Match Day

I was really looking forward to Saturday.

Started early - alarm set for 6.30 snow could get up and out to Frankie Farrells to watch the Newcastle United v Arsenal match (that we would have been watching at St. James' Park had we not been in Florida).  Surprisingly the pub was really quiet - we were the only supporters there. We ordered breakfast and settled down at a table with a good view of one of the TV's in there.   

Now Frankie's is a big place, with lots of tables all over the place, so when a family of americans with small noisy twin boys came in the door, we really didn't expect them to sit opposite us just within eyesight of the screen in our peripheral vision. However, we did our best to concentrate on the game and even though we lost we came out into the hot sunshine with positive vibes.

The plan was to spend the afternoon packing, so I suggested hubby took the boys off somewhere with a football while I had the room to myself to try and fit all our belongings into the luggage. It always amazes me how much we buy, and even the 'room maid' (I always feel uncomfortable calling them that) seemed to be astonished as she did the beds and bathroom while stepping around piles of mugs and trainers and other collected things.

A couple of hours later, with three of the four cases packed, weighed and locked up, we went off to Disney Spring for late lunch at T-Rex Diner. Not my favourite place. It's so noisy, kids all over, dinosaurs and meteor showers making noise every few minutes, it's like a mad house. I don't expect staff stay long there, it would drive me do-lally. This was the finale dessert..the Chocolate Extinction. After the initial scrum, it only took 5 mins to clear the plate.

On the way back to the car we crossed a little bridge and a waft of fish drew our attention to a couple of otters in the little stream. I wasn't sure they were even real at first but then saw the fish they were eating and realised even Disney probably wouldn't have gone to that extent. Not a great photo but you can see them by the rocks.

Then it was off to Orlando to watch the Orlando City v Chicago soccer (football) match.  I was looking forward to it as I had never been to a match here before and as a fan of American 'Football' (not proper football) knew it would probably be a bit different to our matches in the UK. As usual this  year, anything we wanted to do in the afternoon/evening seemed to involve a storm and rain. The days we had nothing to do it was fine.

As we set off towards Orlando this was the sky... Orlando is right underneath that storm cloud.

When we arrived it was torrential rain. the car park we had paid $20 for so that the car was in a secure place, turned out to be a field right outside the ground. Local residents were out in force trying to goad people into their 'yards' at a cost of $10-$20. It was all very confusing and not being able to see clearly because of the rain didn't help. The neighbourhood was well dodgey and you really wouldn't have wanted to be there for any other reason.

Eventually we parked up in a boggy field, new trainers ruined as soon as we stepped out of the car. Luckily the ground was just across a road and so we didn't get that wet as the rain had eased off. This is the ground - The Citrus Bowl.

We got inside and found our way to the stand where we had tickets. The Supporters Section. This was where 'The Wall' stands. These are hard core supporters. probably the ones who arrive early in the day and have a tail-gate party, getting drunk and in the party spirit.  By the time they are in the ground, they are in a state that would have them banned from any English football ground. But as we noticed in the concourse they had cold beer stands all over the place, encouraging rather than discouraging those intent on getting drunk.

This photo was taken when we first got inside the ground, light rain and most people were still milling about poetised or on their way in. Minutes later the rain came down in torrents again and they stayed out there singing and waving until the announcement to vacate seats due to lightening me over the tannoy.

The rule in Florida for outdoor events is that if there is a listening within 10 miles, then the event is postponed for 30 minutes after the last strike. So the party continued in the concourse. Then we all went out as the teams came out to warm up, most standing in the torrential rain, but even with a poncho on (like me) you still got wet. The stands started to fill up and then back came the lightening and we all had to go back under cover again. This happened again and after 90 minutes of this and no communication from the club regarding postponement or otherwise, we decided to call it a night and go back to the hotel.

It turned out to be a good decision as when we got back to the car, there were several other cars stuck in the mud as did we at one point so Jordan and I jumped out barefoot and pushed the car until it was clear and could get out the field.  While pushing, my phone that was in my pocket but Id forgotten about fell into the mud, in the dark. Fortunately a guy who came over to help us saw me drop it and picked it up. That really would have been the worst night ever.

Jordan kept an eye on the match as we drove through the storm to the hotel, they kicked off at 9.35, and came off again 18m minutes later. This went on (and off) until 12.10 when the match ended 1-1. God only knows what state the supporters were in by then, or maybe they'd have run out of beer. Either way, we were showered, warm and in our beds by then and not stuck in a field surrounded by lary drunken supporters in a proper dodgey part of Orlando in a rainstorm.