February's Florida Journey

Having a cousin who lives in Orlando and loves company is really such a blessing.  It's cheap to fly there, and when there's four feet of snow on the ground here in the Northeast, getting out of town is nothing more than miraculous. 

I wanted to do something different on this trip, and it turned out that February is prime manatee viewing season in central Florida.  The big blobby sea cows sounded like a great outdoor adventure- sun, wildlife, what could be better.  So we went canoeing near a spring in Blue Spring state park and got to see several of the animals up close and personal as they entered and exited the spring.  I hadn't been out on the water since Hanoi last summer and man, my shoulders could feel it after only and hour!  We took my cousin's boys with us, which was even more fun.

Then for my birthday we did the Disney thing.  I really just wanted that giant birthday button, OK?  But I also got to go on the new mine train roller coaster in Fantasyland which was great fun, and brought the biggest of the littles onto Splash Mountain, my favorite ride down there.  Hey Disney- it's looking a little worn, maybe time for a face lift?

Other trip highlights include buying barbecue from a trailer in the gas station parking lot, walking around Lake Eola in downtown Orlando, and just getting to spend time with family that I don't see often enough. 

Everyone needs a trip warm in the middle of a long winter, and this was perfectly timed to remind me that the sun is still there and will return eventually.