A to Z Blogging Challenge - Winter Park

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

I love a good hotel and I love it even more if it is in a good location. Like Winter Park and the Park Plaza hotel on Park Avenue. OMG, this hotel is so well taken care of that its age feels like smooth single malt whiskey when you walk in the door. Elegant without being over the top, it is genteel and welcoming. It made me want to explore the building and history the moment I walked up the stairs to our room. A dear friend, who lives in the oldest house in Winter Park, told me his aunt was born in this hotel! I could do a post just on this hotel.

The Park Plaza Hotel Today

The Park Plaze Hotel (L) circa 1922-23

The beautiful comfy Park Plaza lobby

The Park Plaza Hotel is a vestige of a bygone era, but the town has more to it. Lakes, canals that you can tour, houses straight out of architectural magazines (Gamble Roger’s father designed quite a few of them if you read my G post), running paths, golf courses, Rollins College, museums, and restaurants of almost any kind. They also have a Farmer’s Market right next to the downtown park on weekends. Some Friday’s there is a free outdoor film showing in the park. 

A fountain in the park I played in as a child

Statuary can be found over in Winter Park

Movie night in the park, free!

A gazillionaire's mansion on the lake

And another one...

Fancy mailbox, show off! But so fun!

A typical street sign in downtown Winter Park

One of the canals one visits on a boat tour

All of these things add up to a beautiful place to visit, yet another, something-for-everyone kind of place. Yes, Florida is full of them! Did I mention restaurants?

Some images from:

parkplazahotel.com

www.funandsun.com

www.lobbymania.com

A to Z Blogging Challenge - National Navel Aviation Museum

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

Do you like airplanes, or anything to do with historical aviation? Then this museum is the place for you. My husband and his father, who was the chief aeronautical designer of the Concorde’s wings and nose, spent two days visiting this museum a few years ago, and want to go back. They both said there was too much to see in two days. My father in law lives in France, so we have planned for my husband and him to take another excursion down to Pensacola the next time he visits us. Here are some photos to whet your appetite!

An Italian Flying Boat from the 1920s with my father in law beside it

Hawker Harrier Early 1980s

Mitsubishi Zero WWII

Mig, 15 with my father in law (my dad shot one of these down) Korean Conflict

Grumman Duck Pre WWII

Corsair WWII

Grumman Goose 1950s

Fokker DR VII 1918

For more information:

http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org/

 

T - Toulouse

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/a-to-z-challenge-sign-uplist-2014.html

Toulouse is a jewel in the crown of France. It is steeped in history as long and involved as that of Paris, though most Parisians would disagree. Toulouse was the seat of the Count of Toulouse who was basically king of the Languedoc, Occitan. During the 1200s, the renaissance, art, culture and progress were bursting into bloom here, before the “King” of France decided he didn’t like the rivalry. Toulouse was much too prosperous for “France” to allow it to remain independent. The king of France arranged an alliance with Pope Innocent III, you get the souls and I get the land. The only “crusade” against Christians then lasted over 56 years when France waged war and eventually incorporated Toulouse into its sphere. This is the main reason behind the animosity between the north and the south (sound familiar?) in France. Yes, this is a simplified version of the history, but still accurate. It’s interesting to know that Lebanon was also part of the Comte de Toulouse, and was referred to as the Comte de Toulouse de l’Orient. It played a major role during the Crusades since it was the only Christian land in the Orient that honored the local Arabs and was therefore respected by Saladin. Perhaps the King of France was also envious of this territory? My husband was raised in Blagnac, which used to be a small village on the outskirts of Toulouse. Thanks to Airbus, Blagnac is now on the world stage, which does much for my mother in law’s property values!

The city is known as “La Ville en Rose” as the vast majority of older buildings are built with natural brick from the area which is light red in color. One can walk it’s streets for days and not see everything. It has culture, traffic, progress, museums, churches, is laced with canals, and a subway system/tram system which is state of the art. The Toulouse area is also known for its violettes (not to mention Toulouse Lautrec!). Violettes are grown here and made into candies famous the world over. Provence has nothing on the Midi-Pyrenees, which is where Toulouse is located, for beauty. On a clear day one can see the Pyrenees in the distance. If you ever decide to visit Toulouse, the “Eglise des Jacobins” (Church of the Jacobins) is a must see. Its claim to fame is the “palm” like arches holding the domed ceiling in place.

Place du Capitol

The red flag is the regional flag of the Midi-Pyrenees

A street in Toulouse lined with the "rose" bricked buildings

Strange architecture can be found everywhere in Toulouse

A roof top view from an apartment

Notice the name of the restaurant at the bottom? It reads, "Angels and Demons."

The Canal du Midi...

Public bikes for rent, just like in Paris and most large cities in France now.

This shop owner was so friendly and new her wares, even with so many lining walls and crowding floors.

One of many colorful tables...

A Salon de The, a tea salon. Look at the name of the next one...

Gotta love this! "L'autre salon de the" means, The Other Tea Salon!

A statue made for children to climb without sacrificing its art by Jean-Louis Toutain.

Another look at some interesting architecture. And again, the "rose" colored bricks...

Lucky enough to happen upon a lazer light show one night!

Taking a shortcut down a small picturesque back street in Toulouse

Le Pont Neuf. The "new" bridge (1542-1632) spanning the river, took over one hundred years to build.

Eglise des Jacobin

The Palm-like interior ceiling. Unique and worth seeing...