The Gathering

Day 0

Today the three forces are arriving in Jacksonville, coming from three different directions. Eddie by car from South Carolina in the north, Alex by plane from St. Louis in the West and Diana by train from the south. 

Starting out of St. Louis.  The sun is shining.  Arriving Atlanta one hour delayed.  Wrong concourse. 27 minutes to make the connection.  Out of the door of the plane, greeted by Vangie sporting a killer smile, a sheet of paper with my name on it, and keys to a Porsche Cayenne with all of its 550 horses idling smoothly just below under the jet way.  A smooth 2 minute ride and onto a 757 to JAX.  Too smooth.  That is what being a loyal Delta flyer is all about. 

Miami 8.20am, the train is rolling on time but slowly out of the station. It doesn't pick up speed until after Fort Lauderdale which took us an hour to get there. Now I understood while the ride in the train takes 8hrs for what a car would make in 5.  Well, at least the seats are comfy and spacious, the dining car opens soon and the omelette is delicious. Georgia, the breakfast companion I just met, is a bubbly, nice woman in her 50's all excited going to Orlando to some food and wine festival. We talk while the lush landscape outside the window is getting blurred - we picked up speed.

Back from the dining car I spent the next 2 hrs sitting next to an elderly, petit looking lady. I estimate she is in her mid 60's Her accent is difficult to discern to me.  Did I understand her correctly. ? She is telling about how she used to ride the train in the 1940's from New York to Miami???  'Yes', she says,
' my Dear , I am 79 years old. Back in those days the train where all so luxurious. The dining car was like a lounge, red plush seats, waiters in white jackets and black ties. We used dress in our best party attire,  sipping our cocktails and dance the entire night until into the wee hours when the train made it's final approach into Miami. 

Columbia 8am, Hertz calls they are late with the van. Eddie starts out eventually two hours later than planned. No biggie, Diana and Alex are delayed as well. We finally gather in Jacksonville and make our way to the Atlantic Beach and our hotel the Palms Retro.

The place it's extraordinary. Walking through the little iron gate through the lush courtyard the first thing that blend the eyes are the candy colored doors. Pink and blue. Well, guess there is a reason it's called retro. We are back in the '50. All rooms are themed such as 'The boys', 'Legends' or 'Diva'. The owner of this little gem took it to the extend that you even find the specific movies in your room. 'Diva' came equipped with "Breakfast at Tiffanys".

The breakfast room