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my Day Number 3, at the PNE! Aug. 21 Was very early getting to The Fair, so besides seeing the Superdogs show, I took in one of the "Cultural Showcase" acts, this being a dance school in the city. There was some good spots, and other times, the HUGE stage just dwarfed what they were doing. But it was entertaining. The Superdogs show, this year called Wild, Wild, Woof! It's always a good time, but the antics and stunts, races etc. the dogs do, is pretty much the same every year. Even with different dogs after awhile, the show is still the same. But that's okay, Big place to show it this year, with plenty of seating for all. Before any of this, I did get my BBQ from Truckin' BBQ which started out last summer as a food truck, but now has expanded (literally) for better serving. The ribs were still awesome, as were the two sides (creamy slaw and corn bread). But - I was a little 'sticker shocked' at seeing the cost of this 'small meal'.... $50 Cdn - that's what? About $30 US? But I still got a lot of great food, and had to carry it home on the bus. Fun visit. Another visit, another "Win A House, Win A Car!" from the ticket kiosks. Me, too! And Thanks! All of it crocheted. Guess what I picked? The Metro Vancouver setup. It's mainly about how to separate and getting rid of ...waste. 'Nough said. Aren't seeing two cranes, a Japanese kind of good luck? Here we are! And I got the "Little Trucker" with the two sides, pulled pork, chcken, and four meaty ribs. And here it all is! So much of it, I had to take the 'leftovers' home on the bus. A fun ride. While eating, this was my view of the big BIG stage, From one of many, many Adirondack chairs. Another larger chair. For groups. <g> Only one boy doing the ballet numbers. And he was just as good as all the girls around him. Synchronicity = "Strike A Pose." Dancing With Red. IT was a fun number. This number was a bit more modern. Lots of squats, lol. What I called "The Sex Number". Loved the costumes. The number itself, was 'ok.' The rest of the boys, throwing fans here and there. Red ones, too. (my fave colour) Heading into the Agrodome for the Superdogs show. I was quite a distance from it all. Next year, a lot closer... Merch table. With $8 Frisbees. There was one in the entry lobby, too. I always enjoy how they do different things on the roof of the place. All moving slowly, too. Intro to the show. All the dogs are introduced to the audience. A pomeranian,taking it easy. The timed races. Ending with this to jump over. Notice that they added another rung to it? The dogs were really good at clearing it. Pretty good! With 7 rungs on it, there! A fan favourite. Weaving through the flag posts. Some dogs do it incredibly fast... And others just take their sweet time, lol. This is where the dogs race each other. Two teams: EeeHah! & YaHooo! I think EeeHah! won it all. Final bows. Wat I bought and brought back home with me. Couldn't resist... EAT ME! EAT ME! The other one reminds me of "Where The Wild Things Are," ... sort of.

On the way to The Fair, Day 3... When I catch the bus to go to the PNE, I see some interesting stuff along the one street (Victoria Dr) I walk. Here's a few photos of them... Starting from our house, on William St. Pardon the fuzziness. Across the street from us, there's a great pizza restaurant. Pricey, but good stuff. I've never seen a hedge, locally, trimmed this precisely. I mean, REALLY trimmed! Nice to see a rainbow here and there, along the way. Now, is this Cobalt Blue, or what?!! "I'll buy a "K". And I think I can solve the phrase!" It's a pretty messed up front yard, too. Made with drift wood, this is a nice rest spot. This is one of The Best Italian Grocery Stores in the city! Their Olive Oil section is a - may - zing! And as well, Bosa Foods has an 'Olive Bar,' big Deli, and just rows and rows of Italian foods. I always love this corner of Ferndale and Victoria Drive. Finally, another (of several) house with a lot of stuff in front. And greenery, too!

Got through my third day at the PNE. With my legs bothering me as I walk, it was no easy way here and there at The Fair. But I did it. and visited (and ate) what I had planned to do, and even picked up another couple of "dust collectors" in my souvenirs stash. And I (again) really enjoyed the BBQ from the second BBQ truck that's at The Fair. I tried them last year, when they were just a food truck. And David enjoyed the leftover ribs, too! So we "might" have a problem in deciding which BBQ place to indulge, in. Hmmm... p.s. The 'drink cabins' I mentioned above, are actually called "Drinx Huts." Who knew?

my Day 2 At The Fair Aug.19 My second day at the PNE was a really simple one. Stick to the West end (the 'front of') of the Fair, check in with "For The Love of Drag" at the old Rollerland building, for now called the Roadhouse Bar & Patio; get another corn dog; and check out "specific stuff" at the Market. And that was it for this visit! First off, here's the info. flyer for the PNE. The schedule of shows and events on one side of it... And the (somewhat) easy to read map. A LOT of stuff there. Who's playing, and when, at the main stage in the Fair. The main gate to the Fair. Or the Red Gate as it's known on the map. But before I checked out The Market in the old Forum building... .....And BC Transit's display. I already use transit so I didn't bother to see "what's new" there..... ... I went through this. I always do, every PNE. And hardly anyone else visits, I find. It's a small Japanese-designed garden. The old Garden Auditorium is in back, there. With a gentle 'river and waterfall' in back. What's called a "Teahouse"here. A small path leading up to the water feature. The Garden Auditorium, un-used. Which is a shame, since in previous pre-Covid years, they would put a totally themed display in it. Early displays included Game of Thrones (before Season 2 started up); Hockey and it's history in Canada; The Beatles and their history; and a Dungeon & Dragons display one year. Wish they would start them up again. <sad> Some of the shopping stalls found all over this part of the Fair. And if you have a real compliment and/or complaint. The PNE Administration is here, onsite. Busy, busy. One of the PNE's giant Adirondack chairs. Great for relaxing on and for a good photo op. Many displays (and sales stalls) of Indigenous peoples always here. This setup was called "Canoecultures". And a canoe here, in it's creation process. Today's corn dog came from Chicky's Chicken & Fries stall. No pic of it, though. I ate it up before taking a photo of it. But it was good! Then I headed to the "For The Love of Drag" show. A good sized crowd for this first show of the day, there. The stage looked great. And the show was themed to the Circus. Opening number. What lies, underneath. I thought she was going to swallow it. But no such luck, lol. The tallest performer in the show. Excellent number she did. Total coverup ... ...of this. Even the "crystal ball" on top, glowed in many colours. That was cool to see. On the (sort of) high wire act. After the reveal. Love how her tail just kept sticking out, and swinging around. Nice kitty. This was a really fun number. And much more than a clown, we found out. Will get more pix of this one, when David and I visit the show next week. The whole cast for the bows. I love the way the PNE supports everyone, everywhere. Year after year. After the show, I headed back to the Market. And entered through...um .... the butt end of the building. To find this. West Family Fudge is a mainstay of every PNE. And now it's the only place to get fudge as the spot in Playland (What The Fudge) doesn't sell it any more. Which is sad. They used to have a great selection, there. Got myself the apple with the crushed peanuts all over, in the middle. And they had a pretty good deal on the fudge slices, depending on how many you buy. I bought three. Lemon blueberry; Mango Chili; and French Vanilla. All good and great to end today's visit, with.

Opening Day at the PNE Aug.16th It was reported that we were going to get as much rain as we did, the day before, which was a monsoon of wetness! So I packed a small umbrella, and hoped for the best. It didn't rain,. though. At - all. And the sun came out when I was leaving the fair. <sighs> Oh well. Opening Day was just a walk through for myself. Didn't see any shows or go through any buildings, with displays, etc. And I finished it up by having my first corn dog of The Fair. Whole visit took me just over an hour, which was fine. This is a main entrance into The Fair, which I would normally go through.... But I had to turn left and head way down to the other end of the fairgrounds, to pick up my tickets. "The BIG Backyard". Well, okay then! Had a lot of sports stuff for the kids - including an ice rink for hockey! I was impressed. After getting my tickets (long story not worth telling), I was headed for the BLUE GATE entry. Like last year's Fair. Met with a sort of 'mall of stalls' with Indigenous made things to buy. And opposite this... Was the Roadhouse Patio & Bar.... ...Where these two shows were playing. I'm so glad that the PNE is supporting the drag community, here. While the new amphitheatre is going up (opening next summer) the Nightly Concerts are here in the Coliseum. Noted. Looking down the Main Entry path. And the start of many, many food trucks! The main entry into The BIG Backyard. And with it, the Italian Gardens in the back, there. Our fave BBQ spot for ribs, etc. We will be getting some of it all, eventually. Back end corner of The Marketplace building. I'll probably go through it this coming Tuesday. Tuesday. The Metro Vancouver display. An annual thing at The Fair. Worth checking out what's what in the city. The main stage for Cultural Showcase stuff. along with special event things. Always gets a big crowd thru the day. Where the dog show moved to, the Agrodome. It's sad that equestrian competitions, the knights show, and other "country related" stuff has been dropped, just for the dog show. Hopefully, when the new amphitheatre opens next year, these things will come back, and the other stuff move back to where they originally were. Ooooooo. Last year this ribs place was selling from their food truck. Now they've gotten 'a bit bigger.' The "barns" are still there, with the Pig Races, honey displays, and a lot of farm stuff 'games' for the kids. More and more food trucks down this corridoor . Where I saw this... Yep. Complete with Takoyaki: squid balls - how Japanese of them. But no. Not for myself. Just before I reached Playland. Here is the PNE EXPRESS train that travels in and around our green space, the Sanctuary. I'll be riding it another day. A Fairs-Eye view of the amphitheatre. And in front, the high dive water tank, for shows during the day. Good to see that Keepers Doll Factory haunt house will be open again. Along with Playland's Haunted Mansion, these are two pretty good haunt houses at The Fair. Here we are. Coaster in action. The Beast attacking Coaster. My first corn dog, of The Fair. What one can buy here at Coaster Dogs. What I got. A plain old corn dog, with a nice cold beer from one of the Drink Huts in Playland. And they were both great! After my little snack, I left the PNE through the Playland gate. Till Tuesday, then!

Terence Stamp, 87. RIP General Zod and Bernadette.

It's been pouring rain, all day today. Haven't had this much fall, in well over three weeks. Badly needed, as we have forest fires on our Vancouver Island, needing attention i.e. RAIN. Hopefully that`s happening now. But, I was planning to hit Playland, the very last day (i.e. today) of it`s current season. But a no go, from me. So here are the photos I took this past Wednesday at the park. Add to that a 'deal' they announced with Two-For-One admissions available. And at my arrival at the park, the ticket kiosks were already shut down, with the "Park Is Full" sign posted outside. It was very scarce with people out front, but once I got in side .... it was amazing how packed it was! The only ride I went on, the West Coast Wheel, took a half hour to board. Unheard of, in previous park visits! Pretty shocking, and I remember that PNE visitors to Playland don't have lineups like these. Anyway... Tomorrow is Opening Day of The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE to you and me). There's a small chance of rain, for a short period of time. Hopefully... It looked very non-busy in the entry plaza, and not seeing the "Park Full" signs there, too WTF??? And that family in the middle there, are at the end of the Swinger queue! Eep. Coaster was an immediate no-go, from where I saw it. Huge lineup for The Beast. I have no idea where the queue started! Whee. Noted. A look at how the new Amphitheater construction is going. Another view, from another angle. My one ride for the day, there. Wierd AtmosFEAR shot. Lineups everywhere! The Twins looking good, from here. PNE stuff popping up here and there. The big Sanctuary Park is behind all this. I still have no idea ..... A Coaster shot, with the single train in operation. (Sorry I might not be riding it, any more.) Even that kids' drop tower in back, had a huge lineup. I mean, really??? Enterprise UP! One more shot of it, for today. Bought the regular size popcorn. A dollar cheaper than large. And it fills the bucket with 'extra' to enjoy. Nice. I was not expecting this, at the Triple O's. Too - many - people. So I skipped this. And one last Coaster shot for today. Followed by a Starbucks visit, which was strangely empty compared to ...'that park'. <shudders> PNE OPENING DAY TOMORROW!!!

Boo to the Boo on the Boo.....Hill.

I hate to bring it up again, but ...... the food, the food.... The Food! What a wonderful set up of dishes they're offering. And THREE lobster tails??? :drool: Great tour of the ship.

^ A Mrs. Knotts' Chicken Dinner for takeout. They have take out already, at their (outside of park) Market Mall shop. Note: These are prices from our 2019 train trip, to there.

Hoping to get back to the park (at least) one more time, before The PNE officially opens (Sat.Aug.16~11 am) That said here's a PNE Photo Blast from The Past .... Here's hoping Santa (a/k/a Steve) will be back, grillin' ribs during his "off season." (PNE 2023)

We just finished up, watching our second musical last night at Malkin Bowl. "Charlie & The Chocolate Factory" and "Legally Blonde" were the two shows, alternating evening performances. We enjoyed "Charlie..." BUT the real winner of the two was "Blonde" So much energy and power singing, from the lead playing Elle Woods, to even the smaller parts and chorus. All great, and the audience definitely showed their enthusiasm for it. In our awesome Stanley Park, this is the entrance to Malkin Bowl. This shot (taken by someone else, thanks!) shows the configuration of seating, etc. On the right, you can lay down a blanket, bring a picnic, and enjoy the show from there. Our usual seats are Row 3 - Seats 15 and 16 Ctr Orchestra. The show onstage back then, was "Hairspray." Opening set for "Charlie/Chocolate Factory." I think it's supposed to be chalk drawings on all of it. The bows. It was interesting to see and hear a Willy Wonka with a beard. He was great. The show itself was 'okay.' "Legally Blonde's" opening set for Act 1. A bit closer. A LOT of PINK in this production, lol. This was the opening setting for Act 2. The bows. Here is part of The Greek Chorus of Delta Nu. Individual bows. These are the actors who played Vivienne; Brooke; Warner; and Callahan. All great in their parts. The Blonde herself, Elle Woods. Great actress and powerhouse singer. We were very impressed with her. Thanking the orchestra and it's conductor. And Bruiser was being led onstage for his bow, too. The final bow. Great show. We've see this three times, now. They've produced "Blonde" three times now in Malkin Bowl, which I believe is some kind of record? We saw the second version of it, several years back. And we saw a great touring production of it, thru Broadway Across Canada, a few years back.

I made a quick visit to the park last Wednesday, not just for riding a few rides, but also buying some popcorn and seeing how much can go into my Playland Popcorn Bucket. Turns out the Large is twice what my little plastic "pail" can hold. Next time, I'll get the smaller size and see how that works out. On my usual way to the park. Once inside, I turn left and see this. The log flume ("we're riding in a ....") is at the front of the park. Pretty basic layout. Still gives a good WET thrill. Now THIS is landscaping, lol! Too bad there's not more of this around the park. My popcorn destination: The Snack Shack. I can already see that it won't all go into my bucket. It's twice as much popcorn. So next time, I'll get the smaller bag. Work on the Amphitheatre is looking good there. This was a quickie TR, so I end this one with the usual WHEEEEEE!

Now that's what I'd call " Awesome Customer Service!" Glad it worked out for your birthday boy...and all those hugs, and popcorn, too!

I wish we had one of those original Mad Mouses (?) back at Playland. Years ago, there was apparently a little amusement center in the Russian River area in CA. And it had one of those Mad Mouse(s), too. When I last saw it, the park was shut down, weeds everywhere, and the poor Mouse (painted white) just sitting there, in disrepair. <sad> Mom took a photo of me on our Mad Mouse at the PNE. At least 1963, aged 10. Great ongoing Road Trip!

^ It sounds really great, the way they're setting it up, etc. EDIT to add: They didn't abandon the courtyard after revealing where the Monsters, Inc. door coaster would go. Good for them!

^ Beat me to it! All hail the God Father of Heavy Metal Rock! RIP Ozzy.

Working hard, to stay retired, ha!

Stella Artois is my go-to beer, while visiting my home park, Playland. From any Drinx 'Hut' in the park. Like I said... "Drinx" - and I have no idea why they spelled it, that way. Maybe I should ask, next visit. My Playland "Beer of Choice."

Sorry about the re-arranged photos at the end of the post ^. I still don't know how these pix ended up at the end of the report(s). And for some reason I can't erase them and then re-position them where they;re supposed to go. Such is progress, lol.

Three Visits ~ And (sniff) No HOT DOG Day! Here are a bundle of photos taken from a few visits to the park. There are repeats here and there, but I'll do my best to see that it doesn't get toooo boring, lol. 06/22 This was around 10 am - one hour before the park opened. Testing. History board. Noted. But I didn't have to wait that long, thankfully. Progress on the new amphitheatre. Have no idea what that 'hole' is for. Will eventually fine out, next year. Lookin' good, there. Future landscaping? ThunderVOLT in action. I get headaches from Enterprise, so it's a No-Ride for me, now. Kettle Creek Mine coaster. One I can still ride, enjoy, and not get banged about. Oooo... Got my fave beer to end this short visit. The onride photo. What IS that woman doing??? 06/27 This was another short visit, and I got to try and the new special milkshake at Triple O's ( a/k/a the White Spot restaurant). The lineup was HUGE for this day. Thankfully I was there around 10 am, 1 hour before the park opened, so I missed all this. Near opening time. And allll the way down the block! Viewed from ThunderVOLT. Ongoing construction of the new amphitheatre. Sad, empty-looking little train. There's an adult up front, so I suspect a child is there, too. The Cotton Candy milkshake. With a bit of the real stuff on top. And it's Canadian-made, too! And it was good. Might order it again soon, if still available. Last shot before leaving the park. 07/02 Today was another brief visit. The only thing new here, was the ongoing construction of the new amphitheatre. But that's okay. I enjoy just walking around and taking in the 'atmosphere' of Playland. On the way to the park. A good place for hot dogs! The menu. Not too crowded right now, for Coaster. Well, hi there! Fancy running into you today. It's pretty plain looking, but still an important part of Playland. This looks somewhat completed Cloudy day over the mountains nearby. I am guessing this is to become the entryway into the amphitheatre. Getting better. But still, a not-too-great attempt of a 'selfie' on the Carousel. By the way, FYI - a Carousel goes counter clockwise, like this one. Merry-Go- Rounds go clockwise. Easy! And that was it for this visit. 07/16 Today was supposed to be "Hot Dog Day" as advertised by the email I received from Playland (I'm on their mailing list). But it turns out Coaster Dogs wasn't offering their One Dollar Hot Dogs till the 19th, Saturday. And Beaver Tails, which was also offering a special hot dog, had no clue what I was asking about. Then, I tried to order something off their regular menu ...... and "that wasn't available" I was told ...WTF? A Fail for Beaver Tails. Anyway.... Back we go... Wheee. Dead Unicorn. Yeah. Hot Dog Day. Not here I found out. From the West Coast Wheel. Big ass hole still there. Nice shot of Coaster from The Wheel. Damn, I love this coaster! Not really that busy, this visit. Up and over it goes! Clear sky, with a great mountainous view. I still enjoy riding Gladiator. This is a sweet little family ride I enjoy riding, sometimes. Touching the sun? And with that, the visit was at an end. Playland did send another email out, with the 19th as Hot Dog Day, with both Coaster Dogs and Beavertails offering their special dogs. But I didn't go. Not on a Saturday there. So I passed. I have no idea how these three shots got in, here. Nonetheless... a shot from ThunderVOLT's queue. An early shot of construction.

^ We all do!

Well, the TONYs have come and gone. "Maybe Happy Ending" grabbed Best Musical, while the play "Purpose" won in it's Best Of category. That said there are now three musicals .... uh ..... biting the dust, etc. And they are (neither of them won a single TONY <sad>): Smash - Closed today. and Real Women Have Curves, along with Dead Outlaw next weekend (29th). That said, it's great they have, indeed, produced Original Cast Recordings. Good for them! ....And add to the current closings list .... Boop! will be shutting down on July 13th. (Also, has a cast cd, available.)

That's sad about Oakwood closing. It was actually one of my favourite parks in previous UK tours. And my #100 was there - Clown Coaster, naturally. Do you know, or anyone else (Elissa? Robb?) that this was the only amusement park in Wales? Just curious. And so --- many --- t-shirts you got !!! As well, that's a mighty collection of magnets, too. It was great following you on your UK trip, Bert.