Vacation's Over

We're back from a (mostly) restful week in Orlando. The weather wasn't particularly great, but it was better than the cold in Ohio! We had a bunch of great meals at Emeril's Tchoup Chop and several Disney World restaurants: California Grill (Contemporary Resort), Coral Reef (Epcot's Living Seas), and the Santa Anna (Epcot's Mexico). We also found two new good ones: Le Cellier (Epcot's Canada) and Jiko (Animal Kingdom Lodge). Low spots:

• Espresso in the Orlando area. Nobody, including most all Disney restaurants, seems to know how to pull a decent shot of espresso. A double espresso is two ounces and should be served in a demitasse. You know it's going to be dreck when the waiter brings out a coffee cup nearly full of "espresso".
• Thursday's rainy, COLD weather.

High spots:

• Thursday's rainy, COLD weather which meant we got to have as many rides as we wanted on the various Fantasyland rides my four year old daughter loves. (Note to self: Remember that eight consecutive fast and furious rides on the Mad Tea Party's spinning teacups leaves you as queasy as those youthful mornings after too many flaming drinks.)
• Espresso at the stand in Epcot's Italy, but only when you're lucky enough to get one of the few staffers who knows how to pull a decent shot.
• Leaving Jiko's after a great meal, walking to the overlook and seeing Kudu grazing at night in the Animal Kingdom's refuge.
• Better: Having your four year old daughter spot the Kudu far off in the murky darkness, tell you to be quiet so the animals won't get scared off, then have the animal come within 100 feet of the overlook you're at..

Now it's back to the wonderful, crazy everyday reality of life here!