Holidays in the deep American South

Every time we return to the United States, it is always a celebration. In 2011 we created an itinerary a bit different from the usual tourist circuits. Even though we are in our sixties we wanted to try the emotions of the attractions of the various theme parks of Orlando. We would have liked to take our two little grandchildren as well, but they were starting school. So we took a lot of photos and shot videos to make them part of our adventure.

At 19.30 we landed at Orlando airport after a flight lasting 13 hours (including the 2 intermediate stopovers) After picking up at the Hertz box the car we had rented from Italy, a Ford Suv, automatic transmission and integrated navigator, we headed in 25 minutes to the hotel "Buena Vista Suite" (booked on Expedia), the rooms were clean, quiet and very spacious, excellent position for the parks and the beaches, moreover they make available to guests shuttles that stop at the entrance of the attractions. In the three days spent in Orlando we turned into two kids, visiting the Universal Studios.

Marvellous are the 3D animations of various famous films and the magic world of Harry Potter in the island of adventure, also Jurassic park is not to be missed with the final drop truly breathtaking, the Poseidon with a show of water and fire, then there is an incredible roller coaster for those who have the courage to ride it and it is called Hulk. At the entrance of the park we had bought with a supplement the Fast-pass, a convenient way to eliminate the queues! After the experience of the Universal studios, we moved on to the theme park Epcot with its future world where each pavilion is a world of its own, a continent summarised in its most salient parts, so for Italy you find a beautiful medieval tower, the reproduction of St Mark's Square in Venice and above all a good restaurant where you can finally eat Italian style!.

Around this beautiful and very well-kept park you can also do some fun shopping with objects from every part of the world! It is essential to stay until midnight when "the ball" placed at the entrance of the park lights up, there are fireworks that are reflected on the water and music is heard everywhere. A dream with open eyes.

The third and last day we moved to Sea World, an aquatic park where we attended the extraordinary evolutions of dolphins and orcas, two shows that fascinated us for the music and the evolutions of these animals well assisted by the trainers, by the way if you want to avoid getting wet don't sit in the front rows. Also not to be missed are the theatrical shows always on a sea theme, the aquatic tunnel with the sharks and other fish swimming above our heads and the arctic environment with white Belugas, penguins and polar bears. Continuing the visit we went up one of the most fun and requested attractions of Sea World, Journey to Atlantis, that is a journey towards the legendary Atlantis via the classic little wagon that follows its forced route floating on the water. We had had to deposit the little backpacks and the camera in special boxes.

The route started calmly until that gigantic leap into the void arrived amid screams and stomach convulsions and ended without mercy with a total soaking at the bottom and when I say total, I mean the clothes completely wet including underwear, socks and shoes.

TALLAHASSEE

On the morning of the fourth day, after an abundant breakfast, we headed to Tallahassee, 400 km from Orlando, the motel booked belongs to the chain "La Quinta Inn" a bit old but the beds were comfortable and the rooms clean, breakfast included. The little town was delightful, with the streets lined with oaks, a pity that the museums close at 16.30, we managed in haste and flurry to visit the one dedicated to the history of Florida. Very interesting. APENSACOLA- FLORIDA

The following morning early we resumed our journey (300 Km.) hot and humid typical of the tropics, change of time zone (one hour less). Arrived around 11 we headed to Pensacola Beach, connected to the city by a bridge 6 Km long. Beautiful white beaches with crystalline waters, a stupendous swim, a quick lunch in a small restaurant on the beach. In the afternoon we headed to the National Naval and Aviation museum that houses more than 140 aircraft splendidly preserved, among which the "Blue Angel", the aerobatic flight team of the United States Navy. This is one of the most beautiful space and air museums in the world. The city is very well kept with many low little houses in the Old America style. Just to please ourselves in the evening we dined at McGuire's, a "cult" Irish restaurant in Pensacola.

On the walls numerous photos of more or less famous guests, various astronauts, singers, presidential candidates and presidents including J.F. Kennedy and Obama, the boxers Ken Norton and Larry Holmes (together, after their world title fight). But the real peculiarity of the restaurant is another, on the ceiling and the columns are stapled thousands of one-dollar bills signed by the patrons. It all began when the current owner attached to the ceiling the first dollar he had received as a tip when he was a waiter. It is estimated that there are at least a million dollars attached.. The following day we went to visit two forts dating back to the era of the civil war: Fort Pickens, a beautiful Anglican church and the seat of the first university of Florida dating back to 1870.

All built in 1830 in which Geronimo was held prisoner and Fort Barrancas, destroyed and rebuilt various times, now truly well restored

NEW ORLEANS- LOUISIANA

In the late morning we arrived at New Orleans after covering 310 km. on the motorway. In this city we stopped for 4 nights at the "Sonesta Chateau" a comfortable accommodation in a point not too chaotic of the French quarter. The city is very beautiful, characteristic and lively. The hub of the famous French quarter is Bourbon street a street characterised by elegant hotels, tourist shops, nightclubs, venues where every evening jazz, blues and rock bands perform and many bars where inside tankards of beer flow in rivers from the first hours of the evening. For shopping we chose the French Market, this market is divided into two sections: the Farmer's Market (fruit and vegetable) and the flea market which is a bit of a disappointment, but only there did we find characteristic objects of southern Louisiana.

We did not miss a hot chocolate accompanied by cream puffs sitting at the Cafè du Monde, a true institution in New Orleans, it stays open 24 hours a day. We went down to the Riverwalk to take a mini cruise on a characteristic paddle steamer along a stretch of the Mississippi, (a rather disappointing outing). In this city you don't get bored and it is impossible to go to bed before one even for us who are not night owls