Nrthwnd

And on we go.... Now, before we were to visit Europa, and after we were there, there were two others parks, originally in the planning, that had to be scrapped in the final schedule. Connyland, the first park, was debuting it's newest coaster that year, and it was a really mind-bender of a track layout. I know there's photos of Cobra on the site. But the coaster was having initial start up probs, so it was decided not to waste time and gasoline, then find out it's not operating. Still. The second, Holiday Park was the home of the much-admired, ridden and almost ICON-ified (me too!) Expedition GeForce. And although I had ridden it before, in an earlier TPR tour, the chance to ride it again, was exciting. Sadly, and we all knew it when the tour started, EG would be a no-go due to an unexpected maintenance re-scheduling that would have it down for our entire visit. So HP was cancelled as well. But Robb and Elissa of course had been working on getting us "something" to replace these two cancelled parks, and they came up with a literal doozie - the travelling Olympic Looping Coasrter! After a morning and early afternoon back at Europa (ERT on Euro Sat and Euro Mir!), we checked out and were then on our way to get to this "mystery location" not everybody was in on, including myself. And eventually, we arrived at this small German village that was apparently doing a sort-of Oktoberfest celebration....in July! A "first keg opening with the mayor" and all. A big food and beer tent were to be where our next meal would be had. But more importantly... Olympic Looping Coaster was here! A small midway was set up, and as well as Olympic, a huge ferris wheel was there, with 'cabins' that probably seated 8 quite comfy. And gave a great view of the celebration site, the village and beyond. And a dark ride, a flume, a "Psychodelic" walk-through (mirrors, black lights...was trippy, ha ha), and many many flats, and many many food stalls. It was another very warm day that day, and I know if I over ate, I would pay for it. So I stuck with what we got in the food tent. And beer. We got ERT on Olympic, which for many was a real thrill. I wish I could have ridden it at least a couple more times, but the heat was getting to me, and I needed shade, soon. But I wouldn't trade that one ride for anything, Thank You Robb and Elissa! I got Beer!!! Inside the food and drink tent. Our happy little table. Yay, dark ride! It was pretty good too, with a live guy outside scaring us on the ride, and those watching, with a spider on a long, long, pole, hee hee. The Wheel. I had never been on one of these types/styles of ferris wheels. And I shared a cabin with a nice family from France... ...who took a pic of my furry mug, inside the cabin we were in. Thanks unknown family! Looking down on the site. Big white roof there was our meal tent. There it is, in all it's glory. We got off, and then these three ugly guys get on! Open your eyes, Fraaaaaaan! One more shot of The Big O, before we headed on to our next hotel and park.

What's not to like? You can't go wrong with two "J"s and an "L", there. 7/10 (I still don't get it though, lol.)

^ Yeah, that too.

"Little Drummer Boy" Bing Crosby & David Bowie *This was on a tv special of Crosby's decades ago, when Bowie was still in his Ziggie Stardust period. I believe it's one of the very few times, Bowie actually appeared as himself (suit and tie), and not as Ziggie, heh heh. It's really a beautiful rendition of the song and I always enjoy it, when it's on the radio at this time of year.

^ Don't tell Elissa! B/W Panda freek.

So many things one learns, at TPR.

^ I've never understood the Japanese obsession, with a lot of stuff. But they enjoy their obsessions, and that's what makes Japan so awesome!

Mexico, here we (eventually) come!

Here's a couple of snow shots, taken of our Coaster at Playland (PNE) in Vancouver. The shots aren't mine, but taken by the park, for a set of postcards they put out a few years back. The sign. Looks lovely there. Wish we could ride it at that time.

Our "guide" for the Tokyo Disneyland Jungle Cruise hardly stopped talking, and we were giggling, wondering if even the locals understood him, he talked soooo fast! This is near the end of the Cruise... [coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=MVI_2759_hr8l[/coastertube]

^ It very well may be green. My eyes, my age, who knows? Still looks great.

Ohhhh, that Chinese looping toboggan coaster. It was especially endearing, when they put boxers head pads on us. Thinking ahead, gotta give them credit. Here's my pic of it, on the 2012 China Tour.

Mmm, I can almost smell the fresh black track. Lookin' good there, Liseberg.

^ Remember though, that cuteness covers up their EVIL.

Falls

^ Not sure is this is the correct thread you're responding to, but "thanks" all the same. So, now we headed into Germany, through a rather $$$ rest stop in Switzerland (country credit!). Breathtaking mountainous scenercy to travel through, and we did it in the daytime! We stayed at a favourite hotel on the TPR tour circuit, Colossus, and enjoyed some morning ERT on the (then) newest coaster to debut at Europa Park....Blue Fire! A really nice launched coaster, it had one of the easiest restraint systems I had even seen. And it followed your heart beat through the ride! A very nice touch. The whole park is really an amazing assortment of areas, rides, shopping and dining available to the gp. I could easily spend two days in Europa, just relaxing and discovering new things to see and do, just like the Disney parks. I still haven't had any raclette yet, but eventually, eventually... There are all sorts of things to do for every member of the family - and this is where I also had my second re-taping and bandaging on my back, due to more of the same hot, humid weather. The people at Europa's Medical Centre were very nice, even though we couldn't understand each other that much (limited English for them; no German for me), it was all taken care of, fast and efficiently. Thank you Europa! There was a group dinner at the Colossus' buffet dinner restaurant after our park visit, and as always, it was wonderful! With a mariachi band strolling around the diners. Random but awesome, too. (o: Blue Fire at Europa. Great coaster and an equally awesome seating system that didn't feel uncomfortable at all. Here's a group of us, waiting to go on the nifty Matterhorn Blitz, a great Mack wild mouse coaster. And waiting in queue for Euro Mir. Hi guys! Me showing off my tattoo that is akin to the park's family coaster, Pegasus! Lou and me, outside the park's haunted swing ride, Cassandra's Curse. Front of the Colossus hotel art. With water!

I was wondering whether Coulton would be showing up for the reunion afterwards. He did, and I must say, for the time he was given to speak, he used it well. Still, I'm sure they'll think twice before ever inviting him back again. And I really thought Monica was influencing some of the jury in that last council. But she only got one vote (wonder whose that was) and Tyson won it, handily. Good for him!

^ Thanks, and the UK has some really great parks to visit, like Chessington, Oakwood, Blackpool and Alton Towers. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * So after another good night's sleep, (and a great buffet dinner at the Gardaland Hotel), we were off again to Germany, but not before one more Italian park to visit....MovieLand park, one of the more "intense" parks I have ever visited. And I believe that the heat and humidity that day (another one like at Thorpe) certainly added to that feeling. Intense, meaning at least two of the park's attractions made you wonder how safe you really were on them. More on them in a bit... The park had two coasters, but one unfortunately, wasn't built yet. And the other one, a small kiddie dragon coaster, was still being finished up and put together, when we showed up. And we rode it! Shameless... There was a top spin called Tomb Raider machine, a old-fashioned freefall ride called Hollywood Tower, and something called Terminator 5D, which made me think, what in the heck is 5D all about? It was basically a standing, shoot'em up attraction, with a lot of holograms and shaking platforms involved. And then there was U-571 Submarine Simulator which for all of it, allowed the park to DUMP a good truckful of WATER onto everybody, inside the small enclosed "vehicle." I passed, and saw many drenched people coming out, including those from our group, most of whom absolutely loved it! Maybe next time, uh huh. The other 'intense" attraction, and the one I did ride, was Magma 2, a truly insane "New amazing adventures on off-road trucks" (so says the park's map). Basically you're in a truck, no seat belts on, and taken through a literal mine field of "special effects" both physical...and very watery. With one bump down a steep hill, I really thought my body was going to throw itself out of the truck, LOL! The water didn't help, either. But hey - I rode it and it is definitely one attraction to test one's gut and body from start to finish. There was also a water park nearby, and although I really wished I could have gone there for a good swim and slide, I wasn't going to be able to (see page 1). So I headed back to the bus, grabbed what shade I could in the parking lot (not much,either, and the bus shade wasn't much and the bus wasn't air-conditioned yet), checked out the VIP bus that I wasn't in (pretty snazzy it was) of the two busses we used, and in time, we were off on the road again, heading for other countries and a few new (for me) credits along the way... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ * Unfortunately, this is other one of those days I just didn't think to pull out my camera, take shots, etc. of MovieLand. So here's an inside view of the VIP BUS, all ready to par-tay! The (VIP) bus I didn't ride in, on the tour. Had a stash place for booze etc. Very chic.

So am I. So much so, I already bought the soundtrack, before seeing the film! And I noticed in the current preview trailers, they "softened" up Travers a bit, showing her actually laugh in a scene, and smiling in another. Rather than like the original trailers, where she was just not happy with anything. Emma Thompson got dissed for turning Travers into an unlikeable character. But from reports from those who worked with the actual Travers - she was! Until it all turned around, she lightened up, and the rest was movie history for "Poppins". And you can't really trust trailers entirely, until you've seen the entire film.

Vortex, Canada's Wonderland.

No, there's not enough space in there for expansion. Do you believe in the goodness of others during the holidays?

I feel good for the holidays!

Nothing...so far.

"Sparrow and The Wolf" James Vincent McMorrow

After a good night's sleep, we bussed to our next Italian park, close to Gardaland... Mirabilandia, boasted a really nice collection of coasters, including our ERT on Katun, which was a really nice spread out invert. But there was another coaster that was challenging the popularity quotient in the park. iSpeed was an awesome, zippy launched coaster that really impressed me. And there was an in-park 'war' going on, between iSpeed and Katun, over 'Which was The One people enjoyed the most"? It was mainly based on merchandise sales, and I wish I wish I wish I had bought the nice RED t-shirt available for iSpeed. (that was my choice) But I got the button, so woo hoo! There was also one of those big plussed shooting dark rides here, Reset, which I think was based on aliens attacking the USA, and you are charged with shooting the bad guys....I think. It was fun for what it was, but getting to it took - for - e -ver. It was located outside the park's "berm" and we walked and walked and walked until we finally got to it. Which made a re-ride sort of "lets do it now" or we would be walking back to it, for another long time. So we re-rode immediately! After the park, most of us bussed back to the hotel, and then went back over to Gardaland for the evening, I, did not. I stayed back at the hotel, had a lovely buffet dinner with Ginny (very pricy but a lot to choose from and really wonderful desserts!) And just chilled out with bar drinks. Till everybody else got back from ML. And the next morning we were back on the road again... Katun - really lovely invert, spread over a very large area of land. Everybody ready to go RESET. And we were only 1/2 way there! After RESET yummy, sexy, Italian Ice Cream! On-ride photo on iSpeed. Me, Jon and look at Robb! Without a camera in his hands!