Back From My Long Weekend In Orlando With Some Pics>>>>>

[jholbrook]

Friday morning I flew down to Orlando to see my father for a long weekend. Thanks to the direct flight from Dayton, I flew out about 8am, landed about 10:30am, grabbed the bags, drove to my father's place, unpacked and was pool side by about 2pm. :thumbup:

On the way to the club house and pool, I noticed what I thought was a gator and some turtles sunning themselves next to the pool - but I only had my point and shoot camera with me, so this is the only shot I got on Friday:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Orlando/gator2.jpg

So I kicked back and enjoyed the pool, and decided I'd bring my DSLR tomorrow:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Orlando/pool2.jpg

Saturday was just beautiful! Not a cloud in the sky!

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Orlando/redwrist1.jpg

This pontoon plan made a few take offs and landings on the lake:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Orlando/plane1.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Orlando/plane2.jpg

I was hoping that gator would make it back out, but the only visitors to the local wildlife sunbathing spot were these turtles:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Orlando/turtles.jpg

But I kept a lookout....hmmm....waitaminute....what is that I see in the water?

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Orlando/gator3.jpg

Yep....my buddy was back!

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Orlando/gator5.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Orlando/gator6.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Orlando/gator4a.jpg

I decided to go out into the grass and try to get a closer shot! I crept up behind him.....closer....closer.....closer....here was the best shot I got. Did I get too close? :laugh:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Orlando/gator1.jpg

I also got a great shot of this blue heron:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Orlando/heron1.jpg

Sunday my father and I went over to the IWJG Orlando show...it's one of the biggest in the country run by IWJG. I got to meet face to face with our very own Ed Delgado for the first time (Vintage Rolex Moderator) and saw a few familiar faces as well. Here's a shot of John Brozek, author of The Rolex Report (you can click here to read the review I did of this book (http://rolexreferencepage.com/book_reviews/rr/reportreview.html)):

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Orlando/brozek.jpg

I also got to meet many of the "Big" Rolex pre-owned/vintage dealers, including Robert Maron, the new head of Antiquorum.

The show was of course down a bit this year due to the economy, but there was still a good 1/2 billion dollars of product on display....more double red Sea-Dwellers, Comex divers, Bond Subs, and Mil Subs than I've ever seen in one place...if it was high end Rolex, it was in this show. In terms of what I bought though, I was pretty conservative and thanks to John Brozek I got a good deal on an item for my Rolex curio cabinet - I think it looks pretty good on the top shelf:

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Orlando/sign2.jpg

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a352/jholbrook/Orlando/sign1.jpg

I got a smokin' great deal on this sign, and I've been looking for one forever! I flew back home Monday....it was a very enjoyable weekend! :gut:

[NicoH]

Thanks John - looks like a great weekend indeed :dr:

One thing, though: You flew down to Orlando to "see your father" and accidentally, you found out there was one of the biggest watch shows in the country, in this place, on this weekend? Man, that must have been a surprise ;)

Cheers-
Nico

[OrangeHand]

Thanks for your very interesting report. :gut:

[jholbrook]

Originally posted by NicoH
Thanks John - looks like a great weekend indeed :dr:

One thing, though: You flew down to Orlando to "see your father" and accidentally, you found out there was one of the biggest watch shows in the country, in this place, on this weekend? Man, that must have been a surprise ;)

Cheers-
Nico

Nico - no coincidence there. I killed two birds with one stone. :supercool:

[NicoH]

That´s what I thought ;)


Thanks for the pics.

[ulfale]

Nice pics of a nice weekend!

[Master GMT]

pretty amazing. you shot some more pics from the trade show?

regards and thanks

[alicia]

great pics - I love alligators - thanks for sharing it and the heron is beautiful :gut:

[jholbrook]

Originally posted by Master GMT
pretty amazing. you shot some more pics from the trade show?

regards and thanks

I'm afraid not - the show organizers were quite draconian about not allowing photos. Most "dealers" don't want to be photographed. =(

[Stefan76]

Wow!

That must have been a great long weekend :gut: !

Thank you!!

[bullibeer]

Coool the Gators!!!!! Did you get any closer...... to close ?????? :D



Florida rock's!!! And here with our cold and grey weather!!!!.... we are so looking forward to a bit of sun!!!

How was the show... interesting pieces??


Best!
B

[jholbrook]

Originally posted by bullibeer
Coool the Gators!!!!! Did you get any closer...... to close ?????? :D



Florida rock's!!! And here with our cold and grey weather!!!!.... we are so looking forward to a bit of sun!!!

How was the show... interesting pieces??


Best!
B

Gators spook pretty easy....particularly ones that small (he was maybe 5 ft. long). That's as close as I got before he made a run for it. :tongue:

As for the show, it was quite spectaular. About 1/2 billion dollars in watches and jewelry on display. I've never see so many DRSDs, COMEX Subs, Mil Subs, etc. in my life. 8o The Orlando show is said to be the biggest watch show in the US.