Florida is arguably the favorite vacation spot for most Americans, especially those living East of Mississippi River. Orlando, which houses various theme parks, the prominent one being Disney, is their most cherished destination, flocked by folks from all over the world, around the year.
Be it a global conferences, seminar or a family vacation - nothing beats Orlando and Miami in sunny Florida as the favored holiday destination (Las Vegas comes a close second). The conferences are namesakes to mix business with pleasure - which is mostly pleasure, less business. Those been there done that, can connect and vouch for it.
Same as a Mystery Picture was always the preferred option to a boring lecture in our college days, it's not uncommon for eminent persons and intellectuals who attend such jamborees in guise of conferences, bunk those drab seminars, skipping them in the middle to surreptitiously slipaway to feel and fill the fun filled attraction spots, the spotless beaches and theme parks loitering in the Sunshine State.
For the Desis (a slang reserved for the Indians in US) like me who live in South East, Florida is the Mecca and Medina of vacation spots. It is a place, must visit for our parents, in-laws when they visit Coke Land, and a vacation trip with family and/or friends in groups. I have done all of the above.
If you live in South Eastern USA and don't take your visiting relatives on a trip to Disney, it's considered a sacrilege (same for Disney Land for those on the West Coast, Niagara Falls being the counterpart for those on North East). If your son or son-in-law fails to show them at least one of the above multiple choices, they are poked fun back home being cheated by their children.
It's not uncommon for this common taunt in Odia being heard back home, "KANA TAMA PUA/JWAIN DISNEE DEKHEILANI, NAYEGRAA NELANI ? - "Didn't your son/son-in-law take you guys to Disney, didn't show you Niagara". For some, it becomes a matter of prestige, so they lie and shy away from showing pictures of their trip to America, as they can't show pictures vindicating their visits to these coveted locations.
Now I am taking my kid to Orlando, driving 400 miles driven by his desire to meet the new kid in the attraction block, the Harry Potter Adventures. He is excited to make a trip down the lane with the magical character in his Magic Kingdom. It's his last Spring break before he goes to middle school this summer. The special occasion came with a demand he made and and promise from the parents to be kept.
Though I have been here countless times, it won't hurt me to take a peek at some of the latest attractions. As they say in America - the man gotta do, what he gotta do. So here I am in sunny Florida, gearing up to soak up some warm sun and fun.
Be it a global conferences, seminar or a family vacation - nothing beats Orlando and Miami in sunny Florida as the favored holiday destination (Las Vegas comes a close second). The conferences are namesakes to mix business with pleasure - which is mostly pleasure, less business. Those been there done that, can connect and vouch for it.
Same as a Mystery Picture was always the preferred option to a boring lecture in our college days, it's not uncommon for eminent persons and intellectuals who attend such jamborees in guise of conferences, bunk those drab seminars, skipping them in the middle to surreptitiously slipaway to feel and fill the fun filled attraction spots, the spotless beaches and theme parks loitering in the Sunshine State.
For the Desis (a slang reserved for the Indians in US) like me who live in South East, Florida is the Mecca and Medina of vacation spots. It is a place, must visit for our parents, in-laws when they visit Coke Land, and a vacation trip with family and/or friends in groups. I have done all of the above.
If you live in South Eastern USA and don't take your visiting relatives on a trip to Disney, it's considered a sacrilege (same for Disney Land for those on the West Coast, Niagara Falls being the counterpart for those on North East). If your son or son-in-law fails to show them at least one of the above multiple choices, they are poked fun back home being cheated by their children.
It's not uncommon for this common taunt in Odia being heard back home, "KANA TAMA PUA/JWAIN DISNEE DEKHEILANI, NAYEGRAA NELANI ? - "Didn't your son/son-in-law take you guys to Disney, didn't show you Niagara". For some, it becomes a matter of prestige, so they lie and shy away from showing pictures of their trip to America, as they can't show pictures vindicating their visits to these coveted locations.
Now I am taking my kid to Orlando, driving 400 miles driven by his desire to meet the new kid in the attraction block, the Harry Potter Adventures. He is excited to make a trip down the lane with the magical character in his Magic Kingdom. It's his last Spring break before he goes to middle school this summer. The special occasion came with a demand he made and and promise from the parents to be kept.
Though I have been here countless times, it won't hurt me to take a peek at some of the latest attractions. As they say in America - the man gotta do, what he gotta do. So here I am in sunny Florida, gearing up to soak up some warm sun and fun.
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