December 15, 2009 | Solo with Others

ICE! ICE! Baby! Sorry, couldn’t resist…

Gaylord Palms (6000 W. Osceola Parkway) in Kissimmee, Fla., has a pretty COOL exhibit running since Nov. 14 through Jan. 3, 2010, called ICE! It’s two million pounds of frozen water carved into amazing sculptures in which visitors can admire but not touch nor lick. (There was a sign warning about this bad behavior.) Although in its seventh season, this is the first year I’ve been able to enjoy the balmy 9 degrees Fahrenheit temps in the resort’s convention center.  It’s what my friend Annette and I did during her fourth day in the Sunshine State. (more…)

December 6, 2009 | Solo with Others

During my friend Annette’s Florida visit, I created an itinerary for a first-time Florida visitor that could be done in four days. Following is day three of her visit and check out day two here.

Disney adventures began at the Magic Kingdom. My friend has never visited Florida and EVERYONE visiting the Sunshine State needs to spend at least one day at Walt Disney World Resort. While most adults suggest Epcot as being the best park (for reasons I’m not sure of), everyone’s first visit to Disney needs to be the Magic Kingdom. (more…)

November 29, 2009 | Solo with Others

My friend came and went last week and although some time was spent locally in Southwest Florida, most was spent in Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort. Okay, I know Disney really ins’t in Orlando but if I said in Lake Buena Vista, would you know where that is? (more…)

November 23, 2009 | Fuzzies, Gadgets & Stuff, Solo with Others

Five years ago the local Rotary district (6960) sent me and four others to Japan on the Group Study Exchange program and a year later I submitted essays to be considered for a travel anthology/travel guidebook called To Japan with Love: A Travel Guide for the Connoisseur , part of the To Asia with Love series by Things Asian Press. (more…)

November 15, 2009 | Solo with Others

I realize the primary topic of my blog is solo travel because I’m a single gal and end up traveling solo because if I waited around for someone to do what I want to do, I wouldn’t travel anywhere. This week I’m going on a little girlfriends getaway within the Sunshine State. Not my first choice to use vacation time but a friend from high school who’s never been to Florida will be visiting. I asked her what she wanted to do and got the response, “I don’t care, everything’s new.” (more…)

October 31, 2009 | Solo with Others

Paranormal Researcher Erin Broemel Reads a Headstone

We’re having unseasonably warm temperatures here in Southwest Florida, in fact, Punta Gorda, Fla., had the nation’s high on Thursday (I think it was 92 degrees). Getting into the Halloween spirit while melting is a little difficult but nothing says spooktacular holiday like a good ole’ fashion ghost tour through a cemetery, which is what I did yesterday with my friends Lindsey and Jim. We joined Punta Gorda-based Danse Macabre Productions for a Fright Night Tour in Indian Springs Cemetery.

The tour began at 5 p.m., not a traditional time for a spooky tour, but was dictated by County permitting. Indian Springs Cemetery is believed to be the second oldest in Charlotte County with burials dating back to the 1800s. A small section called Babyland is easily identified by the angel headstones. It’s where infants are buried.

Our guide was Erin Broemel, a paranormal researcher and former investigator (and journalist by trade), who’s been studying the “other side” for more than 15 years. Her family has spent the past 25 years studying Charlotte County’s paranormal scene so the stories she told were either based on paranormal activity or historical research.

Babyland in Indian Springs Cemetery, Punta Gorda, Fla.

Although the sun couldn’t be any more brighter (or hotter) she encouraged us to keep our eyes open. Despite the witching hour being between midnight and 3 a.m., she encouraged us to keep an eye open for little “shadow people” running from headstone to headstone or from tree to tree. She said most activity, at this cemetery anyway, is during daylight hours. Little shadow people are spirits appearing as dark figments about the half the size a human because it’s very energy draining to manifest into a full-size person. Looking at my photos, don’t think I captured any shadow people, only that of my own shadow!

Broemel’s stories were entertaining, historical and some were plain right creepy. This was a special Halloween tour and a ghost tour of downtown Punta Gorda is offered every Saturday night for $10 per adult. Other tours are offered throughout the year, check out my article “Historic Ghost Tours of Punta Gorda, Florida” for additional information. Perhaps the folks will be interested in a tour when they come to visit this spring.

Looking for more Halloween-esque things to do? Be sure to check out my life blog, Quirk Kitsch Girl, to see the Gone Rogue Island scare crow.