. Pensacola was given the nickname of 'City of Five Flags' because at one time or another it was under the rule of Spain, France, England, the Confederacy, and the United States. Eventually Florida became a US territory and State. By...

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Shhh - Don't tell the tourists!

Most visitors come to Florida to see Mickey Mouse - and of course Mickey and friends have been the main attraction for many years.

Florida is addicitve! After a few visits many visitors start to look for some of the other things to do and see - particularly those that are 'off the beaten trac...

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Famous Floridians

In my best school teacher voice, raise your hand if you can name 5 famous showbiz Floridians…
Anyone? Nope me either, so I thought I would do some research and find out. It’s amazing what you can find with very little effort and Florida has its fair share of stars.

Pat Boone - singer, was ...

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An ice cream or an original creation?

If it’s the latter then why not try The Cold Stone Creamery? I swear you will not be disappointed.

There are several locations in Orlando but we visited the one in The Watertower Place at Celebration, just off the 192.

We were greeted with “Hi have you been to Cold Stone before?”, ...

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Park Tickets- save a few bucks!

When is the best time to book park and attraction tickets? Well there are many ways to do this but some of them are more fraught with danger than others.

When I first travelled to Orlando back in 1994 there was a lot of small kiosk building scattered along the 192 in Kissimmee and along Inte...

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Television in Florida

No-one chooses to spend their vacation in Florida because of the television on offer. But your Orlando Villas Vacation Home will provide at least one television, and this will be a welcome addition to the entertainment on your vacation.

And whilst there may be a degree of truth in the song by...

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Florida for music and film lovers

When planning a Florida holiday, most guests tend to plan their trips around the fabulous theme parks, perhaps with a trip to the wonderful Gulf Coast beaches, a bit of shopping - and, of course, lazing by your own private pool at one of Orlando Villas’ privately owned homes.

But visitors sho...

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Professional Sport in Central Florida

Many visitors to the Orlando area are attracted by the more obvious attractions - Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, and, of course, the wonderful weather.

Whilst there is no doubt these attractions on their own are enough to fill even the most demanding of vacations, there is so much more to do. M...

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Professional Sport 2

There is already an article within this guide on the vast array of professional sport in the Disney area. That article focuses on Baseball, Basketball and Ice Hockey. This article follows on from that with some more ideas.

American Football
Like baseball, American Football is the al...

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Flights of fancy?

The first time I flew to Orlando, it was on a Monarch flight from Luton airport to Orlando via Bangor in Maine!! It was a completely new experience for me, at the time I think my longest flight was around 5 hours at that point. So, I was understandably tired, and with no seat back entertainment, it ...

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Buying electrical items in the US

The first question on everyone’s minds ‘Is Florida cheaper than the United Kingdom?’
Well from my experience buying electrical equipment in the United States is much better value than buying back home. Here are some reasons why.

Firstly you have (at the moment of this going to press) a gr...

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Highway 192 – Almost as famous as Disney World?

Long before travellers realised that staying in a villa was absolutely the perfect solution for a family trip to Florida, especially when visiting Walt Disney World, Orlando’s highway 192 was absolutely the place to head for, probably because, as a first time traveller to Florida, it was almost a...

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Cold Stone Creamery

If you are an ice cream lover then this is definitely a place you should not miss! I recommend that you don’t go there unless you have plenty of time to spare as there is such a large choice that you will be certain to take quite a while to make your selection.

Cold Stone Creamery is the brai...

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Orlando Thrill rides

You can’t beat Florida for fantastic thrill rides. With so many parks to choose from there is something for everyone. New rides are being built all the time, so there is always a new one to try. Here are just three of my all time favourites.

Mission Space – Future World at Epcot

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