Hollywood (Florida style!)

Neither A or P work but I typically work 50 - 60 hours a week so I like to catch up on some sleep when I’m on holiday….but not this one! I was woken at 7.15am again and we left at 9.00am for the 4 hour drive to Hollywood.

We went straight down the I75 (which runs down the west coast of Florida) and then used Alligator Alley to cut across to the east coast. We didn’t see any alligators!

Hollywood is north of Miami and the MapQuest directions lead us straight to the hotel. We got to the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida at about 1.45pm and it was an amazing place! Even on each floor of the hotel itself there was Rock and Roll Memorabilia! Our room was a good size and had a switch near the door where you could show outside "Privacy" or "Make up the room" rather than using a sign outside. The funniest thing was that I thought we were going to stop before we got to the venue so I could put my contact lenses in but they went straight to valet parking so I just took my glasses off so I could hardly see! (I'm too vain to be seen in public with my glasses!) Ann had to come to the front desk to check-in!

The view from our hotel window - a large expanse of roof!

Every so often a fountain would spurt up but A & P never saw it so here's the proof!

Only at the Hard Rock! This is at valet parking:

After we'd unpacked Pat and I went down to the food court and had lunch. We then sat outside for a while which was wonderful in the heat!

At about 4.15pm they went off to their meet and greet (which wasn't due to start until 5.00pm) so I spent a couple of hours working in my room as one of my website clients had sent me some work.

I left my room at about 7.45pm and it was so nice to just wander downstairs to a concert! I met up with A & P there and they told me that Kasim wasn't opening and that the concert didn't start until 8.15pm. I collected my ticket from Will Call and went into the venue. It was BITTERLY cold in there - the coldest venue yet! (I am so looking forward to having heat at the speedway track!) My seat was in the 4th row but on Paul’s side of the stage. As it turned out that was fine tonight because Kasim kept coming over to Paul's side a lot! The main problem I had was that there was one family in my row who kept going in and out. The father went out at least 6 times (and back in as many) and the others all did at least twice. There were 2 sets free on ether side of me (plus two next to them on one side as that couple left during You Took The Words) so at one point the father went and collected 4 of his friends from further back in the venue. Not only did they all file past me (and back out again later) but two of them also got on their cell phones!

The concert was good (see my review on KI.com) and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves on stage.

I left as soon as they left the stage and went outside to warm up. P & A soon joined me an we had dinner outside at a small jazz bar nearby. Just as we were finishing our meal, I saw John Micelli, Paul Crook and a few people go into a bar nearby so A & P decided to go in there while I went back to our room.

They were there for 2 hours but had a great time! John, Paul, CC and Deborah were all there and chatted to them. John especially kept hugging them apparently and let them try his new drink! They were also told a few snippets about something special that will be happening on Saturday!

We got to sleep (me on the fold away bed as I lost the toss!) at about 3.00am.