Showing posts with label Reunion Florida trip. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reunion Florida trip. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

5-25-21 Orlando - Atlanta


 Or Reunion to Dallas, Ga. to be exact.  

Today was the day we checked out of the Wyndham Reunion Resort.   Got loaded up and on the road about 9 am.  

Ken had been in touch with our x-neighbors when we lived in Buford.  They were in the process of moving to Kathleen, Ga., about 5 miles from where we use to live in Perry!  Figured that would be a good spot to take a break, so we arranged to meet them and go out for an early dinner at one of our favorite places when we use to live there---El J's.  

Took about 4.5 hours to get to their place.  Then they followed us to El Js.  We had a really nice visit.  They're about our kids' age, but we had a great visit.  Even their 9 year old son was actually quite good the 3 hours we sat in the restaurant talking.  

After eating, we parted ways.  We headed to the butcher shop to pick up some meat for the kids.  They loved that place.  I was a little worried about the meat sitting thawed for another 2.5 hour ride, but the young man made a "red-neck cooler for us"  (box with a plastic bag in it filled with ice and the meats.)  It worked great!  

Burgers for $8.85/pound!  Got them 6.

They also love the Hawaiian sausage. 
packed up in our "cooler". 

We visited long enough that we made it to Atlanta after rush hour.  Still a lot of traffic, but not stop and go.  

And that ended another drive-to vacation.  Turned out much better then I feared. 

Monday, May 24, 2021

5-24-21 over to Clearwater Beach


 Today was the day the kids were checking in to the Wyndham Clearwater resort for 2 nights.  So after they packed up and loaded up, we followed them in our car.  I had checked the distance of Clearwater - Atlanta and it was only 30 minutes longer then from Reunion.  So I assumed it was only 30 minutes to get to Clearwater from Reunion.  Wrong!  It didn't occur to me that you didn't have to go back to Orlando to go home!  I didn't even think about I-75 running all the way down Georgia and turning towards the Gulf coast after entering Florida!  So I was a little surprised to find it was actually about a 2 hour drive from Reunion - Clearwater Beach.  But I was really curious about that Wyndham resort and love seeing the beach, so I was happy to go there for the day; then Ken and I drove back to REunion for the night before heading back to Atlanta the next day.  

Before we headed to Clearwater, Angie took a few more pictures of Layla at the REunion resort.  Layla certainly is photogenic ad knows how to work it!


 By now she was really starting to feel the full effects of her latest cold.  Good think there are so many tissue boxes at the resort.  We took them all and she went through most of them while on the trip.

The drive to Clearwater wasn't bad.  Did take about 2 hours, but I was excited to be going to see the beach.
and I LOVE palm trees!!!!
Angie and I went and checked into the Wyndham while the guys rode around---ending up in the parking lot next to the Wyndham and on the beach.  Check in was smooth.  Soon we were in their 1 bedroom unit.  The view from that room was of the bay behind the beach.  Not bad, but not the Gulf. 

The unit was pretty nice---and very modern. 

With Layla being so sick and waking up several times in the middle of the night the last couple days, 1 bedroom was good for them.  Layla just slept with them.


As we were checking out the unit, we started hearing loud clanking noises from above.  Called maintenance and found out they were working on the lanai above us.  So I called the front desk and asked if they could move us and they did. 

the new unit was the reverse of this one, but just as nice---and much quieter.
This unit even had a pretty good view of the Gulf.
I even like the artwork in these units. 
We concluded this new unit was slightly smaller, but just as nice.

All checked in, we headed out to pick up the guys and go find something for dinner.  After driving around and trying a couple places with long lines and no parking, we came across this place. 

Cute little place and turned out to be very good!

They even had $1 beer specials


the fried grouper sandwiches were really good, too.

Layla was still feeling down, but coping pretty well.

After dinner, we went back to the condo and settled in.

Didn't take long for poor little Layla to zonk out.
While the guys rested and Layla slept, Angie and I walked down to the pier.   The two grey buildings are the Wyndham---the hotel, The Grand on the left and the timeshare units on the right.
The wide walkway
on the pier.
Even had volleyball courts right outside the resort.
another look at the Wyndhams
looks like the kind of bucket the resort gave Layla when they went to the beach the next day.
across the water
a grackle helping herself to some minnow bait.

 It was the first time any of us had been to Clearwater Beach.  Looks like a place we'd like to get back to someday. 

Sunday, May 23, 2021

5-23-21 Apopka Wildlife drive


 After a tiring day yesterday, today we planned to take a ride to the Apopka Wildlife drive and do a nice leisurely 11 miles ride through the area.  

Again Ken and I got up with Layla and let angie and Josh sleep a bit more.  Then I made breakfast.

We all rode to apopka together---Ken in the front seat, me in the back folding bench so I could slide from side to side.  Almost immediately we started counting alligators.


Great Blue Heron
Anhinga
more baby Moorhens.  These guys are a bit older.
another alligator.
more Moorhens.
tricolor heron?
great clouds again
Lots and lots of alligators.  The kids were counting them and ended up with 55!!!!
pretty wild flower.



lots of flowering water lilies.
just another alligator.




I'm surprised we don't see these guys in Georgia.  There are a lot of them in St. Louis.
wonder what happened to this guy?
anhinga sunning.
so many pretty water lilies. 

another anhinga drying.

an anhinga with a snack.
another beautiful day of clouds.
green heron waiting for a snack.
osprey with a snack?
tri color heron
another neat water flower! 

 
pretty purple flowers.
By now Layla wasn't feeling too good.  Her cold caught up with her again.  Poor little thing! 

 We decided to go to Miller's for dinner again.  This time to the one nearer the resort----by the I-5 entrance.  Dinner was great.  As was the day.