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A bit more wandering around Amsterdam--OK? “You see that feather, pal? You wanna end up like that bird? Then cough up some chips fast!” No time for carriage rides. “You down there! Behave lest I smite thee with my Switch of Righteousness!” Aha! Lunch awaits within. But where within? Looks a lot nicer than your average U.S. mall. Where else? And a damn good burger it was, too. I ate it too quickly to snap a photo. See those cyclists on that bridge? Watch out! They want to kill you! Definitely unlike any city you’d see in the U.S. Well, except maybe for Solvang, California. Amsterdam is a great city to wander around in. Nice houses, but expensive to live in. I was surprised this carriage made the turn without knocking over any tourists or bikes--very tight squeeze. Find the bee . . . . . . win a kewpie doll! Speaking of creepy stuff, Brad and I toured the Amsterdam Dungeon. Well, maybe “toured” isn’t quite the right word. Dungeon bear has a serious attitude problem. Here’s the adorable souvenir I bought. Hmm--maybe it’s best not to end our Amsterdam prelude with a rat swimming in blood. Stay tuned for the “interlude” at Bobbejaanland.

Prelude to an Interlude: Wandering Around Amsterdam Welcome to the semi-cultural portion of my Theme Park Review Europe Trip 2019 report! Yes, this “prelude” (or “foreword” or “introduction” or “preface” or whatever you want to call it) will be followed by an “interlude.” Get excited, ladies and gents! The last time I was in Amsterdam with TPR, I did take in a fair amount of culture (such as the paintings of Van Gogh and Rembrandt), not to mention beer. This time, I wandered around the city with my pre-trip roommate, Brad; took a canal-boat ride; did some hard time in the Amsterdam Dungeon; and, of course, ate some poffertjes (oh, I miss these). So, why don’t you join Brad and I was we see the sights of this beautiful Dutch city. Will you learn something? Well, probably not, but it’s a nice walk. But first we have to get there--via Iceland. At Dulles, it was about 102 degrees F and outrageously humid. Iceland was 55 degrees F and damp. I thought it was a good trade. A few hours later, hanging out in Amsterdam. How many of you have I lost to the Red Light District? Well, there's more than weed and naked women around here, you know. For example, there are nice, wholesome ice-cream cones . . . and weed. Poffertjes are nice, too. This joint was great. They made wonderfully unhealthy desserts using poffertjes, churros, or crepes as a base. Who wants little pancakes covered in Nutella, strawberries, and whipped cream? They also had some concoction named the “Red Light District,” which they brought to someone’s table with suitable hoopla. Yes, you could get chocolate bits laced with cannabis. I’ll have the Super Fly Sirloin with extra Dolemite, please. I like it. Simple, direct, and it gets to the point. Officer, they’re just seeds. What do you have against flowers? Brad had never been to Amsterdam, and I’d never been on an Amsterdam canal-boat tour. The big brick building is the central train station, which provided easy access to the city from out hotel. The ducks were all, “Why not? Take a nice boat ride. Learn a little something. Just quit annoying us." Ahoy, avast, and other such nautical claptrap! We were the last passengers to board, so we got stuck behind two panes of not-so-clear plexiglass. The canals are very narrow in spots, and tight turns were tricky. It was interesting watching the skipper navigate. A beautiful city in a not-so-beautiful photo. It’s tough to find perfectly level buildings in Amsterdam. The old houses tend to lean a bit thanks to the soft ground. All ashore. Don’t drink the canal water. For five euros, see what you're getting yourself into. Looking for a shopping center and a burger joint called “The Butcher,” where we met the Alveys for lunch after our canal tour. After futzing around a bit with Google Maps, we found Magna Plaza, which was within striking distance of lunch. We also found Amsterdam Disney! Mickey and Minnie will steam your glasses and scar you for life for a mere 25 euros. The palace was far more regal than the hot-dog stand. More to come.

Is Fantastic Beasts really that popular? I feel like most people I know who are Potter fans are quite “meh” on those films. I don’t see that franchise being “theme park land worthy” in any way. I am a pretty big fan of the IP and the first film was OK at best, and I didn't even bother with the 2nd. Meh is the perfect word for it. But they're pulling in a lot of money so somebody's watching them, the 2nd film came in 400 million over budget. I totally agree that there isn't land worthiness to them, there's nothing iconic at all to reference. The concept art looks like old time New York for the outdoor areas, which I guess has some potential but it's not all that original, right? Like Diagon Alley - instant recognition and they translated it pretty much perfectly. Nothing in FB has that punch. I "waited for video" after the first "Fantastic Beasts" flick came out. I didn't care for it, so I skipped the second one. I imagine they could turn it into a pretty good theme-park attraction, but I am a little tired of Universal's "Pottermania."

I like the name, too--much better than, say "RomanGods-amonium," or something else along those lines. And if it's as much fun as Cheetah Hunt, I'll be quite pleased.

You're welcome. Water Country is a good park, and they just opened a water coaster this year. Aquazoid, Big Daddy Falls, Malibu Pipeline, and the Hubba Hubba Highway "fast" lazy river are fun, too.

There isn't a shuttle between Busch Gardens and Water Country--unless you stay at the Kingsmill Resort. It's about a five-minute drive. Just leave BG as though you're heading to Richmond. But instead of merging onto I-64, just stay in the lane and take the exit to Rt. 199, merge to the left, and follow the signs to WC's guest entrance (and do not turn in at the Marquis shopping center). Some hotels offer shuttles to the two parks. You might check on that. But you're better off driving yourself.

Great photos of a great ride!

OK, who's got a truck?

I advise at least one day with Fast Lane Plus. You can hit all the FL rides that day, and use the second day for anyother attractions that interest. You also get early entry if you stay at the resort.

I'll be disappointed if the giant dino head doesn't really say "Hi."

Their website has always been a pain to deal with.

More parks need rides like Lightning Run. Why more of these coasters haven't been built perplexes me.

I would've chosen the Gobbler Getaway tour, as well. I think Holiday World's two best rides of any type are Wildebeest and Mammoth.

A Star Wars TIE Fighter with a really bad case of irritable bowel syndrome.

Cool--missed this post earlier. I think the challenge will be maintaining the park's quaint charm while modernizing it.

I call Lightning Run's final bunny hills "the Heimlich Maneuver."

Prepare to be terrified! SCRE-E-E-E-E-E-E!

The guy in the glasses in the eighth row in the last photo looks very casual.

I've always thought of Dorney as a "generic" Cedar Fair park, which has a cool log ride. I am a sucker for Morgan Hypercoasters, though.

I went to the Eiffel Tower because I guessed the parade would end up there eventually. But I think they need to make sure that guests know the parade route. Even just an announcement saying that it starts in Candy Apple Grove and ends up by the Eiffel Tower would've helped.

The party goes on at Kings Dominion! The facial expressions (left to right) are Interesting: "Oh, I am so into this"; "I never noticed how fascinating my hand is"; "Oh, snap!" Does Buddha approve of our dancing? "Why, yes. I do." OK, I pulled a groin muscle just watching this guy. This was my favorite of the food samples--the spare ribs. A little messy, but tasty (as ribs should be). Let's not forget the Grand Carnivale merchandise. Coolest of the shirts. Time for the "Spectacle of Color" parade. Vive la France . . . . . ."But we have beer, ja?" Best float of the parade! I liked this Indian elephant float, too. The China float stopped in front of us, there was a brief dance party, then . . . . . . streamers everywhere. And, yes, beads were thrown. This is the Apple Strudel. The cinnamon apples and whipped cream were good, but the "crispy strudel crown" seemed more like shredded wheat. They left some of the floats around the Eiffel Tower to add some atmosphere to the post-parade dance party. The tower is well lit for the evening. Perhaps it had a Cocktail Carnivale (vodka, blue curacao, and melon midori). The party featured a DJ and a live show with a band. Hope you like Gloria Estefan and Buster Poindexter. I just noticed this little puppet show as I was leaving. One last look a KD's festive fountains. Good night from Grand Carnivale! Thanks for the invitation, Kings Dominion!

Kings Dominion's Early Summer Party: Grand Carnivale TPR was invited to the opening day of Grand Carnivale--the park's combination of a food-and-wine festival with Mardi Gras. While this isn't the first time the park has hosted an event based on international cuisine, this year they've thrown in a dance party, a parade, fireworks, and entertainment (as well as food) from five countries: China, France, Germany, India, and Italy. And what's on the menu? (I've tried the boldfaced items.) China: Szechuan Beef Bao Bun (steamed bun, with Gochujang-glazed beef short rib and pickled cabbage), Emperor's Chinese Spare Ribs (slow cooked, chili-rubbed pork ribs glazed with sweet, sticky sauce) France: Crepe Monsieur (ham and Gruyere crepe, topped with Bechamel sauce), Crepe Franchaise and Chocolate (filled with Nutella and strawberries) Germany: Bratwurst with Kraut, Bier Kase Spatzle (Bavarian noodles in a creamy beer sauce topped with crispy onions) India: Vegetable Samosas (crispy pastry filled with potato and peas served with mango chutney), Tandoori Chicken Tacos (spiced chicken over toaster naan with cilantro, radish, and yogurt sauce) Italy: Mama Meatballs (marinara, served on garlic toast with shaved Parmesan), Roman Suppli (fried rice balls stuffed with cheese and pepper in marinara sauce) I had Apple Strudel for dessert. All the festivities take place, appropriately enough, on International Street, with a special focus on the plaza around the Eiffel Tower, which is where you'll find the food booths and mini-entertainment stages, with the exception of Germany, which is halfway between the park entrance and the tower. There are songs and dances from the different nations, and quite a few street performers (most of whom participate in the nightly parade and dance party). The parade circles the Eiffel Tower, and some of the floats add more atmosphere to the dance party afterward. Here's a look at KD's Grand Carnivale, along with a pause to pay our respects to the late Volcano: The Blast Coaster. Then it's party time--at least until July 7. My thanks to Kings Dominion for the invitation. Welcome to Grand Carnivale! The king on the left looks a bit shifty. Maybe he's already a bit tipsy. Even Starbucks is wearing Mardi Gras beads. Need a tasting card? Get it here. You get six samples for $30. Or you buy food samples for $6.99/each. There's a special cocktail, too. The action centers on the Eiffel Tower, or so says Capt. Obvious. There was a brief opening ceremony at the main stage across from the tower. "Welcome to Grand Carnivale, my loyal subjects! As your king, I must warn you . . . . . . there are mimes about!" We'll get back to the festivities later, but it's time to pay our respects. You can still make out "Blast Coaster" on this sign--barely. The station and gift shop are all that is left. But you do get a new view of Avalanche. Why, hello there, Flight of Fear building. The future awaits. Stay seated! I'm watching you! At least the waterfall is still here. Meanwhile, what's happening on International Street? I have my complimentary tasting card. Hmm--where should I go first? "You follow me, ja? Challenge accepted--beer and spatzle for me! Of course, there's music. It's Oktoberfest! Yes, there are mimes! And artists! You have been warned! Uh oh! Giant chefs and mimes are natural enemies! More food and fun to come.

I think I can wait, oh, a few months, from the comfort of my home, before experiencing this attraction.

I haven't been to any Canadian parks, but I've always wanted to check out Canada's Wonderland. Yukon Striker looks a bit better than Valravn.

Dan is definitely up to some deviltry.