Another relaxing morning and we are up and ready to go around 10.00amish. Going back to work next week is going to be hard!
This morning is another airplane dedicated morning. As we didnt make it to Lakeland and Browns yesterday thats our itinerary for today. We are off to Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, home to Sun n Fun. Sun n Fun is a big recreational Airshow that is held every April. Pilots and airplane enthusiasts travel from far and wide to participate.
Our plan was to have breakfast at Tonys Airside Café, but by the time we get there, they are on their lunch menu. Didnt this happen earlier in the week? So lunch it was. Dave has a Rueben sandwich and I have a chicken and walnut salad croissant. Its very good; I would never have thought to put a walnut salad in a croissant. I will now. Last year when we ate here, there were lots of planes coming and going and we sat and watched for hours. And I am not exaggerating. But today there wasnt even one! There are lots tied down on the tarmac, but none are taking off or landing. So we didnt stay very long..
Next stop on our agenda is Browns Seaplane Base in Winter Haven. Don (an aircraft mechanic at home) had asked Dave to look at a plane that a customer of his is thinking of buying. So Dave spent an hour or so looking over the plane, inside and out and taking some photos to show Don. There were barnacles on the floats, not a good thing on a supposedly fresh water plane. The fiberglass had some big nicks in it, and there were signs of corrosion.
There werent many planes flying here either. We went into the office to check out the merchandise, but nothing new since we were here last January. I believe this is the first time we have walked away from an airport without buying a thing.
Then we drove all the way to the other side of Orlando for some shopping. Dave dropped me at the Belz Outlet Mall so I could check out the Disney and Birkenstock stores, but I didnt find anything. Something is terribly wrong with both us, Dave didnt buy anything at the airport and I managed to get in and out of both the Disney store and Birkenstocks without giving the Visa a work out. Dave did go back to the radio store to buy a second battery. We met at Bass Outdoor World; we need one of these in Vancouver, on second thoughts that would be dangerous. We would have to take out a second mortgage to pay off our credit card debt! Dave decided that after a lethargic morning, the Visa needed to have its daily exercise. He bought two more pairs of pants of the Redhead Duck Work Pants, this time in olive and black. Now he owns 5 pairs of the same pants, just in different colours. He also bought a shirt and a very bright orange beanie (for his survival kit). Now it is official, Dave owns more clothes than I do.
Now that Dave owns enough clothes to last him the next 10 years we decide to head home (home to the Wilderness Lodge, not home to Vancouver). Oh stop, theres a liquor store, weve been looking for one all week. We want to buy Ron Matusalem Pot Still Rum and Mandarine Napoleon, neither of which we can get at home. On our cruise last year (no not a Disney Cruise, I am still working on that) Dave had an after dinner drink called a Sea Dew, and we have being trying to replicate it ever since. Well the store didnt have either, but they did have Bauchant Orange Liqueur and Matusalem Rum Gran Reserve. Which we will try.
Back at home (the Wilderness Lodge) we relax big time, we download photos from the camera, and sip our Sea Dews on the balcony. They taste just as good as they did on the ship. Why is that whenever we are away we spend much time relaxing on the balcony, but at home where we have a fairly large balcony we absolutely never use it?
Tonight is extra magic hour at Epcot, it is open to midnight. We head over around 8.00pm for dinner. My idea is to eat at the Tangerine Café in Morocco using a Q&C voucher. Daves first question, Is it a good deal? Did you learn that on your board? Yes, I did, and I bet they are all correct. And it turns out they are, it is the best meal we have had yet. Once again we share a meal:
Chicken and Lamb platter which came with tabbouleh, cous cous and hummus $10.95
Side of olives $1.95
Piece of chocolate cake $3.95
Coke $2.25
Tax $1.25
Total $20.35.
Savings $8.85
We pay $2.40 incl tax for an additional diet coke.
Not bad for an $11.50 voucher. And she gave us a large coke instead of a medium, which is what we had been given elsewhere. We find a table out on the terrace, and dine in style. The chicken and lamb are excellent. Both of us comment that neither of us could eat this much food on our own. We need a break before tackle the chocolate cake. Dave stays on the patio to people watch and drool over the chocolate cake while I walk over to Germany to buy a Christmas decoration. Christmas is my favourite time of year, and whenever I travel I buy a decoration to represent that trip on our tree. If we put up all our decorations each year we would need two or three threes. I buy a small wooden Santa, reminiscent of one I bought at the Christmas markets in Munich way back in the early 90s. I almost buy a pickle, but the price puts me off. Will it be one of those things I am kicking myself over later? Probably.
I get back to Morocco and Dave says I am mean. I have made him wait 20 minutes with a chocolate cake calling his name. The cake got the better of him, he couldnt resist that little voice of temptation and he had a bite, but only a little one. Lets just say that his idea of a little bite and mine are completely different. That chocolate cake was heaven. Can we have another one? We stay on the patio to listen to Morockin and watch IllumiNations. We head for the exit the long way. We ride Maelstrom in Norway. We both see the hidden Mickey; I cannot believe that Dave is even noticing these things now. I have obviously trained him well. We had a boat to ourselves, and Dave had totally forgotten that the boat goes backwards.
We are doing the boat ride thing this evening next stop is Rio Del Tiempo in Mexico. Another boat to ourselves and no line up either, I like this extra magic hour thing, there is hardly anyone around. I want my ceiling at home to have those fireworks on them. Do you think an Imagineer could come and install them in my home? I consider buying a silver pendant. But having lived about 45mins from Taxco and gone there many times on my days off from work, I couldnt bring myself to hand over the amount of money that Disney is asking. Of course I have been telling Dave all week to stop complaining about Disney prices, now I have to eat my words.
There is no line up for Test Track, so walk right on. We are disappointed that the little screen on the dash is not working, but it does not diminish the experience.
Spaceship Earth doesnt have a line up either. Again the CM asks to see our wrist bands. Next time I am wearing a short sleeve t-shirt so I dont have to keep pulling my sleeves up. The CMs have asked at every ride.
Its time to go home. But just before we get to the gate Dave mentions like a little kid that he wants to ride Mission Space. Are you sure? You felt silk last year remember? But its fun. Okay. I am feeling kind of nauseous; I didnt feel sick last time, so why do I feel sick now? I guess last time I didnt know what to expect, so I felt fine, this time I know what to expect, so I am anticipating it. Whereas Dave didnt know what to expect so felt sick when it happened, but this time he knows what will happen so will be fine! What an odd couple we are. Again there was no wait and we had a shuttle all to ourselves. We see the sick bags they added to the ride, but luckily neither of us actually needs them. I can see Dave waving his arms around, testing out the g-forces, and playing with all the buttons. He is definitely enjoying it more than last time.
On the way out of the park we stop to share a Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip ice-cream.
I watch the ice skating, while Dave complains about it and then that king bed makes it very easy to fall asleep. Did I mention we have a king size bed and 4 pillows? Oh and that they turned down the bed, and put little chocolates on our pillows? I like this resort. We can come back here anytime.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
This morning is another airplane dedicated morning. As we didnt make it to Lakeland and Browns yesterday thats our itinerary for today. We are off to Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, home to Sun n Fun. Sun n Fun is a big recreational Airshow that is held every April. Pilots and airplane enthusiasts travel from far and wide to participate.
Our plan was to have breakfast at Tonys Airside Café, but by the time we get there, they are on their lunch menu. Didnt this happen earlier in the week? So lunch it was. Dave has a Rueben sandwich and I have a chicken and walnut salad croissant. Its very good; I would never have thought to put a walnut salad in a croissant. I will now. Last year when we ate here, there were lots of planes coming and going and we sat and watched for hours. And I am not exaggerating. But today there wasnt even one! There are lots tied down on the tarmac, but none are taking off or landing. So we didnt stay very long..
Next stop on our agenda is Browns Seaplane Base in Winter Haven. Don (an aircraft mechanic at home) had asked Dave to look at a plane that a customer of his is thinking of buying. So Dave spent an hour or so looking over the plane, inside and out and taking some photos to show Don. There were barnacles on the floats, not a good thing on a supposedly fresh water plane. The fiberglass had some big nicks in it, and there were signs of corrosion.
There werent many planes flying here either. We went into the office to check out the merchandise, but nothing new since we were here last January. I believe this is the first time we have walked away from an airport without buying a thing.
Then we drove all the way to the other side of Orlando for some shopping. Dave dropped me at the Belz Outlet Mall so I could check out the Disney and Birkenstock stores, but I didnt find anything. Something is terribly wrong with both us, Dave didnt buy anything at the airport and I managed to get in and out of both the Disney store and Birkenstocks without giving the Visa a work out. Dave did go back to the radio store to buy a second battery. We met at Bass Outdoor World; we need one of these in Vancouver, on second thoughts that would be dangerous. We would have to take out a second mortgage to pay off our credit card debt! Dave decided that after a lethargic morning, the Visa needed to have its daily exercise. He bought two more pairs of pants of the Redhead Duck Work Pants, this time in olive and black. Now he owns 5 pairs of the same pants, just in different colours. He also bought a shirt and a very bright orange beanie (for his survival kit). Now it is official, Dave owns more clothes than I do.
Now that Dave owns enough clothes to last him the next 10 years we decide to head home (home to the Wilderness Lodge, not home to Vancouver). Oh stop, theres a liquor store, weve been looking for one all week. We want to buy Ron Matusalem Pot Still Rum and Mandarine Napoleon, neither of which we can get at home. On our cruise last year (no not a Disney Cruise, I am still working on that) Dave had an after dinner drink called a Sea Dew, and we have being trying to replicate it ever since. Well the store didnt have either, but they did have Bauchant Orange Liqueur and Matusalem Rum Gran Reserve. Which we will try.
Back at home (the Wilderness Lodge) we relax big time, we download photos from the camera, and sip our Sea Dews on the balcony. They taste just as good as they did on the ship. Why is that whenever we are away we spend much time relaxing on the balcony, but at home where we have a fairly large balcony we absolutely never use it?
Tonight is extra magic hour at Epcot, it is open to midnight. We head over around 8.00pm for dinner. My idea is to eat at the Tangerine Café in Morocco using a Q&C voucher. Daves first question, Is it a good deal? Did you learn that on your board? Yes, I did, and I bet they are all correct. And it turns out they are, it is the best meal we have had yet. Once again we share a meal:
Chicken and Lamb platter which came with tabbouleh, cous cous and hummus $10.95
Side of olives $1.95
Piece of chocolate cake $3.95
Coke $2.25
Tax $1.25
Total $20.35.
Savings $8.85
We pay $2.40 incl tax for an additional diet coke.
Not bad for an $11.50 voucher. And she gave us a large coke instead of a medium, which is what we had been given elsewhere. We find a table out on the terrace, and dine in style. The chicken and lamb are excellent. Both of us comment that neither of us could eat this much food on our own. We need a break before tackle the chocolate cake. Dave stays on the patio to people watch and drool over the chocolate cake while I walk over to Germany to buy a Christmas decoration. Christmas is my favourite time of year, and whenever I travel I buy a decoration to represent that trip on our tree. If we put up all our decorations each year we would need two or three threes. I buy a small wooden Santa, reminiscent of one I bought at the Christmas markets in Munich way back in the early 90s. I almost buy a pickle, but the price puts me off. Will it be one of those things I am kicking myself over later? Probably.
I get back to Morocco and Dave says I am mean. I have made him wait 20 minutes with a chocolate cake calling his name. The cake got the better of him, he couldnt resist that little voice of temptation and he had a bite, but only a little one. Lets just say that his idea of a little bite and mine are completely different. That chocolate cake was heaven. Can we have another one? We stay on the patio to listen to Morockin and watch IllumiNations. We head for the exit the long way. We ride Maelstrom in Norway. We both see the hidden Mickey; I cannot believe that Dave is even noticing these things now. I have obviously trained him well. We had a boat to ourselves, and Dave had totally forgotten that the boat goes backwards.
We are doing the boat ride thing this evening next stop is Rio Del Tiempo in Mexico. Another boat to ourselves and no line up either, I like this extra magic hour thing, there is hardly anyone around. I want my ceiling at home to have those fireworks on them. Do you think an Imagineer could come and install them in my home? I consider buying a silver pendant. But having lived about 45mins from Taxco and gone there many times on my days off from work, I couldnt bring myself to hand over the amount of money that Disney is asking. Of course I have been telling Dave all week to stop complaining about Disney prices, now I have to eat my words.
There is no line up for Test Track, so walk right on. We are disappointed that the little screen on the dash is not working, but it does not diminish the experience.
Spaceship Earth doesnt have a line up either. Again the CM asks to see our wrist bands. Next time I am wearing a short sleeve t-shirt so I dont have to keep pulling my sleeves up. The CMs have asked at every ride.
Its time to go home. But just before we get to the gate Dave mentions like a little kid that he wants to ride Mission Space. Are you sure? You felt silk last year remember? But its fun. Okay. I am feeling kind of nauseous; I didnt feel sick last time, so why do I feel sick now? I guess last time I didnt know what to expect, so I felt fine, this time I know what to expect, so I am anticipating it. Whereas Dave didnt know what to expect so felt sick when it happened, but this time he knows what will happen so will be fine! What an odd couple we are. Again there was no wait and we had a shuttle all to ourselves. We see the sick bags they added to the ride, but luckily neither of us actually needs them. I can see Dave waving his arms around, testing out the g-forces, and playing with all the buttons. He is definitely enjoying it more than last time.
On the way out of the park we stop to share a Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chip ice-cream.
I watch the ice skating, while Dave complains about it and then that king bed makes it very easy to fall asleep. Did I mention we have a king size bed and 4 pillows? Oh and that they turned down the bed, and put little chocolates on our pillows? I like this resort. We can come back here anytime.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
