My Dad and Mom decided to take us all on a nice family vacation to Orlando for the week, my sister flew in from Alaska met us in MD and we all caught a flight last friday on Airtran via BWI to Orlando. Not a bad flight made it here in a lil under 2hrs, thank god cause from what I heard if I would of stayed in MD I would of needed to build an Ark. Weather has been great all week long not a bit of rain or a cloudy day the whole time we were here. Good for us not good for the residents of Florida, fires have been running amuck all up and down the coast all week long. They have things under control and actually caught a guy suspected of arson in one of the fires. One of the other fires was a controlled burn that got uhh out of control....whoops. They do controlled burns down here to keep fires from spreading into residential areas sometimes it doesn't work out like its supposed to, not good, but 90% of the times it works out for the best.
Anyway enough about the bad stuff on to the trip. So we stayed at a nice place called The Fountains down in Orlando, its pretty nice not what I'm used to though. I guess getting those nice suites up in AC and getting pretty much what ever you want delivered right to your room kinda spoiled me. But my Dad has this place through his timeshare, wouldn't really call it a timeshare though. Its kinda a step above that cause he can go wherever he wants and then some its pretty nice. But this place is really nice we each have a two bedroom condo, full kitchen, two nice bathrooms with showers, a living room and a nice size balcony with a great view of a lake(theres lots of lakes down here). Its a resort too so we have a few pools, a bar, a clubhouse, plenty of stuff to keep ya occupied if ya just want to chill and not do all the touristy stuff.
First couple days we just relaxed spent some time with the family, we haven't seen my sister in about a year so we hung out a lil let the kids catch up with her and stuff. Went out with some friends of mine that live down here, they took us to The Capital Grille in Orlando off of International Dr. Two places in that sentence you should visit if you ever make it down this way, The Capital Grille and International Dr. (I Drive for short) The dinner was great at the Capital Grille a lil pricey, not Bobby Flay pricey, but a lil more then The Olive Garden. The food was great and the service even better, we had a great server went by the name of Arnaud (pronounced Arno if that helps any) real nice guy in his mid-thirties I'd say, grew up in the south of France and has been here since the late nineties. We exchanged quite a few stories one of them I have to share with you all cause it was hilarious, but I'll get to that in a bit. We ate late and were the only ones out on the patio cause it was closed(amazing what a $20 pre tip will get you when you've already been seated inside)but as soon as Arnaud came to our table I sensed he was an easy going guy. We were one of his last tables so he would come hang out with us after he realized we were not his normal run of the mill patrons. Great guy and if you ever make it down to Orlando look up the Capital Grille make reservations and ask for Arnaud Soules.
Ok well I'm getting a lil sleepy and I have to get up early cause we are headed south to Pompanpo Beach to see Tracie's brother for a few days, finally I can get some poker in, woo hoo. But I'll leave ya with that funny story Arnaud told me about his college years and a motorcycle. I'll be back in a day or so to pick up where I left off and share some more stories with you like "The big mac everything on it and a diet coke" and "Getting the eel from Mickey Mouse"
On to Arnauds story, we all sitting around had a few Coronas and got to talking about my motorcycle accident and Arnaud tells me he used to ride and has a story about the first time he had a motorcycle and his first accident. Here it is:
So I was about 18 0r 19 in college and having the time of my life and I talked my parents into letting me get my first motorcycle, I was working and had my permits for motorcycles, in France you have to get different permits for each cc class of motor cycles 600cc, 750cc, 1000cc etc. So I got my 750 cc class permit and was ready to hit the road. Mom and Dad said Ok so I got my Yamaha 750cc and was on my way.
Had the bike a few months and one night at the dorm a friend and I hit the road on the bike for a lil fun and bar hopping in the town over. We get on our way down a somewhat windy road and make it there ok. Have few drinks, a good time and are ready to head back so my buddy hops on the back and we are on our way home.
We end up behind a dumpster truck going a lil too slow for my liking and I decided to make a pass on the next straight away. So I go to make the pass and just as I start to ease in on the throttle a bit a car crosses the the line and boom head on collision and I go for ride off the bike. Didn't get hurt to bad just a few bumps and bruises, police arrive I dust myself off and get myself together cause of course I was a bit shaken up. Police ask me if everything is ok I say yea wheres my buddy is he ok? "Huh what buddy are you sure you had a buddy" the police say, Yes of course, "Had a little too much to drink tonight have we" said the police no I am 100% sure my buddy was on the back. So the police start searching all over, through the woods, everywhere with no luck.
Great at this point I'm a lil worried I have to call my parents tell them what happened and my buddies parents, which I do. Hello Johnny's (arnauds buddy I cant remember the name so we will just call him Johnny) parents yea I uh had a lil accident "well is Johnny ok" well umm I don't know "is he alive" ummm well I dont know we ummm uhh can't find him.... at this moment but I will keep you posted.
Ok so about 2 hours later I get back to the dorm and here comes Johnny's ass walking in the door, Johnny you shit head where the hell have you been?? Are you ok?? We've been looking all over for you! Johnny proceeds to tell him that he woke up about an hour after the accident about 40 miles away, looking up at the sky, going down the road in the back of the dumpster truck which was filled with linens or some sort of soft material that padded his landing and he didn't have a scratch on him. So Johnny got catapulted off the back of the bike and luckily landed in the back of one of those big construction like dumpsters that was on the back of a truck moving down the highway none the less.
Interesting story Arnaud had has laughing our buts off just they way he told it was hilarious. I tried to recreate it as much as I could but I had a few Coronas in me and my recollection is bit shotty. I hope you get the idea none the less. Well untill the weekend, if I can get a decent internet connection, I'll be back to share a few more stories.
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