Friday, 10 April 2015
whizzing past the Kennedy Space Center
It's an age since I last visited the NASA complex at Cape Canaveral, although I've flown over it a few times. Today's view is rather hazy, but it was a long way away and we were quite high. It's more or less in the centre of the first picture.
The coast of Cape Canaveral and the Banana River is easy to pick out, but even the vehicle assembly building (largest enclosed space building in the world) is quite difficult to spot if you don't know what to look for.
In my zoomed picture there's the space shuttle runway, the Vehicle Assembly Building and a couple of the shuttle launch pads. Further along the coast are the launch sites from other generations of space rockets.
Wednesday, 8 April 2015
ride time
a spot of (very) warm rain
A certain Germanic look today, as we headed around part of the world showcase around the lake at Epcot. It was the first time we'd seen any rain and I had the job to run a couple of hundred metres whilst it pelted down with warm rain in order to get into the shop that sold the ponchos.
I was about as wet as I'd been in the Kali River Rapids a few days ago, when I'd caught a wave full on.
Not to worry though, the rains soon subsided, and by the time we were back from the Japanese restaurant, everything was dry again.
Tuesday, 7 April 2015
do not shake. contents under pressure.
Trying to watch a movie on a regular television channel in the USA. It helps explain why populist movie scriptwriting has been simplified. This particular wallpaper movie has been on from before breakfast to nearly lunchtime and is still only two thirds through. It is best described as a female version of 'The Hangover'.
No, William Shatner isn't in it.
Someone is getting married. All the women go for a girls' night out. The dress gets torn. Someone can sew. One of them pickpockets some money and somehow they make the dress good/better again. That'll be the great reveal if the movie ever gets to it.
That's roughly the entire plot. The thing is, it's chopped up into 4 minute segments with interspersed 6 minute advert breaks.
And don't get me started on litigation prevention warnings on everything...
If you owe, you need a pro. Act Now.
Monday, 6 April 2015
drive in sci fi movies
on safari in trainers, in case we meet a tiger
I'm not sure about visiting this little trail along the side of an old temple. I wonder what we'll find?
Judging by the signs "Safe Water for Travellers", we are not the first people along this way.
Although that seems to be some of the local wildlife. I'm not sure that it is completely tame, either.
And I'm also not sure that when it starts to stand up is necessarily a good sign. At least I am wearing trainers.
Sunday, 5 April 2015
Key Lime Pie confounds car detection
The car is a Nissan Nondescript. We were supposed to have a Chevrolet Cantdescribe, but we'd gone to the wrong Hertz desk.
Although my name was displayed, it had a mysterious TERMB next to it, instead of a pick-up bay number. I'd spoken to the man who initially tried to up-sell me but then quietly found me a car that was a near equivalent of the one parked somewhere in a different zone.
Not to worry, the new car was fine and easily swallowed our bags and passengers. The thing is, it does look like an awful lot of other car types. A kind of mix of Audi, Kia, Toyota, Acura such that we walk along the line afterwards studying similar looking vehicles for signs that it might be our one.
Twice we have lost it properly. Once was in the Team Mickey car park, where we'd parked in what was a fairly empty parking lot and then a few hours later spent about 10 minutes seeking our vehicle which was now lurking among rows of almost identical models.
Then, when we were on our second visit to Publix. The visit where we found the Edwards Key Lime Pie. The first time it was notably absent from the shelving. A gaping hole in the section where it should have been located. Even the minimalist two-slice version had gone.
This time we were triumphant and the full 2lb 4oz version was on display. Checked out, we had a very patient man wheeling our trolley back to the non-existent car as we wandered the Publix car park looking for it.
"It happens all the time," he tactfully lied in a moment reminiscent of the 'slippery little suckers' scene in Pretty Woman.
I gotta ask you, what did the chicken do?
Along the Sassagoula river to arrive by water at the House of Blues. This was always going to be on the list, with a chance to augment the tee-shirts as well as to listen to some music.
I'm pretty sure I'll have posted a picture of this water tower at some time in the past, but here's today's view. Time to sit down for a cool drink and maybe some of those feisty nachos.
Today we decided to spend some time by the front porch listening to some tunes as well as jokes like the one about the farmer's cussin' parrot punished by 10 minutes in the freezer. Comes out shivering and asks a question...
Saturday, 4 April 2015
obligatory poolside picture
Friday, 3 April 2015
today we visit Harambe
This time we're off to Harambe, in East Africa.
We'll be catching the train to the reserve and then hopping aboard a high-sided truck to bounce our way across the savannah, on the lookout for wild life.
The baboons around the station could be mischievous, and the train itself is something from the Victorian age. At least the truck looks as if it doesn't need anything very sophisticated to repair it.
Sure enough, there's the first giraffe, and close by are a few more. The rhinoceros decided to stand in the middle of the road until a few of his chums came along so that they could move away together to new spot of mud.
There's a couple more, preparing for one of those bookends poses.
And then, around the next corner, a lioness. She'd grabbed a great lookout spot on the rocks, but there's unlikely to be much movement until the sun drops further.
I think we'd better get back into a safer area before the sun gets much lower.
Thursday, 2 April 2015
Brooklyn, Telegraph Hill and Newbury Street in five minutes
Okay, now we're off to Brooklyn, and maybe San Francisco.
They are only a few steps apart in Hollywood Studios, and even if the old British phone box has gone, there's a Chinatown SF one to replace it. Nearby there's the Golden Gate Bridge, seen here in a view with accompanying Telegraph Hill that you wouldn't get in the real San Francisco.
Then again, turn and look back along the same street, and it could be Newbury Street, Boston?
Wednesday, 1 April 2015
fast pass plus
The Fast Pass Plus system helps get around the parks at a good speed.
We decided we've reached a kind of Zen Mastery level of the parks now, skipping from one mountain ride to another, whilst slotting in a few of the shows too.
By the evening, we needed a rest for ach day's 9-10 miles of footwork. I've loaned out my fitbit, but still have 19,000 steps recorded for one day and 17,000 for another.
Today, for recovery, we headed along to the Contemporary, to their Californian Grill, which serves fine food and also is a fantastic place to watch the fireworks across at Cinderella's Castle.
That'll be the castle on the left...
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