Soooo we were done with Future World and off to the World Showcase. I have so many fond memories of WS. Chugging a frozen margarita and jumping on El Rio del Tiempo immediately afterwards. Shilling lamb chops during the Food & Wine festival while standing in 2 feet of pouring rain and pretending to be Australian. Watching one of my co-workers pull two drunken guests out of the lagoon. Ah. Memories.
Because I habitually always turn toward Mexico to start my tour of WS (probably because Epcots cast building is directly behind it), I decided to mess with tradition and head right
to Canada! And the new movie featuring beloved northern actor Martin Short!
We really liked Martin Short and his antics throughout the film. Until that song kicked in. Dont get me wrong, I love American Idol and I think its cool that they have Canadian Idol winner Eva Avila singing at the end, but it goes on for a long time. And the song Canada: Youre a Lifetime Journey just doesnt do it for me, same with the montage of Canadian scenes underneath it (because lets face it, while the other WS films offer Eiffel Towers and Great Walls, Toronto just looks boringly like Seattle). But we were fond of Martin Short. What a crazy guy!
We poked around in the shops, where I sprayed myself with Root and bought my friend at home some wine magnets for her birthday. Enough of Canada, we are off to the UK! Look Jakkie, beer! And a garden that is far too rainy to sit in! And a fantastic Beatles group that isnt performing right now! Lets just go into a shop.
We wandered through the stores, where I briefly considered buying my dad a golf book and then figured I could find it cheaper on
Amazon, and wound up in the toy store. I was thumbing through the Roger Hargreaves books
when I heard a little voice behind me say, Excuse me.
I stepped aside and ALICE IN FREAKIN WONDERLAND walked past me.
I was dumbstruck. I dropped whatever book I was holding and stumbled into a wall.
Jakkie jabbed me. Kelly!! Get a picture!!
I tried to remember which of the items I was holding was a camera. I dont know how! Eventually my brain started orbiting back near the earth, and I snapped this:
It dawned on us that the huge crowd standing near Alice had absolutely NO INTEREST IN HER AT ALL. She was frolicking alone on her little platform while everyone watched with mild interest as they waited in line to meet Pooh Bear. Disgusting.
Jakkie shoved me toward Alice and I climbed up next to her to show her my purse. She was delighted. Thats me! How did I get on your bag?? Where did you get that?
I answered truthfully Ebay. She was puzzled. Where is that? Is it in Wonderland?
I told her it was near the White Rabbits house. We took a couple of pictures, wherin I looked like a drowned rat, but a happy drowned rat
Then Alice shouted that she saw the Cheshire Cat and pointed, but when we all turned to look he had sneakily disappeared again. The character greeter with Alice was amused by my enthusiasm and held an object out to me. It was shaped like a half-moon and resembled a toothy grin. I bet you know what this is! she said. I did of course the Cheshire Cats grin so she gave it to me. Yay! I should have had Alice sign it, but I was such a tizzy of bewilderment & excitement that I was lucky that I made it down the stairs without falling on my face. I wish I could have hung out with Alice all afternoon and had tea, but we had several countries to travel through!
And next was France. Did I mention it was rainy?
Then, we were off to Morocco!
I had never paid much attention to the drink stand in Morocco, but suddenly decided I needed a frosty beverage and couldnt wait until we got to Mexico. I ordered a Sultans Coloda.
It didnt look like much grayish slush but it was amazing. I only wish I could have drank it under more pleasant circumstances than dashing to Japan in a poncho.
In Japan we checked out the tin toy exhibit, because it was INDOORS!
At this point Jakkie was hungry and I was kicking myself for not getting dinner reservations. She wanted sushi but the quick service place in Japan doesnt serve it. We went to check it out anyway, but she wasnt feeling it, so we just had a seat outside the restaurant for a bit and watched the rain.
I know you have been anxiously awaiting a picture of what I looked like at this point in the stormy day, so here you go.
Yup. Scary stuff.
Since the TS restaurant in Japan had a 40 minute wait, we trudged on. In China we visited the tomb soldiers.
And in Norway, we of course rode Maelstrom. Polar bears. Ships. Trolls. As we splashed down in the last scene among the ocean storm, Jakkie whispered to me I feel like I know less about Norway than I did before.
In the shop I smeared myself with that amazing lotion they sell, and we peeked in the Stave Church
And then we were done with Norway. Because I had been waiting so very, very long to see the characters from one of my favorite Disney movies The Three Cabelleros in their new boat ride.
It was truly adorable. But then we felt rejected when we tried to put our name in at the San Angel Inn and were told they were full for the night. We went outside and stood in line for approximately 12 years at the cantina. When we got to the front I placed my order and paid, then moved aside so Jakkie could order. And then we realized that the only vegetarian option they had on the menu was nacho chips with cheese. Not the best meal ever.
I grabbed my food to go and we headed for Chinas Lotus Blossom café. I used to love eating here when I was on the college program. It was the first place I ever had bubble tea! This is what bubble tea looks like.
Its a cold tea drink, sometimes flavored with powder or syrup, with big tapioca pearls in it. And it is delicious.
I saw they had on the menu Bubble QQ Tea I ordered that and some beef noodle soup. Jakkie got some sort of fried rice. I am not sure, I was fixated on my food.
So-called bubble tea, beef noodle soup, chicken quesadillas, chips and cheese (eaten at that point). The bubble tea was horrendous, it was basically a syrupy chocolate milk with little bits of gelatin in it. No tapioca pearls, gelatin! I was mortified.
Jakkie and I found a nice corner to sit in and ate and talked.
We were talking and talking and talking and all of a sudden heard BAM BAM BAM BAM BAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!
We kept getting back on and we would start breaking into laughter for the whole ride. Good times.
Work has been crazy this week so I haven't had much time - tomorrow I am working a sixteen hour day 
I have to go over and check up on your report too!
So I see you standing next to Mickey. Is he your boy?(Stacey reference there.)
(OK that's not Chip...but that's the closest icon to a chipmunk I could find!)
Yeah! An update! Good stuff! 
I still can't believe we ran into you there 
I will be updating for our first day soon, looking forward to more.
)
