The Ptarmigan has landed

Here I am after a long but uneventful journey, roosted in the Wyndham Orlando Resort, headquarters of the IAFC conference and, to my surprise, a lot of other stuff as well. This is a bi-i-i-g place, and though we are likely one of the few groups who monopolize pools, other groups are having meetings and conventions here, too. I daresay we are going to be more comfortable and have more fun than the businessmen in their dark suits & ties or the businesswomen in full face paint, pantyhose and tight skirt rigs. The resort lies on the border of the posh and the tickytacky. This is the view to the north from the front of the Wyndham:
Franchise food and Disney t-shirts as far as the eye can see. To the south it's much greener and posher with snootier malls and swankier restaurants. Inside the resort fence it's a quiet world of 2-story buildings connected by winding paths that wander around the artificial streams and ponds. It's quite a hike from my room to the area where the conference events will be held, but if you're feeling wimpish (or tired and hot), you can hitch a ride on one of the bellmen's golf carts. But if you walk, you can see the ducks, the little lizards (and a cat that hunts them at night), and glorious tropical foliage, to wit:
I stopped by the convention center, where the conference honchos are setting up shop along with a couple dozen actual shopkeepers representing any kind of merchandise an H2O teacher might covet. I ran into Angie Proctor, who even remembered me from her trip to Alaska (I'm sure the pasty winter complexion was a big clue). Tomorrow morning they'll be ready to check me in and at 1 pm I have my first class.

On the way to my room I passed these folks quietly enjoying themselves by one of the pools. I bet tomorrow they're going to wonder what hit 'em--and that'll be way before the drumming circle or the salsa music!