Gainesville is a city in Alachua County, Florida

It is home to the University of Florida,

which is one of the largest universities in the United States.
The estimate population of the city is 125.000

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Had an early dinner at Harry's

Harry's Bar & Grill is famous for its
New Orleans style cooking
like this jambalaya
- the portion's huge! At least for 3 persons!
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Didn't have jambalaya,
instead Harry's Ceasar salad with chicken
- not a small portion either
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Before the dinner had a little walk in the town
- somehow it felt like being in Pori, Finland
despite of Starbucks, palm trees...
Very tranquile town,
perhaps only now as everyone's out having spring break
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City Hall garden
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Where's Rory?
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As mentioned the town is very tranquile

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Lorelei's house?

It's just like walking on the streets of Stars Hollow!

- sure the Gilmore girls would soon show up!
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The town should have more Wisteria Lane feeling
than Stars Hollow...

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... as the screenwriter of Desperate Housewives

is from Gainesville

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Oh yes, some parts of the town look very much

like Wisteria Lane

KissCam

Not only cars but also all kinds

of entertaiment at Gatornationals

like this KissCam!

And competitions to win t-shirts etc
- catching t-shirts

- guessing the names of tv-shows by its tunes
...

More Gatornationals...

Didn't exactly plan to go there for another day

but if Johnny Depp is hanging around there,

hmm, why not!
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After the blessing, praying,

singing the national anthem

& flight show

the day's drag race was ready to start
- not so many car pictures today!
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Some facts about Drag Racing:

The fastest top fuelers can attain terminal speeds of

over 530 km/h (329 mph) while covering

the quarter mile (402 m) distance in roughly 4.45 seconds.

Top Fuel dragsters are the fastest accelerating

manned vehicles on Earth,

quicker even than the space shuttle launch vehicle

or catapult-assisted jet fighter.

A Top Fuel dragster produces 8,000 horsepower (6,000 kW)

and can go from 0 to 320 mph (510 km/h)

in under 5 seconds and

from 0–100 km/h in 0.9 seconds
.

.
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Tony Schumacher almost won

the top fuel dragsters'
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Mark's Prime Steakhouse

Dinner at Mark's Prime Steakhouse

on Saturday

- quite an upscale place!

Starter:

Portobello mushrooms stuffed

with tomato & mozzarella di bufala

- very nice, but rather huge portion

and a bit too much balsamico
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Petit filee with beans & new potatoes with garlic

- the steak was excellent!

- they really know how to make it - perfect!
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Chocolate mousse cake with

berries & almond
- delicious but far too big portion

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Mark's Prime Steakhouse

SE 2nd Avenue

Gainesville. FL

- fantastic place!
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NHRA Gatornationals 2011

There's smoke!
Lot of smoke...
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NHRA Gatornationals 2011
in Gainesville
March 11-13
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Not really my kind of thing,
actually far from it
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Lots of funny cars - they all look so funny!
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Dragsters
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Funny cars
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More funny cars
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Same funny cars at starting line
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Electric cars
- perhaps the future of drag racing???
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Funny car
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Funny car
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Top fuel dragster
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Top fuel dragster
sponsored by US Army!
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Funny car
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Funny car
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Funny car
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Not a racing car
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Neither this one
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Pitt area for the nitro cars
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Prince of Qatar sponsoring this team
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At the pitt
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Lots of food stalls
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Giant gas bottles for the burger grills
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60 years of NHRA
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Well, what a day!
By the way Johnny Depp was there too!
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Hampton Inn & Suites

Arrived to Gainesville on Friday evening

- had a booking for Hampton Inn & Suites

- got room 419

Free wifi

Rather spacious bathroom
- nice hotel

Went to Harry's Seafood Bar & Grill

for dinner

- just opposite the hotel
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Crab cakes with cole slaw
- very good!
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Hampton Inn & Suites

101 SE 1st Avenue

Gainesville, FL
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