Orlando

Sorry about the blogging absence - I've been in Orlando on business. Although we had meetings and stuff, we also had some fun downtime. Here's a quick recap:

- We carved out a few hours for outlet shopping, and I found my red wool peacoat at the Gap Outlet! Once again, research paid off - I knew that the price was good and it was the style I wanted. Pictures to come once it actually gets cold enough for a peacoat.

- I enjoyed way too much amazing food:


Ten-layer carrot cake - appropriate for a dinner on 10-10-10.

- At one of the lunches, the CEO sat at our table, right next to me! I was intimidated and afraid of saying something stupid, but I did chat with him a little bit.

- We went to the Everglades for airboat rides and an alligator show. I was thrilled to be in such a Florida environment and couldn't stop smiling the whole time. We saw lots of birds:


Great blue heron


Egrets and ibis


Bald eagle!

Then I got to hold an alligator! This one was about four years old, and it felt nice. :)



- One night some co-workers and I went to Downtown Disney:



- At the Orlando airport, I was pre-flagged for random screening. It had never happened to me before, and I had to wait at the first checkpoint for fifteen minutes with no explanation. Then I was patted down and questioned while they examined every item I had on my person. It was fairly traumatic. I mean, I'm glad it keeps airports safe, but they could be a little more sensitive to nonthreatening women traveling with equally non-threatening-looking female co-workers.

Other than that, it was one of my most pleasant business trips ever!