Fulltime Rving... A Life on the Road plus a potpourri of amusements, interests & perceptions.

Chronicles our adventures in a not so conventional lifestyle... Full-time Rving. Retired and sold the house in 2003, bought the Rv of our dreams, and travel doing what we want, when we want. Plus a lot of other topics thrown in to keep it interesting... or at least I hope so. Stories & photos of our adventures and our life on the road. Hope you enjoy reading it from time to time. UPDATE: RV - LATELY STATIONARY IN THE COUNTRYSIDE OF VIRGINIA... FROM THE VALLEY TO THE MOUNTAINS.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Panorama Shots…

Here’s a little fun with Panorama Shots

Epcot – America to Italy

Epcot – Canada to Mexico

Epcot – Fountains by Imagination

Magic Kingdom – Upper Main Street

Magic Kingdom – Town Square Main Street

Wilderness Lodge by Shelly

View of Polynesian from Floridian – Seven Seas Lagoon

Wilderness Boat Dock and Bay Lake

Epcot – Future World Center

Wide Angle Panorama Shots just tell a bit more of the Story.

BTW: This is what the crowds look like on non holiday days

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

New Years Party

There are all kinds of parties that you can go to celebrate New Years… family, friends, neighbors, local venues… big parties, small parties, and quiet at home parties. But sometimes you just need that ultimate party bash. Bigger than big, more people than you could ever imagine, more things to do, more things to see, and less we forget… fireworks!
Not just any fireworks or any place… but the ultimate New Years Celebration Party…
Can’t think of anything any better…

So here’s the shots… Wow !!!

Happy New Year !

60,000 people and 3000 fireworks !!

Wishing Everyone a Wonderful New Year !

Never Looses the Magic !

Happy New Year!

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Directions to Where we are at….

Yall heard the story…

Over the River and through the Woods…

Kinda just like that…

only a bit more Down… the road.

Not much warmer… but no snow!

Christmas Cheer…

Christmas Cheer on Christmas Day! What a wonderful day with my Sweetie Shelly. The weather was near perfect… sunny and 70° but a bit breezy. We went to Magic Kingdom to enjoy Christmas Day by seeing the Christmas Day Parade (wonderful), seeing the Christmas Stage Shows (wonderful), seeing all the decorations (wonderful), and watching the Christmas Fireworks Show (wonderful). Had a nice Christmas dinner… chicken, fish, and shrimp with cole slaw, french fries, and a assortment of flavors to enhance the experience… honey mustard, bbq sauce, ketchup, and malt vinegar for the fish. Sat in the upper floor of the restaurant looking out the window over the Rivers Of America and Liberty Square… enjoyable and relaxing. Finished it off with a shared chocolate cake. Didn’t plan on getting on any rides or attractions… It’s a holiday and the lines were over the top unreasonably long. As we enjoyed dinner, looking out the window we could see the line for the haunted mansion. It was by far the biggest we had ever seem… they actually extended to wait line to go down to the boat dock, maze around the waterfront, and go back up to the regular mansion waiting line… unbelievable! It was 55 minute wait from the beginning of the que, plus another 45-60 minutes just to get to the beginning of the que. And than the unimaginable happened… the ride had a problem and shut down… and everyone in the line was out of luck, and had to go on their merry way. Can’t imagine waiting almost two hours to do a ride, than have it close. But since we didn’t plan on doing rides or attractions… this mattered little to us ( did feel bad for the guests, but they chose to be here on a Holiday). We know what to expect on Holidays and what happens… so we never plan doing rides etc on holidays. The crowds were large, but all in all, it was relatively easy to get around the park, despite the fact that they closed down Magic Kingdom at 1pm. People lined up on Main St over 3 hours ahead of time to get a front row place to sit on the ground to see the parade. We watched from Frontier land and got there a little over an hour early… a front row place to sit to see the Special Christmas Day Parade. Really nice… great photos. We walked around the park just watching the crowds, seeing the sights, and watched the different Christmas Stage Shows. Grab a snack, grab a soda, and enjoy the Christmas Cheer. Got a spot… sitting on a bench… to see Cinderella Castle Frosted with Christmas lights… see the Christmas stage show… enjoy the Main Street Electrical Light Parade… and than the Christmas Fireworks Show… all without loosing our space… right there on the bench! Since we were along the railing, the best part was that no one could get in front of us! … a big plus! All in All, a wonderful day, and a wonderful way to spend Christmas Day with My Sweetie! Bit chilly with the wind in the evening but we came prepared… sweatshirts with hoods, caps & gloves, and snacks to enjoy while passing the time. Lots of people walking around bundled up like it was 20 below… and some walking around in shorts… some unaffected, some apparently freezing. Can’t say I’d ever want to come to Disney on a Holiday with the expectation of doing many rides or attractions… big crowds… long wait lines… seeing less than half of everything in more than twice the time! After the Fireworks the Castle Square and all of Main Street was crammed shoulder to shoulder trying to leave the park… wow… we made our way over to Cosmic Rays, shared a light snack (turkey wrap), and waited for the crowd to subside. A cold heavy rain shower that lasted for about 20 minutes helped thinned the crowds too. Glad we decided to wait at the restaurant, inside, warm and dry, sharing a great snack… yep… fighting huge crowds in the pouring cold, wet, windy, rain is not where we wanted to be. Than the rain stopped, and we walked out with little problems. Another great day spent at Disney… made even more special cause I was with the Love of My Life! A Super day!

Christmas Cheer and Jeer…

Christmas Time at Disney is just as good if not better than always. I got to spend Christmas Day at Magic Kingdom with my Sweetie what a wonderful time together… but that’s a separate entry.

FACT: Christmas Cheer: Disney was wonderful.

FACT: Lot of Guests. So many they closed the park by 1pm.

OBSERVATION: Probably 80%+ Foreigners

Disclaimer: Now I NOT saying or grouping All Foreigners Together, but when an overwhelming number of incidents happen (as in gee… 80% of the experience), and each is caused by the same guilty parities in a wholesale fashion… well… facts are facts… and a spade is a spade.

Christmas Jeer…

FACT: I have never experienced a more rude interaction with or by guests.

FACT: I have never seen so may people leave dinner trash (counter service – no waiters) on the tables, chairs, and floors around their table. ( most civilized people usually take their own trash to the trash can ). It’s like they purposely tried to make the biggest mess possible.

FACT: I have never seen so much trash along the parade route after a parade. Its was shameful and disgusting to see tons of trash, food, sodas, and bottles (even used diapers) everywhere. It was like a riot had taken place and this was the aftermath.

(There’s always some trash after a parade, some people don’t care to use a trash can just 20 feet away… but this was monumental in comparison… on a scale of 1 – 10 … 1 being the normal trash left behind… this was a disgusting 20!)

FACT: The posted rules don’t apply to them… or so it seems they believe so.

FACT: No consideration for anything or anyone but themselves.

FACT: Push their way to the front of everything rather than waiting their turn or respecting anyone else’s space.

FACT: Seem to actually take pride in their disgusting behavior towards the park, it’s other guests, and the cast members.

FACT: There seems to be no social educate, manners of any kind, or respect for themselves or others.

FACT: Most seem to disregard any verbal instructions given to them from cast members.

( it’s like… sorry I don’t understand, I don’t speak English, cause I want to do what I want to do! and NOT what you are telling me)

Makes me wonder if they live like this in their country, their towns, their communities, their homes.

If they do, why can’t they at the least respect being some place else… being a guest.

If they don’t live like this at home… than why be that way here or any where else.

Why is there such a total lack of respect, consideration, manners, and just plainly being rude to others.

Why would they expect anyone to treat them well, or be considerate of them when they have no consideration for anything or anyone else.

So, having said that, facts and observations aside… you can still have a wonder time at Disney… rides, shows, attractions, and parades. Just be mentally prepared for what you are going to see. Don’t fall to the ground in the crowd… I believe they would just walk on and over you… leaving you to be picked up in the aftermath like the rest of the trash left in their wake.

Shameful and disgusting that those who are “guests” here or any where else would act this way. No Social Conscience.

I am generally very easy going and non judgmental and let most things slide by not bothering me. I don’t let things like this ruin my day, but they certainly don’t enhance the experience either. But when a bad situation, elevates itself to be over whelming and disgusting… some times ya just gotta get it off your chest.

Options are one thing, factual observations are another. If it acts like a pig, looks like a pig, smells like a pig, leaves messes like a pig, and as not to insult pigs… but has no manners, educate, or social conscience… well… I guess that’s actually worse than a pig… and how much respect or consideration should they be entitle to?

Just remember the Disclaimer: It doesn’t take but a lesser percentage of bad apples… or in this case pigs… to reflect badly on the whole. Social conscience has to start somewhere… and usually in the home… or in this case… the home country. Prior to the past couple of months, most had my respect… the downhill slide on behavior reaching it’s lowest point yesterday on Christmas Day. You get what you earn, and earn what you get… Good or Bad. I believe this on an individual level… but too many bad apples does make the whole barrel seem rotten to the core. So my apologies to those that do not belong in the category… this is not aimed at you. You know who you are… and you certainly know who they are… even if you only see the disgusting trashing left on their wake. Yes… it’s surely a real shame. It all takes a bit of the luster off of the Disney Magic.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Duffy to the Rescue

It’s Duffy to the rescue. High winds in central Florida have been wreaking havoc all around Disney. The latest threat was the Star atop the Epcot Christmas Tree. Over 40 foot above the ground, there was little hope that the Star could remain there much longer. The high winds were pushing the Star closer and closer to falling to the ground and certain destruction. Everyone thought that help could not arrive in time to save the star… than just as all hope was lost… Duffy appeared, running to the rescue. Duffy secured the Star back atop the Tree… and saved the day. I just happen to be right there when he saved the Star. And as always… camera ready. A once in a lifetime opportunity. Wow… Duffy was almost 50 ft tall. Right place… right time… again! So it will be a Merry Christmas for All. Thanks Duffy! Ya just never know what photo op may arise… so have those cameras ready!

Thanks Disney for such a creative photo!

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Holiday Fireplace

Merry Christmas to All !

Here’s a little treat for your Pc for Christmas…

Christmas Holiday Fireplace with Music!

Go to the Disney Blog…

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/12/disney-yule-log/

Hit play on the video

Make it full screen

(lower right corner)

And you’ll have a nice fire with music on the Pc

it runs for 15 minutes

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas

Wishing Everyone…

and a Happy New Year!

Sixty years ago…

Sixty Years Ago….

Just can’t imagine this…

even back then…

and just think if you were to see this ad today.

can you say “Justifiable Homicide”

yep… “just show her it’s a mans world”.

So what are the odds of getting strung up

with the new Van Heusen Neck-tie.

Good vs Evil

Good vs Evil… the Good Guys… the Bad Guys… and the Greatest Minds. Today’s entry will limit itself to some of the classic figures… The Greatest Minds that will help answer the questions… The Good Guys that fight Evil… and the bad guys that think they are smarter than them all. First.. the greatest minds of the world in the fight between Good and Evil.