Sunburn, not windburn : WDW and Universal in September

[kaoden39]

I wish they had the Kim Possible thing at Disneyland it looks fun. Of course I don't think it would work there.


No fix for your computer yet? You poor thing. I don't even have a touch screen e-reader.

 

[bumbershoot]

We haven't decided what to do about my computing needs. R wants to get me a refurb Mac, to replace my almost dead MacBook, but even a refurb is spendy and it bugs me. But when I use a PC I want to destroy it. There are ways to make a PC feel more like a Mac, but that seems time and money consuming too.

Alas, r has informed me that work will need the iPad back soon, so I've got to make up my mind.

The Mac was fine until that beer spill...sigh. And the Mac was free with an apartment lease back in 2007, so it's not like we normally run around buying very expensive computers!

 

[kaoden39]

Macs are pricey for sure, but it is a well spent expense for sure. I am used to my windows based computers so I can get one pretty cheap. Too bad the iPad has to go back. Even if it is a pain to use but it is a computer.

 

[bumbershoot]

If the last two, nay, three PC laptops Robert has had (since we met) were anything but pieces of junk, I would have more faith in them! But even this most recent one, which he actually says he likes and hasn't fallen apart yet unlike the toshiba he had when we met, is just so physically mind-bogglingly difficult for me to use. I mean, it's here, I know how to get online with it, and yet I'm using the iplop (took me FIVE times writing that before it stopped taking the i out of it) instead, that's how much it bugs me.

It's funny how much I like proper Mac computers, but really cannot stand anything else apple makes.....



I really cannot deal with photobucket tonight...the process of trying to copy each image URL is just too much. But at least I started on the 19th, right?




And YES I would love to see a KimPossible type thing at DLR.

 

[kaoden39]

I am a fan of HP computers. We had one for several years that was used by 10 different family members at one point. I have an HP laptop and Scotty has a Dell. My HP is a good soldier and it keeps going, his Dell is enough for me to say I will never own another Dell product again.

 

[bumbershoot]

I will agree that Dell most definitely sucks! To put it gently, and based on our experiences.



I have the photobucket open, I'm just trying to will myself to continue my story!

 

[kaoden39]

 

[nancy drew]

As a PC user and Mac disliker, I will agree that Dell sucks. I've had good luck with HP, but my Dell bit the dust way too soon.

Yes, please continue your story! You must finish before we go (12/16).


And although it would disrupt the flow of your report, I'd love to hear anything else you have to say about the Boardwalk. We are staying there this time, just for 3 quick nights (not in the villas, just the regular hotel) and I'd appreciate any hints/suggestions/must do/must avoids. We're eating at Kouzzina (I've heard they are VERY vegan friendly, and the kids menu seems to have more options than anywhere else in Disney). Not sure we will be able to use the pool since the weather might not cooperate. After reading recent posts I'm really nervous about taking the bus to and from MK.

 

[bumbershoot]

Well, remember that we swam in December despite it being disgustingly cold. Since you are used to colder weather than we are, I bet you'll be fine. Get tons of towels to dry off and warm up in once you're out! Hopefully your kids will want to go on the slide!!!!

IMO, avoid the big river brewery. But kouzzina was good, even with just going from the menu's vegetarian option. Only time I've EVER liked dipping bread in olive oil!

Not sure of the bakery will be worth the time for you...maybe the kids though. Even their key lime pie was made with gelatin, bleah. But jus about every place we looked had Silk soy and chocolate soy milk, and I think the bakery did, too.

Its just a fun place to walk around in. Lots of energy especially right at dusk.

If you drink espresso and don't want to deal with the bakery or kiosk, there's a coffee place over at the "swolphin", which is a lovely walk from the boardwalk!

 

[bumbershoot]

The 19th.



We were starting on our KimPossible quest. Went to the stand in Norway and got the phone, and were sent back to Mexico. It was all very simple, especially in the daytime. The only clue we had a hard time with was in Norway, actually. We also did a lot of back and forth in norway, which can be avoided somewhat if you just go through the bakery instead of walking all the around.

Found a couple clues in the temple...

Then made a bird talk.

The effect involving this was VERY cool.

The temple smells SO good. Food food food. I confess here...we might be the reason so many restaurants now have cancel fees. There were more than a few ADRs that we just forgot about. The ADR at San Angel was not one of them...we were in there at the right time for our dessert, but we just didn't want to have dessert there at the last moment because we were still full, and there wasn't a line or anything, so we just didn't go. So sorry about that.

Since it's basically a little tienda area' doing this quest offered good opportunities to look around. Loved the silver shop.

Finally we were done with Mexico and went out into the heat. Stopped for a mariachi and sunscreen break.

Some trees have their own protection, which I think is so cool.

 

[bumbershoot]

The above is the seating area for the bakery, whose main entrance is on the other side of the big building in the first picture. And there are bathrooms up that walkway.

I'll just go ahead and mention that it was really hot that day. Not the first or last time I'll mention it.

This was the area where we had the problem. You are supposed to stand in an exact spot and we just couldn't figure it out. Oh well!

The ducks made it worth being in that space though.

Oh yeah...Eamon made that chimney smoke happen. This is in the courtyard near the bakery etc.

Raised the flag here.

The spot above is back over on the other side again. Annoying.


At THIS point we got hungry for dessert. Luckily we were near the Kringla bakery, and I had heard good things about it.

Now you know we ask about ingredients. Not here! We went crazy and didn't look back.

Got a Cloudberry Horn, Jelly Roll Cake, and the famous School Bread.

And all three get a big ohhhhhhhhhh that's so good from us.

The school bread has a coconut creamy filing inside and on the top. The horn and roll seemed to have about the same filling as each other Berry-ish and creamy. It was hard to pick favorites! The bakery did have other things, and sandwiches, too, also, alcohol even hard liquor! Our second time there days later we saw the CMs giving, or selling rather, a shot of something evil looking, lol.


After such a treat, even though we had waters as well, I could not ignore the call of the beer. Also, one of my planned souvenirs.

I kept our tip change in my Germany beer mug from December, and it worked well so I have grand plans for adding this one to the bank!


The guys at some point here decided to go on Maelstrom. I had my beer, so I just did a little shopping. I wanted to sniff the perfume Laila, as I had heard good things about it. I liked it, and put some on to see how it lasted and changed. Also found Geir, a men's cologne by the same perfume maker. Little note...these CAN be bought elsewhere...online, actually, so there's no need to feel pressured to buy while there.

As I waited for them, I couldn't help but notice a change in the weather....

 

[kaoden39]

A change in the weather? Does this mean hotter?

 

[bumbershoot]

Do you see what I see?

Besides the gorgeous temple, of course.

Oh WOW. I absolutely loved watching this storm get closer. There was something so primal about it. I doubt I could deal with living with storms like that, at least as someone responsible for keeping things safe. I remember going running in Miami as a storm like that came in, but I wasn't the home, or even a car, owner.

We took some pictures and did some KimPossible things, and it was hard but fun.

Finally, though, we knew we had to take cover. Robert, even though he has lived in the tropics before, was in denial, but when we saw the outside sellers like the parasol guy starting to batten down the hatches, even he had to admit the reality of the situation.

And yet in the other direction...

 

[bumbershoot]

At first, the weather almost got hotter. It was like the sun got closer or something. Like if you lay out and suddenly it's noon and just mind-bendignly hot.

But then the storm got closer, where you knew it was coming in our direction, and the temperature dropped, and breezes cropped up. A very lovely, but scary, feeling.

 

[kaoden39]

When we get clouds like that with the blue sky and sun I always tell our kids that it is thunderstorm weather.

 

[bumbershoot]

And indeed it is!


So we took cover. Luckily, that's where they have the movie about China. While waiting for that, I looked around.

The ceiling.

Hey look who else was taking shelter?

As we waited on benches, the room filled up. It was pretty much full by the time the theater doors opened! In the meantime, the sky had also opened up, and was dumping all the water of the area onto Epcot. I was glad to be indoors.

The movie is one of those 360 movies, where you stand, hanging onto a rail, looking all around! It's slightly cheesy, it's outdated, but it had both me and Robert in little tears. Me because I don't know if I'll ever get there and because I knew Robert was reacting to it even without looking at him. Robert because he misses it.

I was glad to have seen it!

We did a little browsing after the movie. The storm had passed.

We found a jade necklace that Eamon loved, got a ba gua hangy thing (feng shui thing), and some stainless steel chopsticks for Robert. We were looking at Chinese zodiac posters, and it hit me that my mom was also a Monkey, just like Eamon. And so, I had my first real cry of the trip. Sniffle. So we bought the little print of Monkey information. I should mention that we were coming up on my mom's birthday, and spending time with my aunt always brings mom to mind, so it's not a big surprise that I got sad.

I was still upset, and went outside while they bought those things, and they also got E a ninja sword (we thought we would get Viking stuff that day, but the ninja sword won!).

While in China we also saw the art/history stuff, and were happy to have saved yet another country. That's 3 in part of a day!


So we moved along...

When you save one country, you have the opportunity to either tell the phone you are done, or that you would like to go on. If you go on, you choose what country. And so we kept choosing to go on, in the order that we were walking.

We actually ran out of time in China, and had to reset it. Can't recall if we had to go see someone for that, or if we did it ourselves, but either way, it was simple.

Since we were on this mission, we didn't look through countries without KimPossible stuff, and we didn't pay attention to Germany since we had saved it in December, and we had been there already.

We quickly found ourselves in Japan, which was under construction.

The heat had come back, and the steam bath effect of the storm having dumped water which was now evaporating was making me grumpy and uncomfortable. So we didn't thoroughly explore Japan, though we had actually been all through the stores on our last trip.

There are a few KimPossible areas in Japan, and one inside the shop gets a lot of attention from passers by!

While there we got to see Miyuki, the candy-making lady. We had to crane our necks, but it was indeed very cool! Contrary to what I've heard, she DID give the creation to someone in the crowd.

They were doing construction in the country, and like I said it was hot and steamy, so we moved along once we had saved Japan. We were on a mission, not sightseeing, after all!

 

[bumbershoot]

I didn't get any pictures of France. Probably because we were getting kinda tired by then, the quest was confusing, and, well, we felt the need for more treats. Because we had been so deprived of treats that day.

While saving France we stopped at their boulangerie (I think we had stopped by when the family was with us, but it had just closed, and we didn't want to take the chance again...see it, do it being our new motto). One slice of cheesecake one chocolate chip cookie, and one chocolate croissant, and one incredulous sighting of what REALLY looked like a father giving his toddler son beer later, we were ready to go to England.

Side note...if you are sensitive to perfumes, AVOID the France perfume shop! Oh gracious was that a big smell. The Laila was still nice on me, but it reminded me of my Escape (yes I keep perfumes forEVER). Robert's Geir Wess was also quite nice.

I did get myself a Grand Marnier slushy at this point. Hadn't quite been long enough time since the Carlsberg, but oh well.


Saving England!

It was really noisy so we headed to an unpopulated area so E could hear the Kimmunicator, and in doing so found the backside of a little meet and greet.

The effect here was that the window filled with water. You can sort of see the bubbles, I hope.

And with that, if I'm not mistaken, meant we were finished with our missions! We had saved the world in a day and we were EXHAUSTED. But there was still more to see.

The guys had some rides they wanted to go on. And I had some shopping I wanted to do. We split up for that.

I went to Mexico to buy one of the bracelets. After much back and forth I got the circle glass one in a bright green, instead of the beaded one I tried on. I wore it to my friend's wedding last month to brighten up the otherwise black outfit I was wearing.

I went back to Norway as well, and bought Robert the cologne. It smelled SO good while we were at WDW! It doesn't smell that good at home. Different atmosphere, quite literally, I suppose. And I'm glad I didn't get the Laila.

We were so full of desserts that no one wanted dinner at that point. I wanted to do a little more shopping, and the guys did too, so we went to MouseGears once we met back up. Bought some chocolate, a new lanyard pouch for E as we could not find his old one before the trip, a Mickey backscratcher that E has coveted since he first saw it...we bought me a HAT that I'd wanted for literally years...that sort of thing.

No one wanted to wait around for illuminations, so we left. Robert bought some bread at the hotel store, and we probably had some sandwiches for dinner.

We slept the sleep of people who had saved the world (showcase).

 

[bumbershoot]

Does anyone else see the original Starship Enterprise in that big cloud there?

 

[kaoden39]

I didn't see it at first and then I spotted it.

 

[bumbershoot]

Yay!