So excited to hear that someone I worked closely with during my 6 months in Shanghai was coming to Walt Disney World for a business trip.

Jimmy was hired the month after I arrived and was definitely the HOH leader that spoke and understood the most English.  Hence, we worked together most of my time there, as he interpreted mandarin for me during meetings, classes  and training.  Yep, I have to throw in a shot of their beautiful castle from Shanghai Disney.

He had a full schedule working 13 days in a row, but we were able to carve out some time to show hm a different side of Florida most visitors never see when they come to the sunshine state.

It is a 7 mile drive (one way) through coastal Florida, offering a chance to see Florida wildlife on a dyke road that was originally created for mosquito control.

We stopped along the way for a few flower photos (thanks hon).

The drive was mostly deserted since the best time to enjoy this is during the winter and spring months when birds are migrating  and stop here.

 

We walked to a lookout to see the salt marsh.

One of our goals was for Jimmy to see an alligator in the wild.  We were successful!  Eric thought he saw the gator’s eyes above water in a culvert, so we parked along the canal and walked back to the spot.  We were both too impatient and walked around the roadway.  However, Jimmy stayed still and eventually the gator resurfaced once things quieted down.

Sorry Adrienne – Jimmy spotted another gator at another canal crossroad.  She’s going on 3 months since she moved here and nada, nothing,no gator sighting- but not for want or trying.

All this work (ha!) got our appetites going so we stopped at a local seafood restaurant that has character – Dixie Crossroads.

Yes, they specialize in shrimp, serving it a multitude of ways.  They start out with these fried corn fritters, sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Not sure that Jimmy enjoyed them – but he did try one.  Guess it is an acquired taste.

Loved my selection of rock shrimp, as did Eric’s choice of fried oysters and shrimp.

Interesting enough, Jimmy ordered a sirloin strip steak.  Hmmmm, hindsight says maybe we should have stopped at a steak-house for American beef – a novelty for him.

Before he left central Florida, another group off us got together with Jimmy.  We met at Disney Springs after all of his meetings that day.  We tried to capture the “springs” in our photo background

I arrived early and was parched.  This quenched my thirst.  I ordered the amber at the outside bar.

 

Ultimately we ended up eating here at The Polite Pig.  However, we moved to the inside bar.  It’s just plain, miserably hot and we finally needed air conditioning.  🙂

This place is all about BBQ and they’re very good at it.  I had the pulled pork sandwich along with a pretzel.

Thinking back, everyone in the group had the pulled pork, either as sandwich or a platter.

Before departing, Jimmy game me a gift from Shanghai…….a pin commemorating their most recent land that opened in the Park:  Toy Storyland.

While I really like the pin, the book mark he gave me was very special and something I will treasure.  He told me before he left home, he tried to find some ‘unique and authentic’ Chinese gifts to bring, and this definitely was all of that.

 

 

I’m going to close with some of my favorite shots from my Shanghai experience.  I was able to get some new photos from the Park, but sorry for those that may have already seen the others I included while I lived and worked in Shanghai. 🙂  For anyone new, check out ginnyinshanghai.wordpress.com.  Both Eric and I go back to read those postings occasionally, remembering that time in 2016.

The Walt & Mickey statue before opening day:

The Great Wall:

My Goodbye dinner with those I worked closely with.

(left – right: Hannah, Louise, Vivian, Myself, Denny and Jimmy)

It still boggles my mind that I spent 6 months in China.  It had its ups and downs, but definitely was one of the highlights of my life.

 

Ginny