{"id":62139,"date":"2013-05-20T23:02:51","date_gmt":"2013-05-20T21:02:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/?p=62139"},"modified":"2025-05-21T23:24:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T21:24:10","slug":"road-trip-through-florida-my-diary-part-6-hot-girls-hard-liquor-thousands-of-party-hungry-students-and-dj-pauly-d-its-spring-break-baby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.misterunique.de\/?p=62139&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Road Trip Through Florida \u2013 My Diary \u2013 Part 6 \u2013 Hot Girls, Hard Liquor, Thousands of Party-Hungry Students, and DJ Pauly D \u2013 It\u2019s Spring Break, Baby!!!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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March 8, 2013<\/strong><\/span>
On the Road to Panama City Beach \u2013 Northern Florida<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

We were just a few miles away from Panama City, a rather dull American coastal town with around 35,000 residents that, if it weren\u2019t for the miles of fine white sandy beaches right outside its doorstep, would have never earned a mention in any travel guide\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"karte-panama-city-beach1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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SPRING BREAK!!!!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This stretch of coastline was also famously known as Panama City Beach<\/em> \u2013 a dreamy and unusually peaceful vacation spot throughout the year, except during March and April. And it just so happened to be March when we arrived. During these two notorious months, hundreds of thousands of college students from all over the U.S. flocked to this coastal region to celebrate the world-famous Spring Break.<\/p>\n

Over the next five days, we would witness pure madness.<\/p>\n

Slowly but surely, we approached the end of Panama City. Only one long bridge over Saint Andrew Bay now separated us from the narrow peninsula \u2013 or rather, the party oasis \u2013 right on the Gulf of Mexico. That morning we had left the middle of nowhere in Perry behind. Now we found ourselves arriving at the epicenter of ecstasy and euphoria.<\/p>\n

At least, that was the image we had of Spring Break from all the documentaries and reports we had seen back in Germany \u2013 and we hoped to experience exactly that.<\/p>\n

And finally, we were in Panama City Beach<\/strong>. Our first destination: the club \u201cLa Vela\u201d<\/em>, located right on the beach and owned by German expat Patrick Pfeffer<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"la-vela-sign\"<\/a>\"la-vela-beach\"<\/a>\"la-vela-beach-2\"<\/a>\"la-vela-beach-3\"<\/a><\/p>\n

More precisely, the club belongs to him and his brother Thorsten, but Patrick is the showman and the public face, while his brother prefers to stay in the background, handling staff and controlling. But first, a quick detour into the club\u2019s history before we move on. In 1984, their father Alois Pfeffer \u2013 a well-known German architect \u2013 designed and built the club. At that time, the beach club was significantly smaller than it is today. Over the years, it was continuously expanded, with numerous new areas being added. Today, the club has a capacity of nearly 6,000 guests and has become well-known not only across the United States, partly thanks to MTV, but especially in Germany through RTL2 and ProSieben. Two-thirds of its annual revenue is made within just two months.<\/p>\n

We had an appointment at the club with Patrick. We parked in the club’s large parking lot and didn\u2019t have to pay the usual 20 dollars like everyone else who wanted to park there, because we had told the lady at the entrance that we were from Germany and friends of Patrick. The girls wanted to wait in the car for now, so I headed toward the club entrance on my own. Out here, without having seen the beach yet, you wouldn’t have guessed that in just a few hours, chaos would erupt in the streets and in and around the clubs. Most students were using the time to recover from the previous night, restock their food and alcohol supplies at local supermarkets, just chill out, or\u2014as we would soon see\u2014already kickstart the party again at the beach. But overall, it still felt like the calm before the storm.<\/p>\n

\"la-vela-pool\"<\/a><\/p>\n

At the entrance of the club, which also served as a daytime passageway to the beach \u2014 provided one had paid the entrance fee \u2014 I encountered two staff members. I once again told one of them that I had an appointment with Patrick, that I had come all the way from Germany, would be spending a few days with him, and asked where I might find him. He explained that Patrick had just left but would be back in about two hours, and offered to call the club manager for me. I agreed immediately, and he reached for his walkie-talkie.<\/p>\n

About 15 minutes later, an older lady appeared \u2014 the club manager, working for the Pfeffer brothers. I explained to her once more who I was, and finally, she called Patrick on his phone and informed him that I was there. He seemed pleased by the news \u2014 at least that\u2019s how it came across \u2014 and told her he\u2019d be with us soon. But before that, she was to hand us the club\u2019s VIP cards so that we could move freely around and explore the place.<\/p>\n

With the personalized plastic cards in hand, we returned to the car to inform the girls about everything. Happy to hear the positive news and that everything seemed in order, we all \u2014 or rather, all the women \u2014 headed back into the club and then down to the beach. A full-on party was already underway, and the crowd was going wild \u2014 in a good way. It was clear that alcohol was flowing and unmistakably suggestive signals were being exchanged between men and women. I figured, like anywhere else in the world, people were already lining up their evening dates here.<\/p>\n

We went back into the club and waited by the pool for Patrick to finally show up. That would still take a while, and during that time, Melly and Mary became increasingly nervous and complained that they were cold. They all decided to wait for him in the car and left me alone in the club. Fine by me \u2014 better that than them continuing to nag me here.<\/p>\n

\"la-vela-sonnenuntergang\"<\/a><\/p>\n

After 20 minutes, Patrick finally pulled up, and we saw each other in person for the first time, even though we had sporadically known each other on Facebook for two years. It\u2019s funny when you suddenly stand face to face and can greet someone personally. His third question right away was, \u201cHow are you doing, how\u2019s the trip been so far, and where are your girls?\u201d When I told him that the poor little frostbites were waiting in the car, he burst out laughing but then immediately suggested we head to his place right away and that I should just follow him with our car. No sooner said than done, he got into his Mercedes SL AMG and drove to the parking lot exit.<\/p>\n

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„Grand Lagoon“ \u2013 The Upscale Neighborhood of Panama City Beach<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

We followed him in our car, and the drive took us to the eastern part of Panama City Beach, to an upscale neighborhood called \u201cGrand Lagoon.\u201d Entry into this residential area was monitored by security, and only residents or registered guests were allowed through. Patrick stopped at the gatehouse, spoke with the staff member, and the man disappeared into his little hut. Shortly afterward, he came back out holding a slip of paper, which he handed to me through the driver\u2019s window. It was a visitor\u2019s pass valid until Monday, March 11th, 2013, giving us permission to freely enter and exit the neighborhood from now on. We continued following the Mercedes, which led us through this exclusive residential area and finally stopped in the driveway of Patrick\u2019s house. A beautiful and impressive home that Patrick called his own \u2014 and which, for the next three days, would be ours too. Now came the big round of introductions, as my ladies hadn\u2019t met Patrick yet either. The vibe between all of us felt right, and so we stepped into the house together.<\/p>\n

\"patrick-pfeffer-und-ich\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Behind the front door, we immediately found ourselves in the spacious living room, where Patrick officially welcomed us once again to Panama City Beach with a chilled glass of champagne and began an administrative introduction.<\/strong>
The girls were given the guest room on the upper floor, where the three of them were to share a bed. Unfortunately, the former guest room on the ground floor had been converted into his home office, so I was provided with a brand-new inflatable queen-size mattress that he had specially purchased for me, which was set up in the living room.<\/p>\n

He even felt a bit awkward about only being able to offer me that instead of a proper room, but I thought it was fantastic that we were allowed to stay in his private home at all. On top of that, he had bought brand-new towels just for us, which he now handed over. Finally, I was even given a house key so we could come and go as we pleased \u2013 even when he wasn\u2019t home. What a show of trust.<\/p>\n

We were overwhelmed by his hospitality.
We unloaded the car, settled into our rooms \u2013 or in my case, my spot on the ground floor \u2013 and then we all got together to plan the rest of the evening.<\/p>\n

Patrick suggested that we should all dress up so we could finally experience his club by night. No big discussion was needed \u2013 we immediately agreed, and the girls disappeared into the bathroom. Thankfully, I had a wonderful private bathroom on the ground floor with a spacious shower, so I wouldn\u2019t have to share one with the ladies over the next few days.<\/p>\n

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\u201cLa Vela\u201d \u2013 The Largest Nightclub in the USA<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Around 10 p.m., we were finally ready, and the night began. The girls were like transformed \u2013 especially Melly and Mary, who were now fully in their element. „The party queens were born.“<\/em><\/p>\n

Patrick pulled up again in his Mercedes, and I followed behind with three excited girls in the car, heading into our first thrilling Spring Break night.<\/p>\n

I should definitely mention that none of us had eaten much since midday (our last stop had been Pizza Hut just before arriving in Panama City), and now, on empty stomachs, we were about to hit the alcohol. It\u2019s probably easy to imagine that this would have consequences.<\/p>\n

The transformation on the streets was like night and day \u2013 literally. Thomas Drive, the main road running parallel to the beach and the center of the nightlife scene, was already bursting with life. Everything was lit up in colorful neon.<\/p>\n

You couldn\u2019t miss \u201cLa Vela\u201d \u2013 its huge glowing sign towered at least 15 meters high and was visible from quite a distance.<\/p>\n

\"club-abend-1\"<\/a>
\nAfter we parked the car and the girls had freshened up, we met Patrick at the entrance. Now, about the process at the door: Since we were entering the club with the boss himself, there was of course no entry fee, and we were immediately given our VIP wristbands. However, we still had to show our IDs. Since I definitely don\u2019t look 18 or younger anymore, I found it quite amusing that I still had to show mine. Patrick took the lead and first showed us the main area, which also connected to the VIP section and gave access to the other two areas, like the Black Music section, for example. But we stayed in the VIP area for now, where Patrick immediately made sure we had drinks so we could toast to a great evening \u2013 and to the fact that we were finally there. We started with Vodka Red Bulls, and things got fun really fast.<\/p>\n

\"party-on-1\"<\/a>\"party-on-2\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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The Evil, Evil Alcohol…<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

I had to hold myself back a little because I didn\u2019t want to get completely wasted that evening. I suddenly realized I hadn\u2019t eaten much all day, and I still planned to drive back myself later that night. Patrick was already well on his way and grabbed Melly to personally show her around the different areas and bars. Later I found out that almost every bar they visited came with at least one round of shots. Melly\u2019s empty stomach would end up being the death sentence for her sobriety. She got more and more into it as the evening went on\u2014and more and more frequently disappeared.<\/p>\n

The highlight of the VIP area was the private, hidden VIP bathroom, which you could only access through a kind of secret door. That same door also led to the \u201csecret passages\u201d that allowed staff\u2014or Patrick himself\u2014to move between areas without having to go through the guest space. Basically, these were service corridors that connected all the bars, the main DJ booth, and the offices. Naturally, no one could really tell who had gone where once someone disappeared through that door.<\/p>\n

Melly vanished inside. Mary wasn\u2019t feeling well, slumped sleepily on the couch and half-dozing. Kathy was off exploring the club on her own. I felt a bit like the one responsible for keeping an eye on everyone to make sure nothing went wrong. It was our very first night at the club, and I already felt like it was spiraling out of control. Melly wasn\u2019t coming back. And after Kathy said she\u2019d quickly go look for her\u2014and still hadn\u2019t returned after 30 minutes\u2014I grabbed Mary, who still wasn\u2019t feeling great, and we both left the club and drove back to the house.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat first night,\u201d I thought to myself, thoroughly annoyed. Once we got home, Mary disappeared into her room and I went straight to bed, falling asleep instantly.<\/p>\n

I was suddenly jolted awake when things got loud outside the front door. A taxi had just pulled up, and the rest of the crew\u2014Patrick and a close friend of his included\u2014tumbled out. Kathy was the only one still remotely aware of her actions. The others were completely smashed. Patrick disappeared into his room right away, and his friend and Melly were still chatting at maximum alcohol level.<\/p>\n

Being sober in that kind of environment is tough. And I didn\u2019t exactly have the option to retreat\u2014my bed was in the living room. Eventually, Melly wandered off to her room too, and Patrick\u2019s friend flopped onto the couch near me and instantly passed out. Finally\u2026 peace in the house.<\/p>\n

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March 9, 2013<\/strong><\/span>
Panama City Beach \u2013 Northern Florida<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sometime around 8 a.m., I woke up and couldn\u2019t fall back asleep. The living room was brightly lit by the sun pouring through the large windows. I soon heard noise from upstairs\u2014Patrick, clearly nursing a nasty hangover, came stumbling down the stairs and greeted me with a \u201cGood morning.\u201d He was already dressed enough to tell me he was heading to the club and wouldn\u2019t be back for a while. We could come by later if we wanted to. And with that\u2014poof\u2014he was gone.<\/p>\n

His friend had apparently left even earlier; I vaguely remembered hearing that through my half-sleep around 7 a.m. Now the house was quiet again. God, I was starving. I desperately needed food, and the girls still seemed to be sleeping. So I jumped into the shower\u2014which felt amazing after that kind of night\u2014got dressed, and headed out in the car to find the nearest source of sustenance.<\/p>\n

That turned out to be a bright yellow \u201cM\u201d that caught my eye just about two miles down the road. Two clear advantages to this solo trip to McDonald\u2019s:<\/p>\n

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  1. \n

    I finally got to eat again.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    I finally had some peace and quiet.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I enjoyed my pancakes, oatmeal, and coffee while keeping in touch with my German friends via tablet. Thank you, McDonald\u2019s, for the free Wi-Fi. Bless you.<\/p>\n

    After about half an hour, Melly suddenly messaged me on WhatsApp (side note: I had logged into the Wi-Fi with my phone as well to upload some photos):
    \u201cWhere are you?\u201d
    \u201cI\u2019m having breakfast.\u201d
    \u201cWithout us?\u201d
    \u201cNeeded some time to myself, and you were all still asleep. I\u2019ll be back soon,\u201d I replied. After her \u201cOkay,\u201d everything went quiet again.<\/p>\n

    Being the nice guy I am, I made a stop at the supermarket on the way home and picked up donuts, apples, and other tasty treats to cheer up the three hungover mouths back at the house. When I got back, everyone was awake\u2014but none of them looked even remotely alive yet.<\/p>\n

    \"Patricks-Haus\"<\/a>\"Patricks-Pool\"<\/a>\"Patricks-Kanal\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    Melly in particular was really struggling and deeply shaken by what had happened the night before. There were blackouts\u2014she couldn\u2019t remember everything, and she was embarrassed about how she had behaved. She just wasn\u2019t feeling well. She sat on the terrace like a picture of misery, and seeing her like that, I couldn\u2019t be mad at her anymore. Honestly, I just wanted to give her a hug and tell her, \u201cChin up\u2014thank God nothing really happened. And that pounding headache is your own cross to bear.\u201d<\/p>\n

    My little snack for everyone was like a drop in the ocean\u2014it made no difference at all, because everyone wanted a proper meal. So we spontaneously set out to find a restaurant that would make everyone happy. After a short cruise through Panama City Beach, we found a place that looked good and headed inside.<\/p>\n

    Now everyone was happy and content. Well, not everyone\u2014Melly was still feeling rough, but I had made it my mission to cheer her up and take her mind off things. Actually, the plan had been to take some great club photos with Patrick, which were supposed to appear in Germany\u2019s BILD<\/em> newspaper on Monday, March 11.<\/p>\n

    \"m.voisin\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    That was the plan I had agreed on with BILD editor M. Voisin in D\u00fcsseldorf before my departure. The story was supposed to be: \u201cA guy from D\u00fcsseldorf celebrates Spring Break in Florida.\u201d<\/em> The photos were to be taken on Saturday and sent to her via email on Sunday morning.<\/p>\n

    Damn. Suddenly the sky turned cloudy \u2014 and that was definitely not what I wanted in the photos. Still, we headed to the club, and while Melly and I went inside, the other two decided to explore the area a bit. Now it was getting a little chilly, too, and the vibe just didn\u2019t feel right for capturing the perfect Spring Break moment to showcase back in Germany.<\/p>\n

    From the upper terrace, Melly and I watched the beach and the scene unfolding there. Despite the cool temperatures, the American girls were throwing a wild party in the tiniest bikinis. Meanwhile, Patrick showed up \u2014 he had a ProSieben TV crew in tow who, as every year, wanted him to explain why Spring Break is such a big deal and why the students go so wild.<\/p>\n

    As if that would ever change from one year to the next. It was kind of funny to now see the production process behind what we\u2019d only ever seen on German television through Patrick himself. We stood right behind the cameraman \u2014 but even so, we decided to say goodbye and left the club.<\/p>\n

    \"spazieren\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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    One of a Kind \u2013 My Mister-UniQue Spring Break 2013 Cap<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    We strolled around for a bit and ended up in a huge PCB (Panama City Beach) merchandise store \u2014 and I swear, we didn\u2019t come out until two hours later. No joke, by the time we stepped outside, it was already dark. So what had kept us in there for so long?<\/p>\n

    Well, first of all, we ran into Mary and Katy again inside the store \u2014 and when women go shopping together, time just flies. And second, there was a guy in the store who turned ordinary baseball caps into unique pieces of art using airbrush \u2014 and at an insanely good price. So of course, all of us wanted our own hand-crafted cap.<\/p>\n

    \"a-unique-cap\"<\/a>
    \nActually, this would have gone pretty quickly \u2014 but once women start thinking about what they actually want on that thing, it gets complicated. And, once again, Melly was the most extreme case. Her decision-making process took an eternity, and just when we finally got her to settle on a design, she thought the result on the cap looked crap. And by then, it was already dark. When we got back inside, it had started to rain, so we decided to spend a relaxed evening at home \u2014 and after everything that happened last night, we collapsed into bed completely exhausted.<\/p>\n

    \"my-unique-cap-yeah\"<\/a>
    \n10.03.2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Panama City Beach \u2013 Nord Florida<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \"egg-and-i\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    During the night, the rain had stopped, and the early morning greeted us with a perfect, cloudless sky. The sun smiled at us, and I just knew \u2014 today was going to be epic. After the sleep deprivation of the past few days, the night had finally recharged our batteries, and we were ready to dive headfirst into Spring Break.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    First thing on my list today: I absolutely needed to get those photos for BILD, so I could keep my end of the deal and make sure the article would be in tomorrow\u2019s Monday edition.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    Wait… That\u2019s supposed to be a Cordon Bleu?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    But first, breakfast! We found a breakfast spot with the charming name \u201cEgg & I\u201d \u2014 and we knew we had to try it. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. Even Melly, our self-proclaimed gourmet critic, left full and happy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    One little tip though: if you\u2019re ordering something from the menu that sounds familiar \u2014 don\u2019t expect it to look like what you know. I mean… just look at that Cordon Bleu. (See photo)<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \"cordon-bleu-american-style\"<\/a>
    \nNow it was finally time to head to the club. Today was really warm, probably around 27 to 30 degrees Celsius, and the conditions for the perfect photo couldn\u2019t have been better. The beach was absolutely buzzing. Not just right in front of La Vela, but as far as the eye could see, the sand was packed with crowds, bikinis, and endless girls. I just thought to myself in that moment: I love America.<\/em><\/p>\n