Rocky Mountaineer Canada Trip 2019 - Day 3, Part 1

This was the first of two days aboard the Rocky Mountaineer train.

I forgot to mention it in my previous post, but when we first arrived at the hotel we had been told that there was an opportunity for early check-in for the Rocky Mountaineer (RM).  We just had to go down to the lobby at 5:30pm the day before departure and look for the table with RM staff.  So that day after we got back from our late lunch/early dinner we went to the lobby to look for them and saw this area set up in front of the restaurant entrance:

I thought wow, they're really doing this up right

But no, that wasn't for us.  It was for a private function at the restaurant.  The Rocky Mountaineer staff (who were great, by the way), had a couple of folding tables and chairs set up along a narrow walkway across the lobby.  Oh well.  We sat down and were given an envelope with our train tickets, luggage tags, itinerary, and commemorative pin.

I thought it would look good to showcase it against a patch of bare skin apparently from the "gluttony" victim from the movie Se7en...
...also known as a section of the kitchen counter that I will now never see the same way again.

New York 2019 - Day 2: Vessel

I so very badly want to type "The Vessel", but it's just "Vessel".

Today we breakfasted in the hotel (included with the room, which we didn't know in advance - a nice surprise).  I like a variety so I had small amounts of scrambled eggs, sausage, potatoes, Raisin Bran, cantaloupe, honeydew, banana, orange juice, coffee, and a chocolate pastry.

Good morning city

I can see the future, and tonight you'll look like this...

Universal Orlando Trip - Day 5: Going Home

All good things must come to an end, and so we had to bid farewell to Universal Orlando and the Loews Royal Pacific Resort.  It was hard too because we woke up to such a beautiful day:

Hard to leave, but it's gorgeous after days of rain and it's Saturday - crowds are sure to be out in full force.  Our timing seemed to work out perfectly.

Todd's in good spirits waiting for the shuttle to the airport

Just plane fun

Ha ha, made you laugh

Why is the window wet?  Adjust focus...

...oh crap.  What happened to the great weather?!
This looked a lot worse in person - like the hurricane had circled back around and was headed straight for us.  The plane took forever to taxi - we kept willing it to go faster.

Phew! - we beat the storm and weren't delayed.  It didn't take long to go from this...

...to this.  Then it was clear skies all the way home.

We had a great time.  Next time (next year?), we're planning on going during Halloween Horror Nights.  They were setting up some of the outdoor areas while we were there and it already looked amazing.  Can't wait!

Thanks for reading.  Coming up next:  South Dakota - so stick around, we'll be right back!  ;o)

Universal Orlando Trip - Day 4

Strong wind and rain overnight, but Hurricane Hermine ended up not being a threat for this area.  The only impact was that we'd have rain on and off throughout the day (which again was fine by us).

We woke up to heavy rain that stopped by the time we were ready to walk over to the park.  On the way over the path was strewn with palm leaves, mulch, and other natural detritus.  I also noticed for the first time these beautiful and alien plants - don't know what they are though:

I'll call you Audrey II

Amazing color

We started off with Universal Studios today, and then took the Hogwarts Express over to Islands of Adventure.

The sky doesn't look too stable

Universal Orlando Trip - Day 2, Part 2

Tip:  Always take a ziploc bag with you to a theme park - it's great to slip your phone/wallet into on water rides, and comes in super handy if it rains.  Also, you still need to wear sunscreen on overcast days.

After Jurassic Park, we continued on and came to the newest attraction at Universal, Skull Island: Reign of Kong.

Just like the Harry Potter area/rides, Skull Island gets extraordinary marks for theming.  On the outside it really looks foreboding with a huge weathered black wall covered with skulls, spears and torches, giant carved gorilla head (through which you enter) and mist-covered mountains rising in the distance.  Off to one side there's a huge temple with massive doors that open for the ride vehicles to pass through.

My current wallpaper

Just amazing from the outside

Universal Orlando Trip - Day 2, Part 1: Harry Potter and Jurassic Park

Today we set off for Islands of Adventure.  The park opened at 9am, but guests staying on-site get one hour early access to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter section - another perk of staying with Universal.

Fun with mirrors

Good morning Orlando

A Rainy Morning On The Canal - Videos

After a week long summer cold I was back to walking for exercise yesterday.  Of course as luck would have it it was raining, but not too bad, and the temperature was down so it wasn't so hot.

While I was out I shot a couple of videos:  one of the rain on the water and a duck coming in to land, and the other a slow motion shot of a fish breaching the surface of the water.  Enjoy.

Caught In The Storm

Yesterday morning I met Mom at 7am to play tennis, but just as I arrived at the courts it started to rain.  It only rained for about 5-10 minutes, but it was enough to make the courts unusable.  So instead we walked the mile-long path that went around the park and called it a day.

When I got home, it was overcast, but didn't look bad.  I checked the weather and it showed a 30% chance of rain was still 3 hours away, so I put on my headphones and went walking.  I walked out about 2.5 miles before turning back to go home, and when I turned around I saw this:

Oh snap

Where did this come from?

Just then the wind picked up and the temperature dropped noticeably.  I stopped to take this video of the edge of the storm - the bump in the middle is when my hat blew off:

No Parking: Lot Flooded Again - Update

The waters have receded:

See more over at Shuffle My Feet:  www.shufflemyfeet.com

No Parking: Lot Flooded Again

Heavy wind and rains last night brought more high water to the DFW metroplex:

Check out more photos and a video on my other blog:  Shuffle My Feet

Texas Flood

Nearby.  This is normally a large parking lot, park and trailhead.

1 week ago

1 week ago

Today

Today

Today

Disney Trip 2013 - Day 7

Saturday, December 14th.  Today is our only full day at Disney's Hollywood Studios, so let's get going!

The park opened at 9am to the public, but today was an Extra Magic Hours day for resort guests.  That meant that people staying on-property in a Disney hotel could get into the park an hour early at 8am.  We decided to take full advantage of this and slept in.

We did manage to get up and get going early enough to walk past all the people waiting at the gate and make it inside the park by 8:45, which was more than enough time to ride Rock 'n' Roller coaster and get in a 5 minute line for The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.  Check, and check.

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster is such a sweet ride.  Launching 0-60mph in under 3 seconds, zipping through 3 inversions in the dark, flying by and through lit up neon signs, all while Aerosmith cranks out of speakers by your headrest - not to mention how smooth the ride is - this is a perfect roller coaster!  I could ride it over and over again if the line wasn't long.

South Dakota Trip 2013 - Day 6

Breakfast at Tally's again.  Thought about splurging and getting a country fried steak breakfast (something I have never done), but then thought better of it and had a 2 egg breakfast with scrambled eggs, toast, sausage, hash browns.

South Dakota Trip 2013 - Day 5

Up at 6am this morning (thought it was 7am).  Slept much better with the windows closed and the air on.  Laid in bed until 9:45am updating my journal.  Ate the orange-cranberry muffin I brought back from Perkins the night before.  Tried the in-room coffee maker, but the coffee was swill so I poured it out.

Today's destination:

South Dakota Trip 2013 - Day 2

Hotel room feels damp.  Tossed and turned a little because of it.  Up at 5:45am, back to sleep then up at 6:15am.  Watched a couple of episodes of Arrested Development on Netflix on the iPad, then got going.

Blue Skies Smiling At Me

I'm amazed how much a good wind and rain will clean the air.  The sky this morning was beautiful.  It was almost like waking up in the mountains - bright blue and clear, even at the horizon line; not tinted the usual brownish-yellow.

That's right, the sky here in the DFW area is hazy and bruised around the edges.  It's like someone had rinsed a dirty window and let the residue settle at the bottom and dry.

Frito Pie

Unhealthy, I know, but so good on a cool, rainy day.

Chili Cheese Fritos Potato at Baker Bros Deli

Enough for two

The view from inside

Rainy Days

The weather is just this side of rain, but doesn't look like it's going to let go yet. Hope springs eternal though - I love it when it rains. The sound of the dishwasher doesn't quite compare to the sound of a smattering of rain against the windows and roof.  Plus it's harder to hear Judge Judy over the dishwasher.