Pictures of Paradise

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Now that the weather is much cooler, I ventured out around Indian shores, my new area for a bit of a sticky beak. This place is just beautiful.

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I drove down a long stretch of of road that was very much like Beach Road in St.Kilda, with Mansions competing with each other to have the grandest, most splendid house on the street. I didn't stop to take any photos of the grand homes today but will very soon. Photo's of people's home must be taken surreptiously or one could be mistaken for a burglar planning to do something. ;)

Seafood restaurants are dotted along the roadside, all on the water too. Giant Condominums loom large as one drives along the road, lovely water views on the other.

Across the road from my house is a bird santuary. It's also the place where the guy in the black mustang was off'd by the coppers. Fascinating.

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I went walking into the marshy land today, well not quite, there is a wooden footbridge raised above the muddy ground, surrounded by mangroves and assorted wildlife. It's picturesque.

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The Day I Ate the World.

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Epcot at DisneyWorld is currently holding it's annual Food and Wine festival. Seeking some surprising culinary adventures, I went to Orlando to meet up with Lynnie from Where in the World is Lynnie's blog.

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We wandered around for hours admiring the sights and sampling the epicurian delights the world has to offer.

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By the way Lynnie, post that picture of me looking like a dishevelled mess in that red Fez and it's on like Donkey Kong. Not a threat that would hold up in a court of law, just saying. ;)

Soda's of the world, all the free samples one could want. My favourite was the German coke with orange.

Epcot is spectacular, it's like around the world in 80 days, but instead of 80 days, it's more like 80 minutes...............or not.
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Replica's of some of my favourite places such as Venice, Paris and Bejing make it so much fun. Where is the Australian exhibit Disney?


The Venetian exhibit is particularly stunning. Venice is one of my very favourite places in the world, how pleasant to be in Mini-Venice for a day.

No 10 hour flight to get to this Palazzo Ducale.

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San Marco, sans pigeons and the abundant pigeon droppings that seem to cover the Piazza. Perhaps Florida is just too hot for the poor little birds. Should I have wings I would fly away from the heat too.


One would almost be convinced one were in Italy looking at this picture. The crowds attired in t-shirts, shorts and sneakers however, reveal that we are indeed a long way from Italy. A very, very long way.

The replica Parisian streets were enchanting.

Escargot anyone?

I have never been to Morocco but the little Moroccan section was super cute. In this warm climate it was so refreshing to find oneself wandering down cool labyrinthe streets echoing a Moroccan bazaar.

What a Habibi!

Rock the Casbah.

This reminds me of a hippies bedroom.

Beijing is a city I have had the privelledge to visit, the replica gates were exquisite with the bright colours. Chinese food is very tasty, especially when it has loads of MSG in it. Don't try ordering Chinese food with extra MSG though it seems to irk the wait staff off, don't know why, that MSG is good eating. mmmm mmmm mmmm.

The Potstickers from the Chinese kiosk were yum.

Epcot hosted an Aussie kiosk for the festival. Aussie fare is the reason we went to be honest. We were both in raptures over the lamb chops. It's very hard to find lamb here in the USA. I had a tiny but pricey lamington which was no where near as good as Safeway lamingtons, but beggars can't be choosers and I happily paid the hefty price for the tinniest piece of cake ever seen.

Baby Lamington.

Lovely lamb chop.


Aussie menu.

After devouring all we possibly could without an alka-seltzer, or a trip to the Emergency Room, we went to Downtown Disney, it was just so much fun and there were many shops brimming with Disney goodies. I was like a child all excited and wide eyed over the fabulous baubles and trinkets.

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Wall O' Barbies

Fancy Crystal encrusted figures.

One store was full of Christmas decorations. A delight for anyone like myself with a Magpie's eye who just loves a bit of sparkle and whimsy.

Later we found a candy store. They had these large caramel covered apples, pretzels with all kinds of tasty adornments and my favourite, chocolate covered strawberries. These gargantuan berries put my own home made versions to shame. The berries were definately on steroids and were thickly enrobed in chocolate. Fancy way of eating fruit, in fact with all that strawberry one might go so far as to call it health food....or perhaps not.

How do you like them apples?

Some of the spoils from my Disney adventure, peppermint scented soap with little Mickey Mouse heads and Mouse ear Christmas tree ornament.

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It is possible that other ornaments were purchased but they shall not be revealed just in case they are being sent to Australia for Christmas. (wink to Ms Patrice).

What a fabulous day at Disney World. It really is a magical place.

The day was splendidly capped off with dinner at a Downtown Disney restaurant called Portobello's. I recommend this to anyone in the area and would give it 4 stars out of five.

The food was good, the service was even better and the bartender was an absolute champ. Not only did he know how to make my signature drink, the Grasshopper, but he went and made a frozen Grasshopper as well and bought over a glass for Lynnie and I. Cheers!

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Indian Shores

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"It's all good, it's all good when you come down to my hood."

Scribe

Have not had the chance to see much of the new area as yet. We briefly went out for some supplies today and a few snaps of the surrounding area were taken.

It's very pleasant around here, however this house is Hellishly hot. The main bathroom is particularly like a sauna, so much so that I feel I should be hitting myself on the back with twigs in the Nordic fashion each time I go in there.


Despite the lovely cool breeze tonight the Air conditioners are blaring in the place. It seems that most of the windows won't open, only one in the entire house has a fly screen. Florida is the bug epicentre of the world. In fact, I am ashamed to say my arms and legs are covered with unsightly mosquito bites, those little buggers just love the taste of Countess blood. It really is a disgusting sight seeing my lily white extremities covered in these horrible blemishes.

No photographic evidence of these bites will be provided as it is just far too disturbing to publish.

To open a window in this state without fly screen is akin to going to the zoo and opening the Tiger's cage door wearing a porterhouse steak around one's neck, in other words, asking for it. The mozzies and other assorted nasties will flood in and have a feast on my obviously delectable blood, leaving me cross, itchy and unsightly.

Boo Hiss to the rental house without it's blatantly necessary fly screens.

We stopped at this cool little place for dinner. It was very 50's Americana, very cute indeed. The Juke box was a nice touch.

Halloween.

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"Where there is no imagination there is no Horror." - Arthur Conan Doyle

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Halloween is not something we regularly participate in but there is always candy on hand for the neighbourhood kids who come around in costume.

Our old house in Tampa is in a very quiet, lovely neighbourhood and there are literally hundreds of kids in all kinds of fancy outfits out in the street.

Halloween doughnut, yum.

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After being here for 2 years the joy of doughnuts is a recent discovery. Americans love them, and they make them so well. There is a doughnut shop on my way to the new place, it's not a chain store but a little kind of home made place and they make the best doughy treats, it's so tempting. They even have drive through, perhaps a little treat on my way home from gym? Sadly, I don't think so.

Spooky yard decorations.

We drove to our old house (technically still ours until Monday), last night for a Halloween party with some of our neighbours. We got to eat the best kebabs ever, the host is a butcher, and had a great time with all the kids coming up in costume. Someone even brought the local celebrity, Harley a Pekanese dog who likes to wear costumes. He had on a pair of 'doggles' and a little biker helmet with studs in it. He also has a little specialty dog motorbike that he actually rides around.

All animals are cuter when wearing costumes... Fact.

I was in love instantly. As much as I love big dogs and plan to own some former military German Shepherds. Lately I have met so many adorable little dogs that I wonder if the new farm will end up with a motley crue of mutts, big and small. In Beedog outfits perhaps?

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Cuteness

From ghoulies and ghosties

And long-leggedy beasties

And things that go bump in the night,

Good Lord, deliver us!"

Scottish prayer

Halloween is such a fun filled event, a whole lot 'o' spooky fun. It was very enjoyable watching all the paranormal ghost hunter programs flooding TV for the past few days.

"Behind every man now alive stand 30 ghosts, for that is the ratio by which the dead outnumber the living."

Arthur C. Clarke, in 2001: A Space Odyssey

Whether ghosts are real or not, getting scared by hearing the stories is such an excitement. I have had a couple of experiences of my own that defy logical explanation and lead me to believe that ghosts are indeed all around us.

Beedog picture taken from beedogs.com

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