Tuesday 26th August, 2008 - Mount Dora, Florida

Day 31

In a quest to find a real American small town we headed for Mount Dora about one hour drive away, which we had read in our Top Ten Orlando guide book was a picturesque lakeside town. Upon arrival we discovered a town that seemed to be in a 1950’s time warp; no chain stores, or fast food restaurants, just quaint little shops – lots of antique and craft shops (pictured below). The townspeople lived in neat houses, with well kept lawns, and it seemed like every second one had an American flag.

The people were so polite and friendly, and I was not surprised to see they had been voted as one of The Top 100 Southern Towns.

On Fourth Avenue, we found a little piece of America, "that will be forever England", The Windsor Rose Tea Room (pictured above), obviously run by Anglophiles, with pictures of the Royal Family on the walls, and an English menu, (pictured below - note the uniforms) which included one of our favourites - Devonshire cream teas. They even had clotted cream for the scones imported from the mother country, and English Breakfast tea in tea pots. It was all very civilized; not something you would expect to find in a small town in the United States, and had us both missing England.

If your tired of theme parks, disheartened by rampant consumerism, and need to escape the hustle and bustle of the resorts, drive to the small town of Mount Dora, and experience 'good ole Southern Hospitality' at its finest.