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unclejimboWell, this week has been eventful. ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kyburg and I flew my adopted nephew John (aka firez out to California from Illinois for the week. It didn't start off so well as the power had been knocked out for a day already (Thanks Santa Ana Winds... grrr) and all the food in our refrigerator was spoiled. Ever through out an entire turkey? Yup, it was that bad folks...
Well, the power was restored early Wednesday and things settled into a routine. John had to stay at home for a few days askyburg and I still had to work. But I decided to play hookey from work on Friday so John and I could hit Magic Mountain.
Lemme tell ya... If you are a roller coaster fanatic (such as I...) early January is the time to hit the theme parks... Fewer people and no line for the most part. In 5 hours, we rode 7 different coasters, one of them three times! My faves? Superman the Escape, Riddler's Revenge, and the Deja Vue. Uh, if you have problems with heights, I'd avoid the Deja Vue if I were you. The ride starts by backing you into a vertical hill (And I mean vertical!) before launching you through the ride forwards... At the halfway point, there is another vertical hill you are lifted up before being sent hurtling backwards. I've never ridden a ride where I was suspended from my shoulder harness... Until that one. Very cool!
Today, Donna and I took him to Disneyland.firez has never been before, so it was an extra special treat. On the way there, he called his grandmother. (Cellphones... Don't everyone have one yet?) She's a real nice lady who I met through my older brother. He's been friends of their family for over 20 years...
Well, he hands me the phone and she tells me what a special person I am for doing this for John. I could only tell her what I felt... John has had a rough few years, but he is doing what he needs to do to get himself in a better place in the future. He's earned this trip... Still, it isn't a good thing to be getting misty eyed when you're driving... But, it was a nice thing to know...
Disneyland... Well, what can you say? It is still a marvel almost 50 years since it was built. We rode the Pirates of the Caribean and the Peter Pan ride.kyburg and I had much fun telling John which rides we were going on were built in the early years and which ones we hadn't been on in a while... Like, since before he was born! ^^
The morning began at Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel. It's not cheap ($70 for three persons including tip) but folks, you get the bang for your bucks. The food is wonderful, and where else can you go and play word games with Aladdin, Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter and other Disney characters? If you have kids, or even if you don't, stop in there if you get the chance. You won't quit smiling for at least 2 hours!
The Peter Pan ride is one of the oldest in the park and has been there since the beginning. The fun thing is it still stands up well for its age. The cars are suspended below the rail to give you the illusion of flight, which makes this 'technically' a suspension roller coaster which was built in 1954... I guess old Walt was ahead of his time after all, eh?
Went into Innoventions which, for those who have never been to Disneyland, is in a building that the outer portion constantly in in motion. Think of a rotating restaurant but on the ground floor and make it a donut. Inside is crammed full of the latest inventions. This time they were featuring the Segway Scooter which is an electric scooter but the wheels are side by side and the thing is balanced by gyroscopes. It literally turns on a dime. Very Cool!
And of course, no trip to Disneyland would be complete without staying for the fireworks. Now, I'm 38, but I don't remember ever staying to see the fireworks going off behind the castle. Definitely worth the effort. An E ticket event! (Kids, ask your parents. ^^ )
The downside... Well, we spent a whole lot of money, but what can you do about that? We need to 'thank' Lela for introducing us to pin collecting... Why not just cut to the chase and call the things Disney crack and be done with it? :p Okay, I got two new Lilo and Stitch pins and traded for some other ones... Yes, I am an addict... I'll be starting a support group for pin addicts this summer... :p
Tomorrow is Little Tokyo in the early afternoon before I have to go to work. I'll take John to the airport on Monday before going out house hunting...
Overall, I think it's been a pretty good week.
kyburg and I flew my adopted nephew John (aka firez out to California from Illinois for the week. It didn't start off so well as the power had been knocked out for a day already (Thanks Santa Ana Winds... grrr) and all the food in our refrigerator was spoiled. Ever through out an entire turkey? Yup, it was that bad folks...Well, the power was restored early Wednesday and things settled into a routine. John had to stay at home for a few days as
kyburg and I still had to work. But I decided to play hookey from work on Friday so John and I could hit Magic Mountain.Lemme tell ya... If you are a roller coaster fanatic (such as I...) early January is the time to hit the theme parks... Fewer people and no line for the most part. In 5 hours, we rode 7 different coasters, one of them three times! My faves? Superman the Escape, Riddler's Revenge, and the Deja Vue. Uh, if you have problems with heights, I'd avoid the Deja Vue if I were you. The ride starts by backing you into a vertical hill (And I mean vertical!) before launching you through the ride forwards... At the halfway point, there is another vertical hill you are lifted up before being sent hurtling backwards. I've never ridden a ride where I was suspended from my shoulder harness... Until that one. Very cool!
Today, Donna and I took him to Disneyland.
firez has never been before, so it was an extra special treat. On the way there, he called his grandmother. (Cellphones... Don't everyone have one yet?) She's a real nice lady who I met through my older brother. He's been friends of their family for over 20 years...Well, he hands me the phone and she tells me what a special person I am for doing this for John. I could only tell her what I felt... John has had a rough few years, but he is doing what he needs to do to get himself in a better place in the future. He's earned this trip... Still, it isn't a good thing to be getting misty eyed when you're driving... But, it was a nice thing to know...
Disneyland... Well, what can you say? It is still a marvel almost 50 years since it was built. We rode the Pirates of the Caribean and the Peter Pan ride.
kyburg and I had much fun telling John which rides we were going on were built in the early years and which ones we hadn't been on in a while... Like, since before he was born! ^^The morning began at Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel. It's not cheap ($70 for three persons including tip) but folks, you get the bang for your bucks. The food is wonderful, and where else can you go and play word games with Aladdin, Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter and other Disney characters? If you have kids, or even if you don't, stop in there if you get the chance. You won't quit smiling for at least 2 hours!
The Peter Pan ride is one of the oldest in the park and has been there since the beginning. The fun thing is it still stands up well for its age. The cars are suspended below the rail to give you the illusion of flight, which makes this 'technically' a suspension roller coaster which was built in 1954... I guess old Walt was ahead of his time after all, eh?
Went into Innoventions which, for those who have never been to Disneyland, is in a building that the outer portion constantly in in motion. Think of a rotating restaurant but on the ground floor and make it a donut. Inside is crammed full of the latest inventions. This time they were featuring the Segway Scooter which is an electric scooter but the wheels are side by side and the thing is balanced by gyroscopes. It literally turns on a dime. Very Cool!
And of course, no trip to Disneyland would be complete without staying for the fireworks. Now, I'm 38, but I don't remember ever staying to see the fireworks going off behind the castle. Definitely worth the effort. An E ticket event! (Kids, ask your parents. ^^ )
The downside... Well, we spent a whole lot of money, but what can you do about that? We need to 'thank' Lela for introducing us to pin collecting... Why not just cut to the chase and call the things Disney crack and be done with it? :p Okay, I got two new Lilo and Stitch pins and traded for some other ones... Yes, I am an addict... I'll be starting a support group for pin addicts this summer... :p
Tomorrow is Little Tokyo in the early afternoon before I have to go to work. I'll take John to the airport on Monday before going out house hunting...
Overall, I think it's been a pretty good week.
