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~ Farewell Dinner ~ Not much to add to this, except again, we got some prepared cactus with our main course (still looked and tasted like green beans to me, lol); there was a screen up above the tables, continually showing sports stuff, but thankfully they turned the sound way down for us. I still think it odd they even left the thing on while we dined. Oh well, we got through it okay. Then afterwards, several of us stayed up late and later, buying pitchers of margaritas and saying goodbyes to everybody we'd toured with. And then there only a few of us left - with me staying up all night till I had to check in for my flight - at 0330. Yum. I survived, got my last drink (from Mexico) from Starbucks, and then several hours' flight later, was home. Then (at home) in the mid-afternoon, while still recovering from the flight AND thinking on my just having turned 60 that day. a bunch of good friends showed up and surprised me with a potluck birthday party!!! I - was - shocked. Truth. Tired and happy, but very overwhelmed. And so it goes - with a bit more to follow, next week. One group seated along one table... Another group along another table... And us at the corner! Me and JC - great roomies we was, I gotta say, buddy! Appetizers, I remember. Main course, with that prepared cactus beside it. Was good, but not like I'd want it ever other day, lol. Group 1 eating. Group 2...eating, too! Cheryl gets her usual vegetarian substitution. A 'minimalist' salad. Waiting for dessert. Dessert arrives! It's chocolate. It's square. It's iced. It's nutty. It's chocolate! And (ahem) "one or two" of us got waaay more servings than others did. My usual goodbye shot with R&E, forgetting every time what Robb does, when we take these photos. One of these years, I'll catcha, Robb! And ~ The Group Goodbye Hug! I think I even heard a wee bit of crying from this bunch. Nick, was that you? Then we started our first pitcher of margaritas. JC and Ginny and I, toasting the week we just did. Bye, bye you guys! A great fun group to tour with you all were. And don't forget when your flights take off, ha ha. Mmm leftovers. Everybody's gone to bed... Except me and these two. (Mikey and Karl.) Then, me and Karl have a goodbye moment. Finally I am on my own (2am-ish), with my Starbucks Mocha Frappucino. (o: And then, flying back to home.

The "stacked houses" themeing looked very cool. Was there anything in it, like guest services, or a shop or eaterie? I see a stored sign through one of the windows, at the right.

Excellent start to your tour, Chuck! Having never been to any of the parks you visited - always a pleasure to read about it with your take on all of it. Looking forward to more. And night shots are always cool with rides and themeing!

Dark right now at 12'C.

"Valerie" Amy Winehouse

Day 6 - Heading back to Mexico City - Farewell Dinner The drive back to Mexico city from Guadalajara was nothing really exciting. But when we stopped for a meal break, I was pleased that we stopped at a franchise I had recently read about and all the "amazing buffet food there was, that you could handle." (review quote) Fair enough. But when we went into the place, I was truly astounded at how much food there was available! It was awesome! And the dessert bar was the capper, for a great (and Rea$onable, too) end to the meal. After that, back on the bus and back to Mexico City, and for our final night in Mexico, we were staying at the Airport Hotel, which made for oh-so-easy access to our respective departure gates, etc. Mine, at least, lol. Then we had a final group meal together, and after that... Pitchers of Margaritas! I and a couple of others stayed up all night, 'cause our planes took off at some un-gawdly hours, like 5:30am for mine. And then one final Mocha Frappucino from StarBucks (right beside the hotel elevator), and I was on my way home. )o: Here we are! My all-carnivore plate, with a "bit of salad" on the side, just to offset the MEAT. (o: And it was all delicious! And - what was left of it all, when I got through with it all. Now, on to dessert! MMM lots of good stuff here. But more importantly.... The Sundae is The Dessert Master above all. Jeremiah's dessert plate with Dessert Master and a few chocolate lackeys on it. (o; And - we're at the airport hotel! Just like that! Hmmm. Somebody(s) forgot their yummy chocolate...whatever on stix. And NO I did NOT touch them! Very tempted....but no. The drinks left, looked interesting, too. Everybody gathered for a final dinner together. Checking on how things are going, prep wise. Our tables, lying in wait...

^ Till the autopsy, there's no proof. (I know, I know, there's proof, ha ha.)

^

Oh crap, they've got it running. Re-visit.

Log flume looks great! It was one of the first log flumes I ever went on - and it's still one of The Best Ones Ever, IMhO.

After looking at the plans for the layout etc. I am wondering how the restaurant and gift shop are going to be configured into the attraction's show building design. I know the restaurant is at the other corner or the set up. Still, I am curious about it. Perhaps the restaurant may be two story, with the dining area on the second floor. Just a thought.

^ In no order or category.... Liseberg - Haunted Hotel; raft ride; pepper steak. Grona Lund - SpookHouse; dark ride; Funhouse. That's all I got (and remember), but it's a few for you to check on.

^ Yep. I don't remember anybody actually buying one, though. It seemed we were all heading out of the park, when we saw them in the windows. Only photos were taken, sadly.

I am so looking forward to re-visiting Liseberg! Thanks for the update and photos, Peter!

Here's a peek at part of our final day in Mexico. More to share of it all, next week Table and setting for our final group meal together. )o:

^ Yeah and how much it's "roughly" going to cost.

And for those who need reminding.... TonyTonyTonyTonyTony... This Sunday evening (8pmE/P-7pmCen) on CBS, with Neil Patrick Harris hosting. Root for your fave. In any and every category! And go to http://www.Broadway.com and print up TONY Bingo sheets! Much fun. An example of one of the bingo sheets. (o:

^ Well, probably all that had to be done, was a quick 'wash' in Jose Cuervo... and they'd be fine. The wigs, I mean.

What a great, unique trip report! I knew there was wheelchair access for a lot of the Disney attractions, but didn't know much about what was done, or how it was handled. Next time I see those types of boarding equipment, I will silently thank Disney and other parks who do this much to make sure everybody has a great time. Thanks for sharing your report - and I hope the rest of your US trip went as well as the Disneyland visit.

As I said before, after the Jose Cuervo factory tour, we just walked across a small roadway.... and there was dinner! The place was noisy and festive. Lots of music being heard from our upstairs reserved room - with a bar. Yummy. The food, as usual on this tour, was excellent. And after dinner, there was some fooling around with a plastic mallet I remember (I think Robb should, since he's the one I bopped, when I was chasing Kristen, lol). And then Ryan and Larry were posing as drunken.... uh...tourists? HUGE tequila bottles, too. All in fun. Then, we started to head back to the hotel, and the trouble started with the bus. It was touch and go, whether we were going to get a replacement bus, in sufficient time (i.e. not after midnight?). But we did, get back to the hotel, and that was it for the day. Our dinner table, with Jo demo-ing that old pose - the Deer In Headlights look, heh heh. And Nick in back there, happy as ever. Starter soup. Very good soup. And I swear I did NOT slosh mine over the edge! This is how it arrived! Really! Main course. Excellent burritos, too. JC and Ginny's main course. They looked...interesting. I think they both said theirs was good, too. Dessert. It was delish. (o; And the "other tourists" who wandered upstairs and decided to have their own fine time.

Saw EPIC today. And it was more than slapstick and funny characters. A good story about being true to yourself. The forest shots were amazing, lush and in so many shades of green, I lost count. The ones with water. too were lovely. I love animation like this. And the soundtrack was lush as much as what was onscreen. 8/10

Wheel Swirling? Sounds like porno. (Great ongoing TR btw.)

We arrive at Jose Cuervo Tequila Factory. And what do they greet us with? Margaritas!!! And...hair nets! We had to wear them during the tour, if "dust" from the discards of the pineapples float over our heads. Awesome. We also couldn't use camera in the main section of the "factory". Some of us thought though, that this was kind of those "set up tours," which had all the themeing and equipment shown for the making of tequila. These things we were being shown, they actually weren't using at all. When they weren't allowing us to see the bottling section, we thought something's up. But that was okay. It was a great tour, and we got more margaritas when the tour ended! Yummy. And then dinner "happened" to be just across an alleyway in another building, cross from Jose Cuervo. More awesome! Then - on our way back from Tequila, something happened with our "express bus". It sounded like the gears were crapping out, but I don't really know busses (or cars for that matter) too well, lol. Whatever it was, we eventually had to come to a halt, at the side of the highway, the driver phoned for a new bus, we waited and eventually we were on our way back to the hotel. It put us out probably an hour or so, but at least we got back without having to hitch our way back, LOL. Good times... First margarita of the tour at Jose Cuervo! Jo and me. And me and Ginny. I get around. A table of locals was playing this tile game. Not Mah Jong, but something like it, I guess. Looked interesting. When they produce their Ultra Expensive OMG smooth top brand Family Reserve Tequila, they invite an artist to design a box for that year's special packaging. Here's the wall of yearly boxes. I liked this design for the 2011 tequila. And this one for 2008. Some really beautiful designs on these boxes. And...uh...yeah.....art. Our tour starts! This was our guide. He was great and was approachable for questions and information. (Sorry, I forget his name. ) Truck behind him is for all the pineapples' residue after for processing. And yes, we ALL wore those hair nets. Hi Robb and Ryan! A Mexican mural, what else? They love to make murals, they really do! And this one of course, was the history of making tequila! After the tour, there was greeting Cuervo's mascot. Noted. But...."delicate specie"? It's a raven! The mascot in question. I forgot 'his' name too. Me and our great guide, posing. In our hair nets, heh heh. Guide without net. And Cliff. Probably trying to get a tequila recipe out of the guy. And ~ Robb in his Happy Place ~ art

Well crap, I guess I'm getting to Europe again... And that first construction shot there ~ they look like "religious arches" in a coaster church! I am saved! I mean, when you look at it that way..... (o:

"The sex is in the heel ~ even if you break it." Brdwy cast of Kinky Boots