Meteornotes

Wow, it's cloudy/raining again. Such unusual weather...oh wait, it's like this every day. Grrr... dt

I am awake far too early. dt

Saga - On The Loose dt

Diet Coke. dt

^That commercial is amazing. dt

Should be getting the 4S next week. I'm due for an upgrade and my 3GS is about worn out. Haven't figured out yet if I'm getting the 32 or 64 Gig version. Thoughts? dt

Freak Kitchen - Snap dt

Bees

I don't think you can go wrong with any baked good at this park. I recall Falafel getting a sticky bun roughly the size of a human head the first time we visited that was incredibly tasty. And I remember getting a rice crispy square that was awesome, and also served as a bed for Ice Bat. The food at Dollywood is just amazing. dt

Yay for a new update! And we did indeed enjoy it. I remember doing a dark ride/walk thru there that made zero sense, and I think it was the zodiac one. But I'm not positive. It seems like there are some new ones there since I was last at the park. The coasters at this park are not all that great, but the log flume is awesome. Can't wait for the next installment! dt

Cheetah Hunt. And I really liked it! dt

Flying Turns still sitting there and doing nothing > Whirlwind. That thing was, um, not good. dt

That's a damn shame. The "near miss" will be, well, missed. And I still find it very odd that this never happened before, then happened twice in such a short amount of time. I'm sure it was idiots dropping things, intentional or not. Stupid people ruin everything. dt

Just got caught up on this. Amazing report. Larry, you need to do reports more often. dt

^Does this mean you've signed up for the Europe trip? Because, if so, yay! You will love Europa Park. dt

Just getting caught up on this after being away for over a week. Awesome report. Every park needs metal bumper cars! And of course, I have to comment on this: While this is a good guess, there's actually no sigh. No one should be warned of the horrors within my home! It cuts down on the repeat visitors... dt

I used to share a house with two magicians when I lived in LA, so I've been to the Magic Castle many times. It is a really cool experience. Yes, the shows totally depend on who's performing as to whether or not you'll get a great one, so it is sort of a gamble. But I saw more good than bad ones there. My favorite was usually the close-up room, where I saw some spectacular performers, including one that went through the line of people waiting for the show and stole something from just about everyone! That was impressive and hilarious. It can get insanely busy there on weekends, and yes, all those little rooms in the basement get filled with people, and often there were magicians doing small performances. It's been many, many years since I've been there, and I'd like to go back some time. dt

Thanks for posting. One can never go wrong with Lombardi's pizza. dt

Awesome photos. Thanks for posting. I'd love to check out Halloween events at some non-US parks some time. dt

Haha! You got to experience the awesomeness that is National Bohemian, aka Baltimore's Finest Swill. It cost me a whole $3.50 for a six pack of this crap for TPDave. I figured what would be better for TP to finally be able to drink when visiting the US than this alcoholic delight? The photos I have of TP drinking this are highly amusing. For some reason, people in this area still buy this crap. Though I was told it's mainly to steam crabs in. Which I suppose makes a bit of sense, since why use something to steam crabs in that you'd actually drink? dt

Thanks for posting those photos. I really need to attend Oktoberfest or at least a German fair at some point, as they look like amazing fun. dt

Other than the Tokyo Disney Resort, Europa Park is my favorite park in the world. I can't wait to get back there next year. I'll have two major credits to get. dt

There is no such thing as too many photos of cinnamon bread. dt

^Exactly. No need to clean it up when you're going to tear it down and replace it with a shop to sell more sticks. dt

Those Mythos pictures make me sad. It was once one of the greatest in-park restaurants, and the constant dumbing down of the menu and lack of upkeep have turned it into the mess it is now. Anyone that thinks this place and that whole section of the park isn't going to be torn down for more shops where you can wait an hour in a line to watch a guy playing with his wand is delusional. IOA used to be one of the greatest parks in the world, but even before Pottertown was added, it was going down hill. Customer service dropped off considerably, and just simple things like finding a drink stand open before noon (hey, it's Florida, where it's usually 50 billion degrees outside, can't imagine why anyone would ever be thirsty) were an impossibility. It would be nice to see things improve here, but based on my last couple of visits, I don't see any changes coming to this park other than more Potter merchandise locations. dt