Today was nice.  I mean, sit back and see what happens nice.  I was up fairly early after a wonderful night of sleep.  In fact, I think I may have slept a bit too hard as I woke up with a stiff neck.  To me, that is a sign of a great sleep.  I ventured to the lobby and had some juice while I let the girls sleep in.  Around 8 or so, I went back to the room to see if anyone was stirring.  I really think that the entire family needed the chance to sleep in and recharge the batteries a bit.  We slowly got moving and then went down towards the Patisserie from yesterday to grab a few goodies for the road.  Around 10:30, we set off from a cool and overcast Santa Barbara.

We had no real plans but had heard from a friend that the Los Olivos area would be worth our time.  So up into the hills we went and eventually we managed to break free of the clouds and see some sun as we descended into the Santa Ynez Valley.  We had plans to go to Los Olivos but since the girls were with us, we decided a town with tons of wine tastings wasn’t the best idea.  Instead we went to Santa Ynez and walked around there for a few minutes.  We found a wine tasting store and had a fun few minutes with the owner talking wine and sampling a few as well.  The girls were cool while we did this and after purchasing some wines to share with friends, we ventured to the wine guy’s suggestion of visiting Solvang,  Solvang is a town built in a very Dutch style and was kind of cool.  It was very crowded so we didn’t do too much there other than grab a bite to eat and have a little chocolate for dessert.  It would have been easy to spend more time there.

Around 1ish, we started to make our way towards Morro Bay.  The scenery remained spectacular and I watched the temperature drop from near 90 to around 70 as we went.  At times, it felt as if we were the only ones on the road.  After lots of farms we made it to our destination of the Pleasant Inn Motel in Morro Bay.  Our room wasn’t quite ready so we looked around town for a few minutes.  It was necessary for someone to do laundry and I volunteered for the task.  As the family rested in the room, I took my chances with the laundromat here in Morro Bay.  The washing was fairly painless and only an hour later I was back at the room ready to tackle the night.

Since we are facing the ocean, it only seemed appropriate to have some type of fish.  The Galley Restaurant was close by and the food looked great.  The girls decided on fish tacos and the grilled fish sandwich.  The boss went with the sole and I had the rockfish.  All of it was wonderful and our bottle of Pinot Gris was the perfect compliment to our dinner.  In addition to how good the food was, the view was even more spectacular.  The restaurant looked out over the bay and the rock and pretty much made the meal.

After dinner we trekked to the rock.  My initial impression was that the rock was bigger than I expected.  We were kept company by sea otters as we waked to the point.  On one side the water was placid and on the other side, it was rougher.  On both sides, the water was cold.  The girls played in the surf for a bit and had a good time just being kids.  Too soon, it was time to head back to the hotel.

Today was a much needed day.  We saw lots of things-many unexpected.  But it was done at a slow pace.  After letting the family sleep in and by taking it easy, I feel our batteries are recharged for the balance of the trip.  Tomorrow, we get to travel more of the pacific highway and I look forward to that as well.

The holiday road. To this point, right at 1000 miles worth.  But first:  One of the reasons to stay off of the strip was so that I wouldn’t have to deal with people waking me up on their way in from their night out.  So, to the woman who decided to have a conversation in the hall at 4am, thanks.  I wanted to get on up and get going anyway.  We had prepped the girls in advance that today would be lots of riding and true to form for this trip, they were awesome.  But seriously, whoever designed I-15 from Vegas on in had very little to work with.  the scenery outside the car didn’t change for hundreds of miles.  Only once we passed Victorville did the sights begin to go from desert depressing to overcast and foggy.  Wait, overcast?  Foggy?  Isn’t this supposed to be Southern California where the sun shines?  Not today my friends.

That’s ok though.  We absolutely made a silk purse from a sow’s ear on this one.  The boss had done her homework researching some places to drive past once we arrived in Los Angeles.  After weaving our way through most of Los Angeles County we made it to our first stop, Barnsdall Park.  The park would have afforded 360 degree views of the city and the surrounding hills, if we could’ve seen ’em.  The clouds made it difficult but we were able to briefly catch a glimpse of the the Griffith Park Observatory and even just briefly, the Hollywood sign.  Since we were on Hollywood Blvd., we moseyed on down and took in the sights.  We caught glimpses of the Dolby Theater, the Chinese Theater, lots of the stars on the Walk of Fame, and then we pointed towards the ocean.  We cruised down Sunset Blvd. and saw the Chateau Marmont and The Whiskey A Go-Go.  After that it was an easy drive through Beverly Hills taking everything in.  Eventually, we made it to Santa Monica.

Once there, we opted to grab some lunch and ducked into a joint called Pizza Antica.  The pizzas here were amazing.  The girls all shared a Margherita Pizza while I decided to have the pizza with shaved broccoli, caramelized onions, and bacon.  Wow.  The food was wonderful and the service was great as well.  Since we opted to share our meals, the bill was very reasonable.  I wouldn’t hesitate to return to the is restaurant.  It helps that the food was a quick walk to the Santa Monica Pier.  I had high hopes for the pier, but honestly it was just sort of meh.  The beach was wide and we were able to put our feet in the sand, but since it was 65 degrees and cloudy, it didn’t feel like much of a beach day.  Nevertheless, we had our fill, bought a few souvenirs, and pointed the family truckster north towards Santa Barbara.

The disembodied voice on my phone that tells me how to get from place to place (I call her Marilyn) noted that it was about 80 miles to our hotel and that it would take 2 and a half hours to get there.  I thought to myself, surely no.  It can’t be that bad.  It was.  The traffic was abysmal.  Because there is so little space for so many people between the mountains and the coast, traffic was a challenge.  We didn’t let it bother us and Marilyn, the boss, and me successfully guided our hearty crew into Santa Barbara.  I will say that the Pacific Coast Highway is nice on this stretch though Malibu was a bit of a surprise.  I was expecting fancy but what I got was Myrtle Beach on the Pacific.  Oh well, the disappointment would be short-lived.

Santa Barbara.  Oh, Santa Barbara.  How have I never graced your streets before?  This town is a vision.  Spanish architecture, a laid-back vibe, wonderful shopping, and great dining.  That’s just to start.  I didn’t even make it down to the Ocean.  We checked into our wonderfully 1950s but completely updated La Quinta on State Street around 5 this evening.  We were assigned room 114 which is in one of the bungalows out back with its own patio.  After quickly dropping off our stuff we decided to see what State Street had to offer.  The shopping was pleasant and we all had success in our purchases.  From a cool shirt for me to a cool shirt for Lucy, we all had fun.  Sadly, our lunch was long-gone so we were in need of sustenance.

Had I been told when I was planning this trip that I’d be eating at a German Brat Haus (Hoffmann’s) in Santa Barbara, outside, in June, in 65 degree weather, I wouldn’t have believed you.  Yet the food was fantastic and since I could opt out of the bun, it was just the right amount of food.  Also, we had stopped by the Lilac Patisserie earlier and bought a brownie cheesecake that needed our attention soon.  After a few more stops including a hat shop and a grocery store we made it back to our room. Santa Barbara is a great town.  I would come back here in an instant to spend more time prowling her streets, checking our her buildings, and strolling through the shops.  This town does seemingly have everything.  For my money, this has been the best non-natural place we have visited.  It wouldn’t be fair to compare the Grand Canyon with Santa Barbara.  I mean, I like grapefruit and I like apples, but they are different, right?  But if you had me choose between Granny Smith’s and Gala, well, friend, Granny Smith is gonna win every time.  So thanks to you Santa Barbara for being a great high spot for our day.

Now, we bed on down.  We are all looking forward to a relaxed day tomorrow.  We only have a  short drive ahead of us so we can take our time.  We can sleep in, enjoy our patio, and spend some time on the beach.  Now, if I can only get that sun to show himself…

So this morning was an early one.  I was woken up by my friend the bird a little earlier today at 4am instead of 4:30.  It actually was a good thing, because as I lay there and saw the sky getting a bit brighter, I decided to go ahead and wake up the rest of the crew so we could make it to Mather Point in time to see the sunrise.  On our way from the parking lot to the point we ran upon a family of Mule Deer.  They were huge and unimpressed by our existence.  We got to the point and staked out a great location for the sunrise.  Truly amazing.  The play of light against the walls of the canyon were breathtaking.  All too soon, it was done and time to go back to the room to pack it all up.

The girls have been awesome for the whole trip, but they have been especially awesome at the packing of the car and being ready to go.  By 6am we were heading towards Vegas.  A few hours and many, many uneventful miles later.  We arrived at the Hoover Dam.  We decided to opt for the Powerplant Tour which for us, was exactly the right amount of dam activity.  We saw the normal things and the girls were impressed by the scope an size of the project.  All in all, it was a decent stop.  I’m glad we arrived early (9:30) because when we left the crowds were getting unwieldy.  After that we drove the short distance to Henderson, NV and our hotel of the day.  We made a quick stop at Target, had some Chipotle, and rested for a bit.  Then we headed to the Strip.

It should be noted from the start that the Las Vegas Strip is not the kid-friendly destination that the tourist board once haves us to believe.  From the half-naked men/women, the “flyers” on the street, and the guys wearing shirts advertising themselves as the Orgasm Police this is truly no place for me, um I mean the kids.  To say that the girls were overwhelmed by the sights would not clearly emphasize just how unnerved they were.  The best thing we were able to do was to get them off of the street and into the Shops at the Venetian, the Forum Shops, and to take a look at the flower display in the Bellagio.  Other than that Vegas was, well in a word, unnatural.  Also, inappropriate I am being told.

But then, dinner saved the day.  When it was decided that we would be in Vegas on our anniversary I made reservations at Mon Ami Gabi in the Paris Hotel.  I had been looking forward to this meal for a good while and it did not disappoint.  Our server was spot-on having gluten free bread brought to the table from the start.  Ethel decided to go with a kids meal (a good choice as there was a ton of food on the plate), Lucy went with the scallops with a fennel salad with tomatoes and mashed potatoes.  The boss had a half-chicken with the potatoes, and I killed a steak with fries.  The nice bottle of red we had complemented the meal perfectly and out evening in Vegas had been salvaged.  Until dinner, I think it is safe to say that the girls did not find the town to be their thing. In fact, I was worried that the trip may be lost in our few hours here.  Truly, it would not be the first trip to be lost to Vegas.  But then dinner saved the day.

We picked up our car from the valet, drove back to our hotel, and enjoyed the pool for a bit.  Now, we call it a day.  A day that has taken us from the indescribable splendor of a Grand Canyon sunrise to the indescribable phoniness of the Las Vegas Strip.  I have enjoyed sharing each moment however disconcerting with my girls and I look forward to introducing them to California tomorrow.  

So, it was brought.  Wow, I mean wow.  There might not be enough ice in the Grand Canyon to soothe our aching muscles.  First thing off the bat is the fact that we all slept like we were hibernating last night.  I was awoken by the sound of a bird singing outside.  The air in the room was cool, the bed was warm, and it was 4:30.  Yep, 4:30.  I did manage to hold off on getting up until 5:15.  By the time I eased out of bed, everyone else was stirring as well.  We ate breakfast in the room and caught the shuttle to the trailhead for the Bright Angel Trail.

By now, it was 6:35 and we were on our way into the Canyon.  A few small items to mention-I have held on to the shirt I got on June 17, 1993.  The shirt was a gift from a friend noting the fact that I hiked the Canyon.  I thought that today would be a good day to break it out for one last wear.  I also thought it might be neat to have my US National jersey on hand for all photo ops at “‘Merican” sites.  Today was the most apropos to do this as well.  Hopefully, this shirt will become a recurring theme on the trip.  And down we wAnd down, and down , and down.  I’ve mentioned it before, but no image will ever fully capture the beauty of this place.  Each new turn brought new sights that will never be seen again.  The canyon will stay, obviously, but the unique play of light, temperature, and company made this a completely singular event.  The weather was perfect and the girls were rock stars.  We stopped frequently to take in all of the vistas.  By the time we made it to the mile and a half rest stop, we were ready for a small break.  We had some food, drank some water, and fought off aggressive squirrels.  We hiked a few more miles in and after about mile 2 we decided it was time to turn around and head up.  Each step in meant that there would be a step up to match it on the way out.  While there were times we all were winded, we stopped often and made it out without too much difficulty.  I tried really hard to stay positive and to remember that I probably never have the chance to repeat this experience with my kids again.

To celebrate our success, ice cream seemed to be an appropriate reward.  We hit the ice cream shop at exactly the right time and I watched my three girls enjoy ice cream with a backdrop that is unbelievable.  We knocked around a gift shop and by noon were heading back to the marketplace to purchase a few souvenirs.  After showers and a small bit of rest, we walked the short distance to the visitor’s center.  We walked out to Mather Point with the rest of the population of the park and then caught the movie at the center about the canyon’s history.  I liked the movie but I didn’t enjoy the crowds.  There was something to be said about starting our hike early on an uncrowded trail.  Fighting for position for a photo on the rim never rivaled the shots we got in the canyon.  By now, we were starting to get a bit hungry so to kill time until the restaurants opened in the Village, we took the Rim Trail back.  It was an easy 2-ish mile walk on a paved path back.  Again, new views to see and new photos to take.

Dinner at the Arizona Room was a complete bust.  The view was nice, but all of our meats were dry and the sauce tasted bottled.  I guess there isn’t much you can do up here though.  You are captive for food and they can trot our substandard food with little consequence.  For some this might qualify as good.  For us, eh.  I suggest going to the deli and buying a sandwich.  We finished our meal and then spent a few more minutes looking at the fading light against the walls of the canyon.  Lucy made an executive decision and suggested we head back to the room to get ready for our day tomorrow.

Today was a full day.  We walked over 30,000 steps and 13 miles.  We saw some of the most amazing sights on the planet and I really feel the girls appreciated what they were seeing.  There was no arguing, simply lots of laughter and awe at one wonderful place.

It is really is a long way down that holiday road.  Today, we drove around 300 miles from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon.  Granted we could’ve done it in a shorter distance and a quicker time, but why?  I really do feel like I have been channeling my inner Clark W. Griswold and will probably continue to do so.  I have stopped at more roadside scenic overlooks than ever in my life-and for good reason.

Our morning began bright and early in Phoenix.  After a quick, made to order breakfast of french toast for the girls and omelets for the boss and me, we were off by 7:05am.  My research brought to light the option of stopping off at a small attraction just off I-17.  10 minutes after it opened, we pulled in at Montezuma’s Castle National Monument.  There was a 5 dollar per adult entry fee.  Or we could pay the 80 bucks and get the America the Beautiful Pass that provides entry to every National Park for one full year.  Since this trip will essentially make the purchase a wash, I went ahead and did so.  My expectations for this stop were limited, but I can say that I was greatly surprised by how cool the cliff dwelling was.  Seeing little sights like this as we travel bring much of this history to life for the girls.  At the time, it was the highlight of the trip.  That was soon to be replaced.

It was a short drive from Montezuma’s to our next stop in Sedona.  It was a short drive, but I can’t explain how the landscape changed and the rocks turned red, and how, and how….  It truly was breathtaking.  If I had never seen the Grand Canyon before, I would think this to be the best ever.  This was what Lucy did.  I am certain as we drove into town she was figuring out to which Arizona college she should apply.  Each turn brought new vistas with ever changing sun angles.  I could try and explain but there is absolutely no way that I could do justice.  As we drove into town, we decided to stop at the Chapel of the Cross.  This is a neat little diversion and if it is on your way somewhere, I say go.  Otherwise, it is a difficult place to park with a difficult walk uphill with a limited view.  Yes, it is impressive that they built a church into the mountainside, but in hindsight something I could have probably skipped.

From there we stopped at a completely over the top, kitschy store on the way into town.  While initially I was really jacked to stop in such a weird, artsy place-I was soon overwhelmed by the number of items in the store.  Even though they had tons of stuff, they had tons of the same stuff.  It feels like the kind of place that tricks you into thinking that stuff you see on vacation in the enchanted surrounding of Sedona will be awesome back in North Carolina.  Somehow, I don’t think that desert chic will play in our neighborhood.  I bought a sticker.  That’s it.

My shopping highlight of the day was the Katchina House.  It is off of the beaten path, but you should by all means visit.  There are several rooms of Native American art and handicrafts that will boggle the mind.  When you walk in and they ask if you’d like to browse or get a short tour-do the tour.  These ladies give every room meaning and really give context to the art.  We spent longer than expected there and purchased items.  As we ventured into other parts of Sedona and saw similar art-we understood the meaning and significance.  It also is interesting that all of the art is made by local artisans.  Our three pieces will be arriving at our house soon.

By now, we were ready for lunch.  Picazzo’s got great reviews and was nearby.  Also, we were hungry.  Like, really hungry.  It bears to mention that the place had all gluten free pasta and the pizzas were made in a dedicated brick oven.  Since it was lunch I got the pizza of the week with a pesto base, diced tomatoes, spinach, olive oil, and garlic with a side caesar salad.  Yum!  I devoured the thing.  Lucy got spinach and cheese cannelloni, the boss got puttanseca, and Ethel rocked the kid’s pizza.  Since everything was good for me, I sampled some of each.  Everything was wonderful and the boss and I even split a prickly pear margarita.  If you have gluten issues and are in Sedona-go here.  Quickly.

From there we knocked around the uptown Sedona area for a bit.  This is the part with the main “shopping” area.  Be sure you read this to mean “tourist”.  After about 10 minutes I had seen enough t-shirt shops and was ready to head north.  So up we went into the hills.  I was honestly not surprised for the changes in landscapes that we encountered.  At one point, we were climbing so much that I thought we had reached the top of the state.  Shortly, we were in Flagstaff.

When going to the Grand Canyon, most people will enter through the south entrance.  My advice is to take the long way up Highway 89, turn left onto State Road 64 and enter at the East Entrance.  The scenery is fairly drab, but you can make good time and you go through part of the Navajo Reservation.  The America the Beautiful Pass was great because we pulled up to the guard house and within 10 seconds were on our way.  The kids got their first look at the canyon and as with everyone who has ever seen it, were blown away.  Lucy was a bit disturbed by the heights and Ethel was taking it all in.  Pictures won’t work, words won’t work.  Nothing can describe the awesomeness of the canyon.  Like someone once told me years ago-it is like trying to describe the color green to someone.  It is impossible.  Every single American must visit this place.

After stopping at as many scenic overlooks as we could, we eventually made it to the Yavapai Lodge.  Check in was in the same building as the Canyon Cafe.  It was painless and soon we were off to the market to purchase a few things to make the time here pleasant.  We pulled up to our extremely old-school building.  The girls were at first skeptical, but entering into our really clean, modern, but older room was awesome.  We opened all of the windows to get some cross-ventilation as there is no AC.  While doing this we saw a Mule Deer out back doing his thing.  Apparently, the wildlife fun comes included.  They also took down my address-they like to send out a mailer.

All in all this was a full day.  We saws tons of things.   Montezuma’s Castle seems like three days ago.  Now, we are bedding down and preparing for our hike tomorrow morning.  Bring it!

Finally, I get to roam a bit.  Since our last trip to Disney World, we have been so busy with the holidays, indoor soccer, outdoor soccer, etc, etc, etc…   But finally, the trip that has been on the drawing board for 15 months is here.  Over 20 years ago, I was blessed to have the chance to take a look at this wonderful country of ours.  I spent 3 wonderful weeks going west.  Unfortunately, the boss never got the chance to do the same and has never had the chance to get out here.  So, when we were trying to decide what to do for vacation this year, a trip out west was the clear winner.  The planning began.  Our route will become clear as we progress, but for now know that we are starting in Phoenix and ending in San Francisco.

Flying west is tough.  Flying east is tough.  Flying is tough.  Our car to RDU arrived at 4:10 EST this morning (translation 1:10 PST)  We had little trouble clearing ticketing and security at the airport.  We were allowed to use the family lane which was nice though the TSA agents didn’t seem to appreciate having the early shift.  We were at the gate by five, the girls were eating bagels by 5:05, and at 6 we were on the way to Detroit.  It makes little sense to me why we fly north to then turn south, but it was a pleasant flight and we were on time and by 8:40 we were in the air bound for Phoenix.  The flight was uneventful (always nice) and at 9:45 local time, we were in Phoenix.

Those who know me know that I am a planner.  My vacation trips are laid out and I plan for every variable.  The one thing I can’t plan for is a freak tropical storm off of the Baja Peninsula that is pushing clouds and moisture into the Valley of the Sun.  Instead of sun, we had clouds.  The clouds though kept the temperature at a respectable 92 degrees.  I will give credit to whoever came up with the rental car setup here.  You board one shuttle bus and are dropped a few miles away at a location with all of the rental car companies.  You simply enter the door of your company and take car of the rest.  I checked in at Enterprise and was able to score a free upgrade.  This may prove to be crucial as it gives the girls more room in the back seat.  So under cloudy skies, we set off to meet up with my out west cousin.

She suggested that we eat at True Food Kitchen.  I was pleasantly surprised with the scope of the menu and the knowledge of our server.  The boss had a quinoa burger, Ethel had a rice bowl, and Lucy and me had tacos.  All was wonderful and I would highly recommend the place to anyone- gluten free or not.  Good choice cuz.  Also, great to see you and catch up a bit.  Your East Coast family misses you.

After lunch and desperate to stay awake, we headed to the state capitol museum.  Parking was free as was admission.  We easily spent an hour at this great, kid-friendly attraction.  It was four levels of well laid out exhibits detailing the history of Arizona.  The girls were interested and there were plenty of hands-on activities.  If you ever find yourself in Phoenix, I suggest a visit here.  Park for free across the street, visit the cool park out front with all types of memorials to Arizona’s war efforts and enjoy.  For me, all of the exhibits and the anchor for the USS Arizona were particularly poignant, having been to Pearl Harbor.  For me, it brought all of that full-circle.

Growing ever more tired, we headed to something the boss found.  Cerreta’s Candy Shop in Glendale.  The drive there was not exactly the most scenic but once we got there, I felt like we had driven 4 hours out of the way to the world’s second largest ball of mud.  In fairness, it was a candy shop that has been in production for over 50 years, so there was a bit of nostalgia and kitsch about the place.  Obviously, I let the family make a few selections and after being wished a sweet day, we headed towards our hotel.

The Hilton Garden Inn in North Happy Valley is your typical run of the mill Hilton.  The people are nice and it is close to a few stores so we could stock up on provisions for the ride north.  Also nearby are tons of restaurants.  We opted to grab a to-go order at PF Chang’s and head back to the room.  Now the girls are at the pool and we are trying to make it a little longer before collapsing.

All in all it has been a good day as travel days go.  We’ve seen things we’ve never seen and done things we’ve never done.  That’s what travel is.  Step outside your comfort zone and try some stuff.  After a good sleep we’ll all be ready.  Tomorrow our holiday road takes us north to Sedona before ending at the Grand Canyon.  If Camelback Mountain impressed the kids, I can’t wait to see their faces when they first walk up to the rim the biggest hole in the world!

There was a girl I knew once.  She was awesome.  She was pretty, funny, smart, imaginative, nice-just about perfect.  I hoped that if by some lucky chance she would give me a shot, we might fall madly in love and we’d be together for all time.  I got my chance.  For a brief time we were together and our time was as bright and wonderful as one could imagine.  But then, we had to go our separate ways.  Initially, I think I took the break-up harder than she did.  Years passed and life moved on until we were reunited further on down the road.  That perfect specimen of a girl had not aged well.  In fact she had become a shell other former self.  What she had become made me sad.  Behind her tired, worn eyes, I could see flashes of the girl I once knew, but I don’t think there was anyway to get back that time when we were both younger and more innocent.

I’ll let that analogy sink in whilst I regale you with our adventures for our last full day here in Florida.  Another bright morning dawned and we slept in yet again.  Used to be, we were the type that would arrive at rope-drop and go hard to see as much as possible early on.  Not this trip.  We made rope drop about half of our mornings here and while there was some benefit, for us, it was as nice to sleep in and get a bit of rest.  By the time we got to the latter half of the week, we felt that we had seen and done the vast majority of what we wanted to see and do, therefore we were able to tour as leisurely as possible in the masses that descended upon this place.  Last night, we asked the girls what they wanted to do and neither one of them wanted to return to the Magic Kingdom.  They wanted to head back to the Studios for another turn on the thrill rides.  Once we managed to get up  and moving, we went to Epcot to take in the countries that we hadn’t yet visited.  There were no shows to see or rides to be ridden here-just shops and apparently, bakeries.  After a couple of hours we left through the back gate, dropped our purchases at the resort and walked to the Studios.  For me, that has been one of the great benefits of staying here-the ability to walk to two parks.  In fact, I never boarded any type of transportation today and that was about the only time I wasn’t in throngs of people.

We arrived at the Studios in the mid-afternoon and the crowds were thick.  The number of folks were definitely higher than in many of my previous trips.  This was expected on some level, but I was surprised at the sheer volume this time.  About the only thing we were able to do without an inordinate wait was to hit Muppet-Vision and drop by a few shops.  Even stopping for a snack or a drink was a prolonger affair this afternoon.  The show was exactly as it was earlier this week, this decade, this century, etc.  We grabbed another pizza and then went too use our fast-pass at Star Tours.  The ride is different than in the past but largely unmemorable.  Writing this, I can barely remember the “plot” of the ride.  It was enough that the girls found it to be fun and I am glad I didn’t wait long.  On our way to ride the Rock n Roller Coaster we made our obligatory gift shop visits and waited for nana to get her next cup of coffee.  Our fast pass time approached and we got in the line.  This ride had a lengthy wait and we were able to by-pass the vast majority of it.  We all nailed the photo, except for Ethel who yet again, kept her eyes closed.  We rode it like it was the last ride of vacation, which is what it turned out to be.  We skipped our Tower of Terror ride due to a large wait between our times.  It just wasn’t worth the wait for us, so we went back to Epcot.  On our way out of the park, the girls got an ice cream cookie sandwich.  These treats were the size of a small child and managed to give them the sustenance needed for the mile walk back.

We returned to a few countries we had already experienced, bought a few gifts for folks back home, had a glass of wine, and grabbed dinner.  Epcot was really crowded when we got there, but by 8:30 or so, it had thinned out a good bit and we were able to move a bit more freely.  Nana secured a spot  on the bridge between England and France for the fireworks while the boss and I grabbed some popcorn for the group.  Illuminations was good, particularly the special “Holiday” finale.  If your children can manage to stay awake, it is definitely worth a view.  Even though we stayed essentially until close, because of the early closing time and the proximity of our resort, we were all in bed at a respectable hour.  Our last park day had ended.  I have caught up with that girl.  We spent some time together, I introduced my children to her, and we all had a few laughs together.  I am sure that our paths will cross again at some point.  I hope the next time I see her, she will have pulled herself together and regained that certain something she used to have.  I suppose that if you are just meeting her for the first time, you’d probably still be impressed.  She does have some surprises up her sleeve, but man if you had only known her back then…

Observations.

1.  My family is what made this trip fun and memorable, the location was part of it but not all of it.

2.  Walking between parks is infinitely better than Disney transportation.

3.  Expect crowds any time you come now.

4.  Guest experiences and magic are now secondary to making a buck.

5.  I am tired of seeing scooters, wheelchairs, and strollers.

6.  Fun interactions with cast members are still possible, just harder since they seem over-worked.

7.  Travel like it is the last time you will ever be in this place with these same people.  You may visit again, but it will not be the same.

8.  I am taking home a bunch of great memories.

9.  My kids still rock.

I need to clear something up.  Despite a few of the comments I have been hearing from out there, I am in fact having a good time.  I think, though, that as I become older it is not always where I am that lends itself to having fun, but who I am with.  I have enjoyed spending days with my family in an environment where we only have to think about the now.  Tomorrow will be here soon enough so let’s enjoy the day before us.  Last year the girls got a chance to create memories with their grandparents on a trip to Hawaii.  I am very glad that they are now having the same chance with my parents.  Years from now after the “stuff” purchased is long gone, after our bodies no longer ache, and after they have families of their own, they will remember this time together.  For them, Disney World is not the shell of its former self that I see.  It is still a place of excitement and fun.  We all would do well to channel that excitement and grab the memories as we can.  In a short while we’ll be back home dealing with all that life has to offer.  For today, let’s just be.

Our Thanksgiving started off bright, beautiful, and crisp.  Obviously, that meant we had nowhere to really be so we could take our time getting going.  While cooks all around America were busily prepping food for the masses to celebrate the bounty of the past year, our crew was in pajamas ordering room service.  I’m not normally a big room service kinda guy, but heck why not?  We mauled the spread before us, omelets, benedicts, french toast, eggs, mimosas, coffee-Thanksgiving was off to a great start.  Our only plans for today were to head to the Animal Kingdom for our late afternoon/evening fast passes.  So around 11:30 we lazily left our hotel and bused over.  A nice walk through the animal habitats and a few shops led us to the Finding Nemo show.  The theater was packed and the show was just ok.  The costuming was nice and the actors were talented but I just think that unless you have small children (like under 6) you could probably miss this one for something else.  But I guess knowing your family is important in that consideration.

Speaking of knowing your family-we next took in “It’s Tough to be a Bug”.  This is a fun show with great effects.  It is vital that you are fully aware of your children’s fears and yours as well.  If creepy crawly things freak you out-go elsewhere.  I would recommend it though if you like cool effects with a dose of ugh thrown in for good measure.  Lunchtime!  I can smell it now.  Mom’s turkey.  The best part is that after Thanksgiving we can have turkey stew, turkey sandwiches, turkey hash…but not this year (Bumpeses!!!)  Nope.  This year we dined at The Flame Tree and had traditional Thanksgiving barbecue.  They were serving a traditional turkey dinner that looked good and the boss had it.  She deemed it turkey-riffc and said that there was just enough of everything.  Lucy tore into ribs, Ethel some chicken, and after lengthly discussions with the manager, I settled on the pork sandwich.  All food was good and provide the needed sustenance to head over for our last ride on the safari.  Our driver this time was much smoother but there we were few animals.  They must have worked their shift and per union rules were off the clock.  I imagine it like those old cartoons with the coyote and the sheepdog-“nite Fred..”  I wonder if they clock out with their own animal sized magic-bands?  We had a little time to kill before our Dinosaur fast pass so we went to Dino-Rama and rode the two rides there.  Both were fun and though cheesy, it was a good way to pass the hour before our ride.  We had a moment or two left so we encouraged the girls to play in the Boneyard for a minute.  Traveling with a middle-schooler is interesting.  One second, she is taking pictures of herself with her phone, the next she is chasing her little sister on a playground.  These are the moments I was mentioning at the beginning of this post-by the way.  I checked the app on my phone and guess what?  Dinosaur was down.  I have lost track now with how many rides have been down for period of time this week.  The fast-pass line was getting crazy so we decided to switch our fast pass time for Everest and we to take one final ride on it.  I told Ethel to ride it like its the last time and she did.  She never put her hands down or stopped grinning.

We thought it would be fun to head to Epcot to close out Turkey Day ’14.  My parents took the girls to the gift shop and to find food.  The boss and I headed to World Showcase to visit some of the establishments we missed out on earlier in the week.  We got to the park around 7:15 and had a nice two hours strolling through the fairly empty park.  There was nothing new or exciting for us on this night.  Just spending some time was fun.  The two of us, in 20 years, have never strolled World Showcase at night.  We even stopped by the American Adventure to grab a quick bite to eat.  Gluten-free was no problem here either.  One bit of advice as two adults stroll the promenade.  Share the “experience”-it’ll save you money and ensure that you leave the park ambulatory.  As we departed this fine evening, the sound of “Illuminations” ushered us out.  Once arriving back at the room, our progenies displayed all of their wares for us.  Today really went by quickly.  Do all vacations speed up as the end draws near?

Observations today…

1.  Keep your children well-fed.  Sugar counts, just be sure they never crash.

2.  Expect things to break and be able to adapt quickly.

3.  You have to plan well-ahead.  Long gone are the days of showing up, grabbing a guide map, and deciding.

4.  Do the number of rude people really out number the polite ones?

5.  Take more pictures than you think you are taking.  Particularly of your family.

6.  Regarding number 5-sometimes though, put down the camera and experience the world through your eyes and not a view-finder.

It would be easier to leave the Magic Kingdom after the fireworks.  That event, however, is more than 12 hours away and many rides later.  November 26th dawned bright and beautiful here in Central Florida.  Not really, but in all of our minds the on/off mist that was falling was a respite from the floods of yesterday.  I think I know how Noah must have felt.  It was also easy to walk to the International Gateway from our hotel and the bag check line was non-existent so that was cool.  Our gang had only one ride in Epcot to get to and that was Test Track.  And it was fun to be free as we made our way from World Showcase to the far side of the park.  Even when we arrived at 9:10 the wait time was posted as 50 minutes, but the vast majority of this was inside and out of the weather.  This was a good thing because it gave the boss a chance for her feet to dry.  She wore wicker shoes.  I mean, who wears shoes made of wicker? Anyway-just as we reached the doors to design our car, the ride was temporarily shut down due to weather.  The delay was not huge and we were soon on our way designing our cars.  I was partnered with Ethel and her only desire was that the car be fast.  With that in mind we created a masterpiece that rated high on power and responsiveness but not so much on efficiency.  In fact our car was so good that we scored 211 points, only 9 off of the high score of the day.  Lucy, the Boss, and my dad did not score as good.

The wait for Mission Space was only 10 minutes so we went there and rode the green side.  Everyone seemed to enjoy the ride and within 90 minutes or so we had ridden our remaining rides in the park.  At the largest gift shop on property we spent a good 30 minutes looking at stuff.  Lots of stuff.  And buying stuff.  But not so much stuff.  I was proud of the restraint shown by my girls.  We went back to eat lunch at The Land and I was willing to kill for some veggie, veggie, fruit, fruit!  Instead, I landed on a cheese plate with grapes and a side of cucumber/tomato salad.  It was fine, nothing special though.  The girls seemed to enjoy theirs more today than earlier in the week so I consider the stop a win.  It was time to depart the park for a mid-day break before heading to the Magic Kingdom.  Along the way, we were greeted by blue sky!

Ethel really wanted to ride the monorail, so instead of walking 2 minutes to the bus stop at the hotel, we walked a mile back through Epcot and boarded there.  It was a pleasant walk underneath sunny skies and even gave us a chance to snap a picture or two.  The monorail arrived promptly and we were in the front car.  We heeded the advice of the disembodied voice and stood clear of the doors-por favor.  A quick train change at the TTC and we were at the Kingdom around 3:10.  As we emerged from underneath the train station, the parade was in full force.  We stopped and let the girls watch the show.  The floats were cool but unlike in my day-the song was forgettable.  I mean what I gotta do to get a catchy song nowadays?

We still had some time to kill before our fast pass so instead of taking the “quick” route up the street we ambled through the Emporium.  The wait for Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor was short so we hit that show.  I think it is one of the funnier shows on property.  It is corny but there are enough laughs that kids and parents all have fun, even if you are “that guy”.  This ride would make Walt happy I think.  The ride we fast-passed-Buzz Lightyear, not so much.  After the development of Toy Story Midway Mania, this area should be reimagined.  It is old and a bit uneventful.  With that said, wait times were high.  From there we took in the Carousel of Progress.  I believe that progress should be in quotes now though.  The last scene in the show takes place in the 1980s of the future.  At this point I was ready to be done with getting back in time and greet the world of tomorrow, from yesterday, or now.  I don’t even know anymore, I just know that now is the time, the best time to take in more attractions.

I’m not sure I have ever seen the Peoplemover with a wait like it had today.  But, no matter.  We had nowhere to be so we waited and rode.  My only regret is when our ride vehicle temporarily stopped it wasn’t in the Space Mountain portion.  I could’ve had a great nap.  From here, we used our next fast pass on Space Mountain.  I really feel like I did a good job with this whole fast pass planning thing.  We bypassed an hour long ride and had entered the queue, ridden the ride, and exited within 12 minutes.  Yay, me.

After the Splash Mountain debacle of the other day, we decided to go ride it.  There was no reasonable reason why the wait time was 5 minutes on the day before Thanksgiving other than the fact it was 50 degrees.  No matter, at least we got to experience the full attraction with no wait- #winning.  I had done some research and discovered that the Columbia Harbour House would be a good bet for dinner.  The polite cast member called over her supervisor who took my order and a short 20 minutes later, I was set.  My grilled salmon, broccoli (veggie, veggie), and fries were great.  I even splurged and got a side of mac and cheese.  Everyone seemed to enjoy their meal.

The boss mentioned earlier that we should ride the Tomorrowland Speedway or the Tea Cups.  Now, was the time.  How do you prefer your nausea?  The fumes from the exhaust of 250 million go-carts?  Perhaps, from vertigo induced by madly spinning over-sized tea cups?  The cars?  I suppose that is the least bad choice here.  Again, the wait time was not as bad as posted and we entered our race cars.  I rode with Lucy.  I told her to gun it.  She said “I am”.  We were passed by two turtles and a snail.  40 years ago, this might have been fun.  Maybe if the steering on the cars actually responded to the driver, it might still be rideable.  As it is now, we all agreed it was a pass.  The good that came from it is that Lucy said she never wanted her driver’s license.  Tea Cups ahoy!  We waited 5 minutes for this one and I decided to go all-in on the spinning.  This ride was the better of the two post-dinner rides and bought us some time before riding the Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train.

Another long stand-by line bypassed and we were on.  Ok, I am not a large man by any stretch.  I am not that tall and my weight is proportionate to my height.  This ride vehicle though was stupid small.  Two fully grown adults might have trouble fitting in the same car.  I rode solo this time and it was a fun ride- a tad short, but fun.  My parents decided to call it a night and head on back.  They departed and we went to ride the new Little Mermaid ride in New Fantasyland with a posted 15 minute wait.  There was no wait.  The only wait was how long it took us to walk through the queue.  As for the ride-eh.  With no wait it was fine.  I had heard about this drink at Gaston’s Tavern called LeFou’s Brew.  It is an amalgamation of frozen apple juice infused with coconut topped with a passionfruit foam.  As AP Chemistry experiments go, it wasn’t half-bad.  At 4 bucks the price was fairly un-Disney.  Get one to split with your whole family.  A little goes a long way.  The time for the fireworks was coming on so we worked our way back to the front of the park.  I bought some popcorn and hot chocolate and we enjoyed the fireworks from the safety of the train station.  Had we been at the Hub, I may still be trying to exit the park.  The fireworks were neat and made better by our decision not to deal with the bus.  After almost losing Lucy on the crowded bus earlier in the week, I made an executive decision to walk to the Contemporary and cab back.  20 dollars well spent.  No lines, no waiting, just us and our memories of our day together.  Our day was capped off by a pleasant interaction with a nice young lady in the marketplace.  Our time here is beginning to draw down, but there is still much fun to be had.

Observations

1.  I have thrill-ride junkies for daughters.

2.  Ma’am, the housekeeping cart is not self-service.  I’m sure they will give you more washcloths if you ask.

3.  A soon to be 12 year old loves to take selfies.

4.  Yes, lady in Carousel of Progress, when I turn and look directly at you I mean for you to turn off your phone.  I hope the rest of your day was magical.

5.  There seem to be more surly cast members than in the past.  There are great ones but they all seem exhausted.

6.  For theme park food, it hasn’t been bad.

7.  My girls are cool and make me smile.