The train journey to Chicago started at 4pm on Tuesday and we arrived at 4pm Thursday.
Out cabin on the train was the same as on the coastal train from San Francisco, so it was easy to stow everything away and feel settled in. By now I had developed Bronchitis and was certainly not fit for the company of strangers, so we organised for all our meals to be taken in our room.
The scenery between Seattle and Chicago is pretty much all wide open plains and fields .... pretty much nothing to see although still attractive, green farming land. I have ever seen so much corn growing in all my life! To be honest I spent most of the trip coughing, sleeping and swallowing pills in the hope of feeling better before we got to Chicago!!
We arrived and caught a taxi to our hotel which was terrific. My first of impression of Chicago was .... scary. It seemed huge, dark and confusing. Let me say though, on further exploration it was NOTHING like that. It was a great city. Our hotel room was just amazing ..... huge and it had this amazing day bed built into the bay window. So you could lounge in the window several stories up and watch downtown Chicago go by.
Another special thing about Chicago was that we were able to request a companion pet for our stay. We had our own goldfish buddy whom we named George G. Fish. Such a cutie and very calming as well.
When I woke on Friday I was very disappointed to discover I was still feeling fairly ordinary. No way I could face a day of traipsing around the city. So I bunkered down in our room and prayed for the coughing to stop!!!!
Russ took off on his own to visit Frank Lloyd Wright's home, studio and gallery in Oak Park. He very bravely caught the underground train on the Harlem line and walked the few blocks to the house. On the way he was able to see many examples of Lloyd Wright architecture in the homes in the area. The house itself was designed and built by FLW when he was 21 years of age in 1900's. It was the home in which he and his wife raised their six children. It is now used as a museum to showcase his work. Even the furniture in the house was designed by FLW to blend and accentuate the features of the home.
After it was completed FLW continually changed the house, as he tried out new architectural ideas. One such idea was a special window in his wife's day room which opened outward. One of the children apparently was quite adventurous and kept climbing and falling out of the window. FLW was such a pedantic man that he refused to alter the window to make it more safe. Apparently, design was far more important than the safety issue.
Russ had a fantastic time and found it to be a wonderful opportunity to see the innovative style of FLW and appreciate further his work.
Saturday I decided to brave the tour bus and we took off with a list of places to see. First stop was Millenium Park. Rather a misnomer considering they could not finish it in time for the turn of the Millenium but actually completed it in 2004!! There was some fascinating sculptures set in the middle of the wide paths, fantastic trees, wonderful lawns to rest on and a beautiful water park. It was a rather unexpected find. There was a space around the size of half a footy field. At each end there were brick walls about 6 metres long by 2 metres wide and probably 10 metres tall. Water flowed down the walls from the top and the space in between the two was filled with water spouts (like you see out the front of Crown Casino). The space was filled with kids and families having the best time, on a hot day, playing in the water. The best part was on the tall feature walls that continually projected pictures of people. They showed through the water .... spectacular!!! We really enjoyed watching everyone have fun and sat for a while watching and enjoying the cool breeze over the water.
We decided to eat lunch and I had my heart set on eating at at place I had read about in some tourist guides. It was called Eggys and as I adore eggs in any shape or form, I was really looking forward to it. According to the maps we had it was just a short walk from the park, so we set off. After walking in several directions, and asking a few people, we realised there was no way we were going to find Eggys!!! I had a bit of a meltdown so we sat in another area of the park to catch our breath and cool off a bit. Could not have picked a better place to sit ... the passing parade was fantastic.
As it was the weekend there were a procession of stretch limousines arriving with wedding parties aboard. Interesting array of brides from the sublime to the ridiculous!!! What really caught our attention however were limousines full of quite young Mexican people. On investigation we discovered they were celebrating an event called Quinceanera. When a Mexican girl turns 15 she has an elaborate celebration to mark her coming of age. These girls wore the most amazing dresses. Very formal, very ruffley, very colourful, very glittery and beaded. Their best friends and younger siblings wore something like bridesmaids dresses (only way shorter and um ... cheap looking!!!). The young men wore tuxedos usually in blue, white or some other colour!!! They go to big parks and monuments to have professional photos done and then celebrate with a huge reception!!! It was trashy, flashy, over the top and I loved it!!!!
After that excitement, we walked back to the bus and did a tour of Chicago including their Chinatown, Little Italy and Greektown. It was very interesting and the cooking smells as we went past were so enticing we almost left the bus and invited ourselves for dinner at the nearest home!!!
Little Italy was particularly interesting as we learned about the early mobster days and saw some of the crime scenes!!! The other interesting feature of the tour was watching the retractable bridges which have to split and raise to allow bigger ships to move further up the Chicago River.
We caught the hop off/on bus again and made our way into the city. We visited an amazing lolly shop which had a display of dresses, all made from different well known lolly wrappers. At first glance you would not have known what they were made of .... very clever. We then went to the John Hancock Building which was nearby. In Chicago there are two or three tall buildings which all have an observatory level. John Hancock is one of those, so we went to the top and admired the gorgeous view just as the sun was setting. We stayed for ages and were able to see the whole city glittering with thousands of lights. Just beautiful. That was enough for one night, so we made our way back to the hotel to check on George G Fish!!!
The following day we were on the move again, so we packed up, had the hotel mind our bags and had a fantastic lunch, sitting on the sidewalk, watching view, enjoying the sunshine and sipping a couple of glasses of rather nice wine. Optimum way to spend a Sunday in my opinion!!!
We got to the station just in time to board the train and once again settle into our sleeper cabin. This time the trip was only 22 hours, so we made the most of our last night on the train, with a nice dinner, good company and another couple of wines!!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Seattle
We caught the train at Emeryville station which is over the Bay Bridge from SF at about 6pm. Found out little sleeper room. It was the cutest thing with a long couch which made into a double bed (plus another single bed which folded down). It also has a comfy chair, a basin and a table that folded up between the couch and chair. The bathroom was very small with a toilet and shower. We settled in and made ourselves at home pretty quickly.
We were able to order dinner in our room and because at this stage I was feeling pretty ordinary with a cold etc. we decided to eat there rather than inflict my coughing and sneezing on everyone else. It was great food and Russ really enjoyed his steak.
We settled down to sleep for the night and were rocked off to sleep with the movement of the train.
I woke up quite early (especially for me!!!). I looked out the window to be greeted by the most amazing mountains topped withn snow. It was sooo beautiful. The scenery was just as stunning all the way to Seattle. We arrived early in the morning, dumped our bags at the hotel and walked, walked and walked some more. We checked out the main city area but I started to feel a bit unwell so we went back to the hotel and I slept for ages.
Next morning poor Russ was woken with the sounds of my coughing. Rotten timing but what can you do? So we caught a tourist bus and explored the city further. We saw the seaport which was full of converted warehouses used for events and entertainment. There was a big fun park area as well. Seattle has an old reputation as a rough and industrial area but it has moved on from that and is a really interesting place. We went into the areas where grunge music had its start. If we had had more time, there was a huge exhibition on the history of music in the area but we had to move on.
The bus then took us to the Seattle needle. As it is the 50th anniversary of the World Expo in Seattle there was lots of information on the Expo and construction of the needle. We then took the lift up and spent a lot of time appreciating the amazing views from the top and taking photos.
By then I was feeling pretty awful so we headed back to the hotel for some comforting soup, washing some clothes and huge rest. Next morning Russ went out for another exploratory walk while I was sleeping, we packed up and headed back for the station for the next step on our exciting journey.
We were able to order dinner in our room and because at this stage I was feeling pretty ordinary with a cold etc. we decided to eat there rather than inflict my coughing and sneezing on everyone else. It was great food and Russ really enjoyed his steak.
We settled down to sleep for the night and were rocked off to sleep with the movement of the train.
I woke up quite early (especially for me!!!). I looked out the window to be greeted by the most amazing mountains topped withn snow. It was sooo beautiful. The scenery was just as stunning all the way to Seattle. We arrived early in the morning, dumped our bags at the hotel and walked, walked and walked some more. We checked out the main city area but I started to feel a bit unwell so we went back to the hotel and I slept for ages.
Next morning poor Russ was woken with the sounds of my coughing. Rotten timing but what can you do? So we caught a tourist bus and explored the city further. We saw the seaport which was full of converted warehouses used for events and entertainment. There was a big fun park area as well. Seattle has an old reputation as a rough and industrial area but it has moved on from that and is a really interesting place. We went into the areas where grunge music had its start. If we had had more time, there was a huge exhibition on the history of music in the area but we had to move on.
The bus then took us to the Seattle needle. As it is the 50th anniversary of the World Expo in Seattle there was lots of information on the Expo and construction of the needle. We then took the lift up and spent a lot of time appreciating the amazing views from the top and taking photos.
By then I was feeling pretty awful so we headed back to the hotel for some comforting soup, washing some clothes and huge rest. Next morning Russ went out for another exploratory walk while I was sleeping, we packed up and headed back for the station for the next step on our exciting journey.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
San Francisco
If I were ever to move to USA, San Francisco is without doubt THE place I would want to live. It is a fantastic city and grabbed me right from the start!!
We flew from San Diego and caught a shuttle bus from the airport. About halfway to our hotel I told Russ I really liked the feel of the place. Our hotel was walking distance from Fishermans Wharf which was a real bonus. As soon as we unpacked, we walked to the Wharf for a look around. Fabulous atmosphere with heaps of things to do.
Next morning we slept in for a while and then had a delicious brunch at the restaurant attached to our hotel. It was an Italian style place, with some very attractive waiters and yummy food. We shared a couple dishes, most of which was eaten by Russ ..... what a hero!!! Next chore was washing (the only disadvantage to 'packing light' is you have to keep up with the washing or you run out of clothes!!!), mailing a parcel of souvenirs etc home and getting my nails done!!! All a bit tedious but necessary.
We then rewarded ourselves with some more time exploring the fantastic Pier 39, where there are lots of eateries, souvenir shops, an aquarium and very clear views of Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Wednesday was a special day. We went to a baseball game. I had been looking forward to this for ages and was very excited. The San Francisco Giants were playing the Houston Astros at the Giants home field. Michael and Sarah are avid Giants fans, so by default we are too. Go Giants!!!!!!! We caught the trolley car one block from our hotel. This took us along the waterfront to meet up with the MUNI (the local underground railways system). We found the right train without getting lost and got to A T & T stadium with no problems. We were meeting Mick and Sarah at a bar across from the stadium and managed to find a spot on the fairly crowded outdoor area. We waited for ages and then decided to make our way over to the stadium.
We went in the main gate with thousands of others and soon discovered that the seats I had bought on line were absolute rippers. We had a fantastic view of the field.
Russ armed himself with a hotdog and the game started. Not too long after I heard my name being called and looked around to see Michael and Sarah standing behind us. Poor things, there had been a fire which had closed down the underground and the half hour trip from home to the game had taken them two and a half hours!!!! We made plans to catch up the net day and they headed off to their seats to enjoy the game.
We had a great time joining in the traditional singing, chomping on garlic fries and candy floss and waving my huge orange foam finger around. Sadly the Giants did not win although they had won the day before. A great day trying out some traditional American sport.
Next morning we were up bright ands early to get in some sightseeing on our, by now favorite, hop on and off bus. Great way to see things a bit further afield. It also took us across the Golden Gate bridge which was amazing. The views of the city from the the side of the bay are spectacular. We then raced back to our hotel to change clothes and get ready for our very special night out.
We caught the trolley car to the underground station and then BART (a VERY fast train) to Walnut Creek which is Sarah's home town. We were delighted to have been invited by Juan and Kathy (Sarah's parents) for dinner and were able to meet all Sarah's grandparents, aunt and friend. We had a fabulous dinner and chatted for hours. Just a great relaxing night with terrific people. Sarah also gave us a tour of the Walnuft Creek area and we saw where she had grown up, excelled at swimming and worked, plus the best array of shops!!! Two very happy people caught the train back to SF.
We were on the move again the next day, so while I packed up and got organised (and had a bit of a sleep-in) Russ did a tour of Alcatraz. He had a fabulous time but came back exhausted as there were heaps of steps to climb!!!! Took one last long walk down to Fishermans Wharf, picked up some souvenirs, had a meal and caught the bus over the Bay Bridge to Emeryville where we caught the Amtrak train to Seattle.
We flew from San Diego and caught a shuttle bus from the airport. About halfway to our hotel I told Russ I really liked the feel of the place. Our hotel was walking distance from Fishermans Wharf which was a real bonus. As soon as we unpacked, we walked to the Wharf for a look around. Fabulous atmosphere with heaps of things to do.
Next morning we slept in for a while and then had a delicious brunch at the restaurant attached to our hotel. It was an Italian style place, with some very attractive waiters and yummy food. We shared a couple dishes, most of which was eaten by Russ ..... what a hero!!! Next chore was washing (the only disadvantage to 'packing light' is you have to keep up with the washing or you run out of clothes!!!), mailing a parcel of souvenirs etc home and getting my nails done!!! All a bit tedious but necessary.
We then rewarded ourselves with some more time exploring the fantastic Pier 39, where there are lots of eateries, souvenir shops, an aquarium and very clear views of Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Wednesday was a special day. We went to a baseball game. I had been looking forward to this for ages and was very excited. The San Francisco Giants were playing the Houston Astros at the Giants home field. Michael and Sarah are avid Giants fans, so by default we are too. Go Giants!!!!!!! We caught the trolley car one block from our hotel. This took us along the waterfront to meet up with the MUNI (the local underground railways system). We found the right train without getting lost and got to A T & T stadium with no problems. We were meeting Mick and Sarah at a bar across from the stadium and managed to find a spot on the fairly crowded outdoor area. We waited for ages and then decided to make our way over to the stadium.
We went in the main gate with thousands of others and soon discovered that the seats I had bought on line were absolute rippers. We had a fantastic view of the field.
Russ armed himself with a hotdog and the game started. Not too long after I heard my name being called and looked around to see Michael and Sarah standing behind us. Poor things, there had been a fire which had closed down the underground and the half hour trip from home to the game had taken them two and a half hours!!!! We made plans to catch up the net day and they headed off to their seats to enjoy the game.
We had a great time joining in the traditional singing, chomping on garlic fries and candy floss and waving my huge orange foam finger around. Sadly the Giants did not win although they had won the day before. A great day trying out some traditional American sport.
Next morning we were up bright ands early to get in some sightseeing on our, by now favorite, hop on and off bus. Great way to see things a bit further afield. It also took us across the Golden Gate bridge which was amazing. The views of the city from the the side of the bay are spectacular. We then raced back to our hotel to change clothes and get ready for our very special night out.
We caught the trolley car to the underground station and then BART (a VERY fast train) to Walnut Creek which is Sarah's home town. We were delighted to have been invited by Juan and Kathy (Sarah's parents) for dinner and were able to meet all Sarah's grandparents, aunt and friend. We had a fabulous dinner and chatted for hours. Just a great relaxing night with terrific people. Sarah also gave us a tour of the Walnuft Creek area and we saw where she had grown up, excelled at swimming and worked, plus the best array of shops!!! Two very happy people caught the train back to SF.
We were on the move again the next day, so while I packed up and got organised (and had a bit of a sleep-in) Russ did a tour of Alcatraz. He had a fabulous time but came back exhausted as there were heaps of steps to climb!!!! Took one last long walk down to Fishermans Wharf, picked up some souvenirs, had a meal and caught the bus over the Bay Bridge to Emeryville where we caught the Amtrak train to Seattle.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
San Diego
Our stay in San Diego was a bit disappointing.
It started well enough with an enjoyable bus trip from Anaheim. There was lots to watch on the way and the two and a half hours passed quite quickly.
We were booked into the Sheraton Hotel. I had found 40% off through Expedia so was looking forward to some luxury at a good price!!! Big mistake. The first person we dealt with was a very surly and unwelcoming receptionist. There was no way she was cracking a smile for us!! We had originally booked for two nights but changed our plans while in LA so rang and booked a third night. This poor dumb chick had real trouble booking us in cause she wanted to do it as two separate bookings (separate credit cards and all!!!).
We finally got into our room to find our promised view was almost totally blocked with palm trees ... great. Then the tv remote did not work. The rudest maintenance man ever, came to replace it (such charming staff). We decided to avoid all further encounters with staff unless it was life or death!!
We caught the local bus into town for a look around and enjoyed a yummy lunch at a beaut Irish pub. Followed that with a very long walk through the Gaslamp District and the Horton Shopping Centre where Russ had a much needed 'marine style buzz cut' done by a very nice young person. Problem was that neither of us was really sure which gender the young person belonged to!!!!
Once back in our room, we discovered the problem with San Diego. You really, really need a car to get anywhere. The three main tourist attractions we were interested in were the Zoo, Sea World and the Wildlife Safari. Each of these is a long way out of the city, in three different directions and with no direct public or tourist transport available. Unbelievable!!!!
The second day we were there, the hotel was celebrating its 40th anniversary with a big party with barbecue, bands and entertainment. As guests we were invited, so we went along at lunchtime for the barbecue. Nice to be invited except that when we got the we were expected to PAY for our lunch (not my kind of party invitation!!!!!). We had a quick lunch and listened to the band playing for a while, ate some birthday cake and met a few interesting people. After that had a quiet afternoon catching up with washing, emails and ther bits and pieces.
Next morning we went in separate directions. There was a huge maritime museum which included the USS Midway which Russ wanted to explore. I was going to do a land/sea tour to check out some seals. We took the tourist bus which dropped Russ off first and then I got off at the Seaport stop. I wandered around to the Duck Tours where the 'gentleman' told me I had to get the tickets elsewhere. He said it was one block behind where we were, so I set off. When I arrived at the spot he told me, there was nothing there. I walked several blocks in each direction and still could not find the ticket office. I was pretty ticked off, so I decided to give up.
I walked back to the Seaport Village and wandered around for a couple of hours. It was just delightful. I watched a clever man balancing rocks. Checked out all the shops (and picked up a couple of absolute treasures). Took heaps of photos, listened to a very good Frank Sinatra type singer, had a delicious icy lemon drink and generally had a good time. It was very relaxing and such a pretty place.
Went back to the appointed place to meet up with Russ. He too had had a wonderful time. He explored the Midway from top to bottom, also took heaps of photos. The Midway was the biggest ship in the world in 1950. A post-war aircraft carrier complete with planes and helicopters on the deck which were also able to be explored. There were dioramas, photos, a tour of the crow's nest, the officers quarters, flight simulators ands everything a pilot's son could wish to see. He had such a great time and is still talking about things he saw.
We returned to the hotel and had a nice dinner in the bar. Very casual but great food.
Next morning we packed up early and I cannot say I was sad to leave the hotel. I think we would have had a better time in San Diego at a different hotel and also with a car. Nevertheless, we saw some great things and had some downtime to rest up after Anaheim!
It started well enough with an enjoyable bus trip from Anaheim. There was lots to watch on the way and the two and a half hours passed quite quickly.
We were booked into the Sheraton Hotel. I had found 40% off through Expedia so was looking forward to some luxury at a good price!!! Big mistake. The first person we dealt with was a very surly and unwelcoming receptionist. There was no way she was cracking a smile for us!! We had originally booked for two nights but changed our plans while in LA so rang and booked a third night. This poor dumb chick had real trouble booking us in cause she wanted to do it as two separate bookings (separate credit cards and all!!!).
We finally got into our room to find our promised view was almost totally blocked with palm trees ... great. Then the tv remote did not work. The rudest maintenance man ever, came to replace it (such charming staff). We decided to avoid all further encounters with staff unless it was life or death!!
We caught the local bus into town for a look around and enjoyed a yummy lunch at a beaut Irish pub. Followed that with a very long walk through the Gaslamp District and the Horton Shopping Centre where Russ had a much needed 'marine style buzz cut' done by a very nice young person. Problem was that neither of us was really sure which gender the young person belonged to!!!!
Once back in our room, we discovered the problem with San Diego. You really, really need a car to get anywhere. The three main tourist attractions we were interested in were the Zoo, Sea World and the Wildlife Safari. Each of these is a long way out of the city, in three different directions and with no direct public or tourist transport available. Unbelievable!!!!
The second day we were there, the hotel was celebrating its 40th anniversary with a big party with barbecue, bands and entertainment. As guests we were invited, so we went along at lunchtime for the barbecue. Nice to be invited except that when we got the we were expected to PAY for our lunch (not my kind of party invitation!!!!!). We had a quick lunch and listened to the band playing for a while, ate some birthday cake and met a few interesting people. After that had a quiet afternoon catching up with washing, emails and ther bits and pieces.
Next morning we went in separate directions. There was a huge maritime museum which included the USS Midway which Russ wanted to explore. I was going to do a land/sea tour to check out some seals. We took the tourist bus which dropped Russ off first and then I got off at the Seaport stop. I wandered around to the Duck Tours where the 'gentleman' told me I had to get the tickets elsewhere. He said it was one block behind where we were, so I set off. When I arrived at the spot he told me, there was nothing there. I walked several blocks in each direction and still could not find the ticket office. I was pretty ticked off, so I decided to give up.
I walked back to the Seaport Village and wandered around for a couple of hours. It was just delightful. I watched a clever man balancing rocks. Checked out all the shops (and picked up a couple of absolute treasures). Took heaps of photos, listened to a very good Frank Sinatra type singer, had a delicious icy lemon drink and generally had a good time. It was very relaxing and such a pretty place.
Went back to the appointed place to meet up with Russ. He too had had a wonderful time. He explored the Midway from top to bottom, also took heaps of photos. The Midway was the biggest ship in the world in 1950. A post-war aircraft carrier complete with planes and helicopters on the deck which were also able to be explored. There were dioramas, photos, a tour of the crow's nest, the officers quarters, flight simulators ands everything a pilot's son could wish to see. He had such a great time and is still talking about things he saw.
We returned to the hotel and had a nice dinner in the bar. Very casual but great food.
Next morning we packed up early and I cannot say I was sad to leave the hotel. I think we would have had a better time in San Diego at a different hotel and also with a car. Nevertheless, we saw some great things and had some downtime to rest up after Anaheim!
Disney California Adventure Land
Next morning we caught the same bus back to the Disneyland complex. After our big day the day before, we were decidedly less bouncy but no less enthusiastic.
It took a while to actually walk in as there was a fairly large area fenced off while they prepared a new 'world' called Buena Vista. It was due to open the week after we were there. We started to walk around to the right and the first thing I saw was an enormous 20 foot bear statue!! It was near the entry to a really exciting looking ride which had people on huge tyre shaped floats which went down a fast flowing river while spinning in all directions. I was pretty keen to have a go until I read all the warnings for people who should not attempt the ride. Sense took over and we decided to give it a miss. We spent some time leaning over a bridge watching all the terrified faces as they were tossed around in their rubber tyres!!!
We stopped off and had some quick breakfast (couldn't face it when we woke earlier!!!). Next stop was Bug Land. The exhibit looked amazing and while looking around we noticed there was a 3D movie to watch. This was where things got so funny. There were all these signs warning that children may be frightened by the movie. I said to Russ that I could nt understand how a few bugs old scare kids .... what overkill!!! We took our places in the auditorium which was made to look like a woodland area, donned our 3D glasses and off it went. I admit I got a little shock when the first butterfly flew straight at me. I just could not resist trying to touch it even though I knew it was just an image!! The movie showed all sorts of bugs and their tricks of spitting, spraying water and sending out foul smells. Lots of fun but the funniest part was just beginning.
From bugs they moved on to spiders. They started jumping at us and then heaps seemed to dangle from the ceiling right in front of us. Poor Russ ... he does not like spiders at all and it frightened the life out of him. Honestly, he was squealing like a girl and I could barely stop myself from falling off my seat, I was laughing so hard at him!!! It was an absolute scream. The movie wound up and there was an announcement for everyone to stay in their seats while all the bugs left the auditorium. It was suh a surprise when you heard scuttling noises right under your seat and then it actually felt like something was bumping the seat right underneath you!!! I admit ... I jumped a mile.
We left the auditorium and Bug World laughing so hard we totally forgot we were tired!!!
The giant ferris wheel was calling. There were two choices here ... Some of the cages just went around the edge as usual, but some moved along the struts of the whole wheel. So when the giant wheel moved around, the moving cages slid from the inside to the outside of the wheel. Having previously described Russ's dislike of scary ride, I probably don't have to tell you which option we took! We shared the cage with a delightful 10 year old Texan lad and his mum. We were amused to hear he was there to cross the first item off his 'bucket list'. Bless him!!! The ride was great and provided fabulous views of the whole park.
We wandered around and came across what looked like a row of sideshow games. One involved shooting a target with a high pressure water gun. When you hit the target your car moved up the gauge. You raced other people to get To the top, so I had a go and on my second try ... I WON!!! The prize was the cutest stuffed Dumbo. I loved it and it will take pride of place at home.
We had a snack, watched the Pixar parade (the Adventure Park version of Mickey's parade) which again had incredible floats and costumes. Then walked and checked out the rest of the park. By 5 o'clock I was ready to pack it in, so we collected some more souvenirs and made our way back to the bus. Boy did we sleep well!!!
It took a while to actually walk in as there was a fairly large area fenced off while they prepared a new 'world' called Buena Vista. It was due to open the week after we were there. We started to walk around to the right and the first thing I saw was an enormous 20 foot bear statue!! It was near the entry to a really exciting looking ride which had people on huge tyre shaped floats which went down a fast flowing river while spinning in all directions. I was pretty keen to have a go until I read all the warnings for people who should not attempt the ride. Sense took over and we decided to give it a miss. We spent some time leaning over a bridge watching all the terrified faces as they were tossed around in their rubber tyres!!!
We stopped off and had some quick breakfast (couldn't face it when we woke earlier!!!). Next stop was Bug Land. The exhibit looked amazing and while looking around we noticed there was a 3D movie to watch. This was where things got so funny. There were all these signs warning that children may be frightened by the movie. I said to Russ that I could nt understand how a few bugs old scare kids .... what overkill!!! We took our places in the auditorium which was made to look like a woodland area, donned our 3D glasses and off it went. I admit I got a little shock when the first butterfly flew straight at me. I just could not resist trying to touch it even though I knew it was just an image!! The movie showed all sorts of bugs and their tricks of spitting, spraying water and sending out foul smells. Lots of fun but the funniest part was just beginning.
From bugs they moved on to spiders. They started jumping at us and then heaps seemed to dangle from the ceiling right in front of us. Poor Russ ... he does not like spiders at all and it frightened the life out of him. Honestly, he was squealing like a girl and I could barely stop myself from falling off my seat, I was laughing so hard at him!!! It was an absolute scream. The movie wound up and there was an announcement for everyone to stay in their seats while all the bugs left the auditorium. It was suh a surprise when you heard scuttling noises right under your seat and then it actually felt like something was bumping the seat right underneath you!!! I admit ... I jumped a mile.
We left the auditorium and Bug World laughing so hard we totally forgot we were tired!!!
The giant ferris wheel was calling. There were two choices here ... Some of the cages just went around the edge as usual, but some moved along the struts of the whole wheel. So when the giant wheel moved around, the moving cages slid from the inside to the outside of the wheel. Having previously described Russ's dislike of scary ride, I probably don't have to tell you which option we took! We shared the cage with a delightful 10 year old Texan lad and his mum. We were amused to hear he was there to cross the first item off his 'bucket list'. Bless him!!! The ride was great and provided fabulous views of the whole park.
We wandered around and came across what looked like a row of sideshow games. One involved shooting a target with a high pressure water gun. When you hit the target your car moved up the gauge. You raced other people to get To the top, so I had a go and on my second try ... I WON!!! The prize was the cutest stuffed Dumbo. I loved it and it will take pride of place at home.
We had a snack, watched the Pixar parade (the Adventure Park version of Mickey's parade) which again had incredible floats and costumes. Then walked and checked out the rest of the park. By 5 o'clock I was ready to pack it in, so we collected some more souvenirs and made our way back to the bus. Boy did we sleep well!!!
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Disneyland
Well it is true .. Disneyland really is 'the happiest place on earth'.
Our trip to Anaheim started well. We flew back from Vegas to LA and then caught a shuttle from the airport to Anaheim. It dropped us at our accommodation which turned out to be an absolute gem. We stayed at the Ayres Hotel which calls itself a 'European boutique style hotel'. It was delightful with a bedroom, lounge room and kitchenette (at a bargain price). Without a doubt, the cleanest place I have ever seen. They even provided free hot cooked breakast, wine and cheese in the afternoon and freshly cooked chocolate chip cookies on the reception desk all afternoon. Russ was in heaven.
We went for a walk, organised our transport to Disneyland, and had some dinner.
Next morning we were up bright and early to catch our local bus to Disneyland. I was sooo excited. Through the gates, the first thing I saw was the beautiful garden with Mickey's face made out of flowers. We jumped on the train which does a circuit of the whole park so we could get an overview and plan our attack!!
First stop was Adventureland and a ride on the 'Pirates of the Carribean'. It went underground, up and down rivers and passed lots of intricate tableau of various parts of the story. It was so much fun and quite exciting. We then walked for ages looking at everything including the full size pirate ship, paddle steamer and the Matterhorn (the ride was not operating at the time). We took heaps off photos and also watched people on stomach-turning rides which we passed on!!
We stopped for a quick lunch at a terrific place which looked as though it had been transplanted directly from New Orleans. There was even a jazz band playing while we ate.
After lunch we headed for Fantasyland. It's stories from Fantasyland had always been my favorites when watching Disneyland on television when I was young. It exceeded my expectations. Everything was pink, glittery and pretty (even the rubbish bins were pretty). We saw magic castles, stages beautifully set for productions and lots of special rides. I watched the Tea Cup ride for ages, but soon realized that I still could not do that without being violently ill.
Russ was interested to see the interpretation of Alice in Wonderland. Apparently there was a version of this story in the early seventies which featured Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Sir Robert Helpmann as the Mad Hatter. This version inferred that Alice's adventures were caused by a drug inducted haze. We lined up for the Alice ride for ages with heaps of families of all ages and sizes and thankfully we were by no means the only adults in the queue without kids!!!! We rode on carriages made from sections of a very long caterpillar and saw a traditional version, which we thoroughly enjoyed.
Followed this up with The Little Mermaid. Rode in gorgeous clam shell carriages through water and paths. The story was again represented with lovely displays, some of which I managed to photograph as we floated past.
Tomorrowland was next. We did a round trip on the Monorail, checked out some interesting exhibitions and again avoided the scariest rides. I probably would have been happy to go on most things, but Russ really does hate them and I did not want him to feel bad saying no all the time, or worse going on rides and being terrified, so we watched and enjoyed them that way.
It was then time for what I had been really looking forward to .... Mickey's Parade. We found ourselves a fantastic spot, seat in the shade and right on the corner of the main street. Before I knew it there were the most incredible floats and characters were passing us. Honestly, it is so hard to describe individually. Just the most amazing array of colorful costumes, dancing, well known characters, movies scenes and everything you could imagine and then more!!! It was just wonderful and I could have watched the whole thing aver again straight away. I took sooooo many photos!!!!!
After that excitement, we went for a long walk down main street. There are souvenir and food shops everywhere. We ate a quick dinner, finished with yummy ice-creams (we were at Disneyland after all) and then found the Disneyland Town Hall where we were presented with special badges as first time visitors. We then did some souvenir shopping. Mostly for other people, but I am now the very proud owner of a pair of pink glittery Minnie Mouse ears. Another thing to cross off my bucket list!!!
In the replica of the Ford's Theater, we found a video and displays on the development, building and opening of Disneyland. It was really interesting and informative. In another room there was a video about Abraham Lincoln, his life and presidency. We then went into the replica of the theater where he was shot and watched the most incredible lifelike fully moving figure of Lincoln which was sitting in a chair and then stood and delivered the Gettysburg address. It was incredibly moving and realistic.
Our final event of the exciting day was to watch the fireworks over the Fantasyland castle. Just beautiful and even included Peter Pan and Dumbo flying through the air in appropriate parts of the story. Honestly, it looked just like the fireworks shown in the opening of every Disneyland episode on tv (if you are old enough to remember that!!!!).
After 13 exhausting hours, we made our way back to our bus stop and back to our hotel to grab some rest before tackling Disney California Adventure Park!!!
Our trip to Anaheim started well. We flew back from Vegas to LA and then caught a shuttle from the airport to Anaheim. It dropped us at our accommodation which turned out to be an absolute gem. We stayed at the Ayres Hotel which calls itself a 'European boutique style hotel'. It was delightful with a bedroom, lounge room and kitchenette (at a bargain price). Without a doubt, the cleanest place I have ever seen. They even provided free hot cooked breakast, wine and cheese in the afternoon and freshly cooked chocolate chip cookies on the reception desk all afternoon. Russ was in heaven.
We went for a walk, organised our transport to Disneyland, and had some dinner.
Next morning we were up bright and early to catch our local bus to Disneyland. I was sooo excited. Through the gates, the first thing I saw was the beautiful garden with Mickey's face made out of flowers. We jumped on the train which does a circuit of the whole park so we could get an overview and plan our attack!!
First stop was Adventureland and a ride on the 'Pirates of the Carribean'. It went underground, up and down rivers and passed lots of intricate tableau of various parts of the story. It was so much fun and quite exciting. We then walked for ages looking at everything including the full size pirate ship, paddle steamer and the Matterhorn (the ride was not operating at the time). We took heaps off photos and also watched people on stomach-turning rides which we passed on!!
We stopped for a quick lunch at a terrific place which looked as though it had been transplanted directly from New Orleans. There was even a jazz band playing while we ate.
After lunch we headed for Fantasyland. It's stories from Fantasyland had always been my favorites when watching Disneyland on television when I was young. It exceeded my expectations. Everything was pink, glittery and pretty (even the rubbish bins were pretty). We saw magic castles, stages beautifully set for productions and lots of special rides. I watched the Tea Cup ride for ages, but soon realized that I still could not do that without being violently ill.
Russ was interested to see the interpretation of Alice in Wonderland. Apparently there was a version of this story in the early seventies which featured Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Sir Robert Helpmann as the Mad Hatter. This version inferred that Alice's adventures were caused by a drug inducted haze. We lined up for the Alice ride for ages with heaps of families of all ages and sizes and thankfully we were by no means the only adults in the queue without kids!!!! We rode on carriages made from sections of a very long caterpillar and saw a traditional version, which we thoroughly enjoyed.
Followed this up with The Little Mermaid. Rode in gorgeous clam shell carriages through water and paths. The story was again represented with lovely displays, some of which I managed to photograph as we floated past.
Tomorrowland was next. We did a round trip on the Monorail, checked out some interesting exhibitions and again avoided the scariest rides. I probably would have been happy to go on most things, but Russ really does hate them and I did not want him to feel bad saying no all the time, or worse going on rides and being terrified, so we watched and enjoyed them that way.
It was then time for what I had been really looking forward to .... Mickey's Parade. We found ourselves a fantastic spot, seat in the shade and right on the corner of the main street. Before I knew it there were the most incredible floats and characters were passing us. Honestly, it is so hard to describe individually. Just the most amazing array of colorful costumes, dancing, well known characters, movies scenes and everything you could imagine and then more!!! It was just wonderful and I could have watched the whole thing aver again straight away. I took sooooo many photos!!!!!
After that excitement, we went for a long walk down main street. There are souvenir and food shops everywhere. We ate a quick dinner, finished with yummy ice-creams (we were at Disneyland after all) and then found the Disneyland Town Hall where we were presented with special badges as first time visitors. We then did some souvenir shopping. Mostly for other people, but I am now the very proud owner of a pair of pink glittery Minnie Mouse ears. Another thing to cross off my bucket list!!!
In the replica of the Ford's Theater, we found a video and displays on the development, building and opening of Disneyland. It was really interesting and informative. In another room there was a video about Abraham Lincoln, his life and presidency. We then went into the replica of the theater where he was shot and watched the most incredible lifelike fully moving figure of Lincoln which was sitting in a chair and then stood and delivered the Gettysburg address. It was incredibly moving and realistic.
Our final event of the exciting day was to watch the fireworks over the Fantasyland castle. Just beautiful and even included Peter Pan and Dumbo flying through the air in appropriate parts of the story. Honestly, it looked just like the fireworks shown in the opening of every Disneyland episode on tv (if you are old enough to remember that!!!!).
After 13 exhausting hours, we made our way back to our bus stop and back to our hotel to grab some rest before tackling Disney California Adventure Park!!!
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Las Vegas
So .... Vegas. The very first thing that struck us was the intense heat. I mean, we expected it to be hot (it is the desert after all) but whoa!!! The day we arrived it was 107 degrees which was about 15 degrees higher than the normal temperature for this time of year. And it stayed that way until the last day of our visit when it finally got down below 100!!!!!
Night time temperatures were around 95 degrees so we spent the rest of the first day checking out the hotel. The pool at the Tropicana was fantastic and filled with gorgeous people standing in waist high water clutching beers!! I gave it a miss!!!
I hit the pokies and managed to double my money ..... yep turned $5.00 into $10!! Could be a new career in this!!!
Had a pretty lazy morning the next day and then an essential appointment at the spa to have my nails done. Some things just have to be done!!!! After that I felt more like my old self. We went out for a very yummy dinner and then went to see a show. We saw Dancing with the Stars. It was fantastic. Carson Cressley was the host and Joey Fatone one of the celebrity dancers. The costumes were just amazing and the professional dancers were inspiring to watch. Makes you want to get up and do it yourself, except at my feet (or body) would never be able to move like that!!!
After the show we went for a walk down the strip to check out some of the lights. Truly fantastic and every bit as spectacular as they look in photos.
We had been looking forward to the next day for ages, our trip to the Grand Canyon. Our driver picked us up right on time and it was a 20 minute drive to the air field. After completing the paperwork and the compulsory weigh-in (I discovered I had managed to lose another 2 kilos even on holidays!!!) we met our pilot Mike and made our way across the tarmac to the helicopter.
I was sooooooo excited!!!! Russ and I got to sit in the front for the first part of the tour. The take off was so smooth and I loved the way we just hovered off the ground as we turned and went down the runway. We were following two other helicopters and were soon soaring up over the mountains. Below us, we had a great view of Lake Mead which was formed when they built Hoover Dam. Before too long the dam itself was visible on our right and we curled around to get a great view. It is a very impressive structure.
We continued on and the scenery became even more amazing. Over a vast ridge and then, there it was .... the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. It is impossible to describe adequately the immense size and depth of the canyon. In fact even being in there it is difficult to get perspective until you see the other helicopters ahead of you. They looked like tiny specks compared with the sides of the canyon.
Before we knew it we were through the canyon and heading towards the refueling point for the helicopters. We landed, had delicious icy cold waters and cool towels ..... just the perfect thing ..... while Mike refueled. Then we reboarded and our English fellow fliers took the front seat. On the trip back we saw the town of Boulder which looked like a huge green oasis, and miles of roads which seem to lead to no-where!!
I could have kept flying forever but sadly our time had come to an end. We landed and were driven back to the hotel with memories that will last forever.
That night we went to the Comedy Factory and I swear, I have never laughted so much in my entire life. We saw three comedians, none who I had heard of before, and they were so funny. It was a great night after a truly great day.
Our last day in Vegas we did a bit of gambling (came out ahead although not enough to keep us going for more the a day!!!!). At night, it was slightly cooler, we took a double decker bus tour of the strip and Fremant Street. It was fantastic to see all the amazing resorts and hotels. They are such elaborate displays and the lights are just huge. Fremant Street is a special street downtown which has a domed roof over the street which is used as a neon display. I believe there are more neon lights in this street than anywhere else in the world.
There are live bands playing (that night it was a Bon Jovi tribute band) and heaps of souvenir shops, pubs and food outlets. We had hot dogs and pretzels while we listened to the music, checked out an incredible aquarium surrounded by a pool at the Hyatt hotel and people watched, before getting back on the bus and back to the strip.
Vegas was fun and I am glad I have had the chance to visit but I don't feel like I ever need to go there again. It is for the young, gorgeous, energetic and very very rich. Get there some time, just for the experience, if you can!!
Night time temperatures were around 95 degrees so we spent the rest of the first day checking out the hotel. The pool at the Tropicana was fantastic and filled with gorgeous people standing in waist high water clutching beers!! I gave it a miss!!!
I hit the pokies and managed to double my money ..... yep turned $5.00 into $10!! Could be a new career in this!!!
Had a pretty lazy morning the next day and then an essential appointment at the spa to have my nails done. Some things just have to be done!!!! After that I felt more like my old self. We went out for a very yummy dinner and then went to see a show. We saw Dancing with the Stars. It was fantastic. Carson Cressley was the host and Joey Fatone one of the celebrity dancers. The costumes were just amazing and the professional dancers were inspiring to watch. Makes you want to get up and do it yourself, except at my feet (or body) would never be able to move like that!!!
After the show we went for a walk down the strip to check out some of the lights. Truly fantastic and every bit as spectacular as they look in photos.
We had been looking forward to the next day for ages, our trip to the Grand Canyon. Our driver picked us up right on time and it was a 20 minute drive to the air field. After completing the paperwork and the compulsory weigh-in (I discovered I had managed to lose another 2 kilos even on holidays!!!) we met our pilot Mike and made our way across the tarmac to the helicopter.
I was sooooooo excited!!!! Russ and I got to sit in the front for the first part of the tour. The take off was so smooth and I loved the way we just hovered off the ground as we turned and went down the runway. We were following two other helicopters and were soon soaring up over the mountains. Below us, we had a great view of Lake Mead which was formed when they built Hoover Dam. Before too long the dam itself was visible on our right and we curled around to get a great view. It is a very impressive structure.
We continued on and the scenery became even more amazing. Over a vast ridge and then, there it was .... the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. It is impossible to describe adequately the immense size and depth of the canyon. In fact even being in there it is difficult to get perspective until you see the other helicopters ahead of you. They looked like tiny specks compared with the sides of the canyon.
Before we knew it we were through the canyon and heading towards the refueling point for the helicopters. We landed, had delicious icy cold waters and cool towels ..... just the perfect thing ..... while Mike refueled. Then we reboarded and our English fellow fliers took the front seat. On the trip back we saw the town of Boulder which looked like a huge green oasis, and miles of roads which seem to lead to no-where!!
I could have kept flying forever but sadly our time had come to an end. We landed and were driven back to the hotel with memories that will last forever.
That night we went to the Comedy Factory and I swear, I have never laughted so much in my entire life. We saw three comedians, none who I had heard of before, and they were so funny. It was a great night after a truly great day.
Our last day in Vegas we did a bit of gambling (came out ahead although not enough to keep us going for more the a day!!!!). At night, it was slightly cooler, we took a double decker bus tour of the strip and Fremant Street. It was fantastic to see all the amazing resorts and hotels. They are such elaborate displays and the lights are just huge. Fremant Street is a special street downtown which has a domed roof over the street which is used as a neon display. I believe there are more neon lights in this street than anywhere else in the world.
There are live bands playing (that night it was a Bon Jovi tribute band) and heaps of souvenir shops, pubs and food outlets. We had hot dogs and pretzels while we listened to the music, checked out an incredible aquarium surrounded by a pool at the Hyatt hotel and people watched, before getting back on the bus and back to the strip.
Vegas was fun and I am glad I have had the chance to visit but I don't feel like I ever need to go there again. It is for the young, gorgeous, energetic and very very rich. Get there some time, just for the experience, if you can!!
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