Swapped parks for education and inspiration today - our trip to Kennedy Space Centre. We set of fairly early (about 8.30 I think) and planned to eat breakfast when we were nearly there. Hmm, should have done more research! Once you're on that straight toll road (and it is the straightest road you've ever seen in your life! And for soooooooo long! 
) there is nowhere to go unless you know that at a certain turnoff you will find something! So we carried on gett ing very hungry and glad we'd visited the loos before we left. As usual we were very cool (despite the car a/c only being on the first level) that it was a big shock to open the doors and get out into what must have been 25 C already 
. We of course had brought our jumpers with us in case it was cooler nearer the coast - left them in the car!
Bought our tickets and made our way through the tightest security (had to run camera on to show them it was real), and the first person we saw was DBIL! If we'd planned to meet up with my sister and her family at that particular spot we'd probably have waited longer to see them The had had an early breakfast and were ready for an early lunch so as soon as the cafe opened we all piled in (4 adults 6 kids) and tucked in. From lunch went to see a robot presentation (about why we send robots to explore planets) then straight to the shuttle buses that take you around the complex - it is 10-15 minutes drive between each stage and 15 mins at least back from the actual launch site. There was the inevitable group photo opportunity against a shuttle backdrop - our picture was so hideous we didn't bother to pay the $17 + tax 
This was really a trip for the two husbands and eldes boys - Nephew Robert is exactly the same age (bar 2 weeks) as Josef. The younger three just enjoyed meeting up (my sister's two youngest had been very upset that Christian had not gone to Fantasmic). Dsis, neice and I were more interested in the alligators, manatees and eagles we saw around the sight. Although the presentation about the first moon landing was very interesting (because I don't remember it - I didn't know the first attempt ended in tragedy during a full rehersal) mention of the two shuttle crashes were noticeable by their absence. We had to wait ages for a shuttle to take us back from the launch site
then when we got there and went in the shop DH was disappointed to notice that a jacket he had fancied in an earlier shop was not available in the main shop. Moral: even at Kennedy buy something when you see it as it may not be available anywhere else. 
From the shop (where Josef treated himself to a really cool jacket covered in astronaut patches) we went to the astronaut hall of fame.
Skipped the long presentation film as 30 seconds was enough shmaltz for our taste
so straight onto the eulogising memorials and the hands-on activities. Josef was particularly interested to learn that most astronauts were in the scouts for a time, and that they were pilots before they became astronauts.
Stopped off at Cracker Barrel for dinner on the way home. Thoroughly recommend it as a change from the inevitable steaks, burgers and fries (although they are available if you must!
). Christian ate a whole biscuit (like a scone) with butter and made a good dent in a bowl of maccaroni cheese (a good meal for him - Mr Picky Eater!) and Josef had grilled chicken with mashed potatoes, polished off every scrap then demolished a huge strawberry sundae (with a little help from Andy). Recovering from the shock of learning that the only beer was Ginger Beer 
Andy and I both had iced cider - a refreshing (non-alcoholic) apple drink. I had chicken with dumplings (like big fat squares of pasta) with mash and (bizzarely) fried apple slices while Andy had ham and chicken with dumplings, mash and beans. Hearty meal with free drinks refills came to less than $30 including tip! (same price as a bottle of wine in the Maya Grill - take your pick)
Unfortunately the tummy bug hit Andy around 2 am which effectively wiped out the morning.
Once he was able to keep down a dose of Imodium he chose shopping over a park day (originally we had planned to shop the next day) so about 11.00 we set out for Belz outlets, taking in I-drive en route. Big mistake - took about 2 hours to drive the length of I-Drive which closely resembled the worst tourist areas of Tennerife - right down to a cafe serving "All day British Breakfast $3.95 English paper sold here" and "Only Irish-run bar on I-drive. Smokers and children welcome". 
Sports shops full of nylon tracksuits in charming retro colour combinations like roayl blue with orange 
so still no luck in our quest for fleecy joggers (don't care if they're not fashionable, they're only for lolling around). Did manage to get Andy a couple of tops in Ralph Lauren, plus some really good beach towels, and he stocked up on CK underwear and a new pair of jeans. I managed tor eplace an old summer jacket, but a lot of shops we had wanted to see seemed to have closed (there were a lot of empty plots) and after 2 sections Andy had lost the will to go any further. Ended up in Chicago (? name?) pizza place at the Crossroads - very slow service and very expensive for what we had - don't bother with it! Headed for Downtown Disney to watch Robots - great success with everyone! 
) there is nowhere to go unless you know that at a certain turnoff you will find something! So we carried on gett ing very hungry and glad we'd visited the loos before we left. As usual we were very cool (despite the car a/c only being on the first level) that it was a big shock to open the doors and get out into what must have been 25 C already . We of course had brought our jumpers with us in case it was cooler nearer the coast - left them in the car!Bought our tickets and made our way through the tightest security (had to run camera on to show them it was real), and the first person we saw was DBIL! If we'd planned to meet up with my sister and her family at that particular spot we'd probably have waited longer to see them
The had had an early breakfast and were ready for an early lunch so as soon as the cafe opened we all piled in (4 adults 6 kids) and tucked in. From lunch went to see a robot presentation (about why we send robots to explore planets) then straight to the shuttle buses that take you around the complex - it is 10-15 minutes drive between each stage and 15 mins at least back from the actual launch site. There was the inevitable group photo opportunity against a shuttle backdrop - our picture was so hideous we didn't bother to pay the $17 + tax This was really a trip for the two husbands and eldes boys - Nephew Robert is exactly the same age (bar 2 weeks) as Josef. The younger three just enjoyed meeting up (my sister's two youngest had been very upset that Christian had not gone to Fantasmic). Dsis, neice and I were more interested in the alligators, manatees and eagles we saw around the sight. Although the presentation about the first moon landing was very interesting (because I don't remember it - I didn't know the first attempt ended in tragedy during a full rehersal) mention of the two shuttle crashes were noticeable by their absence. We had to wait ages for a shuttle to take us back from the launch site
then when we got there and went in the shop DH was disappointed to notice that a jacket he had fancied in an earlier shop was not available in the main shop. Moral: even at Kennedy buy something when you see it as it may not be available anywhere else. From the shop (where Josef treated himself to a really cool jacket covered in astronaut patches) we went to the astronaut hall of fame.
Skipped the long presentation film as 30 seconds was enough shmaltz for our taste
so straight onto the eulogising memorials and the hands-on activities. Josef was particularly interested to learn that most astronauts were in the scouts for a time, and that they were pilots before they became astronauts.Stopped off at Cracker Barrel for dinner on the way home. Thoroughly recommend it as a change from the inevitable steaks, burgers and fries (although they are available if you must!
). Christian ate a whole biscuit (like a scone) with butter and made a good dent in a bowl of maccaroni cheese (a good meal for him - Mr Picky Eater!) and Josef had grilled chicken with mashed potatoes, polished off every scrap then demolished a huge strawberry sundae (with a little help from Andy). Recovering from the shock of learning that the only beer was Ginger Beer Andy and I both had iced cider - a refreshing (non-alcoholic) apple drink. I had chicken with dumplings (like big fat squares of pasta) with mash and (bizzarely) fried apple slices while Andy had ham and chicken with dumplings, mash and beans. Hearty meal with free drinks refills came to less than $30 including tip! (same price as a bottle of wine in the Maya Grill - take your pick)Unfortunately the tummy bug hit Andy around 2 am which effectively wiped out the morning.
Once he was able to keep down a dose of Imodium he chose shopping over a park day (originally we had planned to shop the next day) so about 11.00 we set out for Belz outlets, taking in I-drive en route. Big mistake - took about 2 hours to drive the length of I-Drive which closely resembled the worst tourist areas of Tennerife - right down to a cafe serving "All day British Breakfast $3.95 English paper sold here" and "Only Irish-run bar on I-drive. Smokers and children welcome". Sports shops full of nylon tracksuits in charming retro colour combinations like roayl blue with orange
so still no luck in our quest for fleecy joggers (don't care if they're not fashionable, they're only for lolling around). Did manage to get Andy a couple of tops in Ralph Lauren, plus some really good beach towels, and he stocked up on CK underwear and a new pair of jeans. I managed tor eplace an old summer jacket, but a lot of shops we had wanted to see seemed to have closed (there were a lot of empty plots) and after 2 sections Andy had lost the will to go any further. Ended up in Chicago (? name?) pizza place at the Crossroads - very slow service and very expensive for what we had - don't bother with it! Headed for Downtown Disney to watch Robots - great success with everyone! 
