Day:22
Sadly, the cruise is over. In spite of rough seas, we reached Port Canaveral early. They fed us a nice breakfast before kicking us off the ship. Debarkation wasn't quite as smooth as embarkation, but it wasn't bad and we were on a bus back to Orlando within an hour.
I went to the Orlando Airport with the Hurley's, and we hung out for about an hour. After hugs all around (multiple ones for the kids) we parted ways, and I went in search of transportation to downtown Orlando. I had to wait over an hour, but I found cheap and nice transportation through Mears to my hotel. The hotel is ok, but does not live up to the standards I've come to expect from Sheraton. Oh well, it's just one night, I'll survive. I took time to get caught up with e-mail and blogging, and tried to check in with my family, but the connection was really bad.
I got a call from Matthew in Atlanta. Their airplane issues continue (for those of you who don't know, a couple years ago, Matthew & Jolene were on a plane that caught fire mid-air). They had a very turbulent flight. Matthew said it was the wildest ride he has ever experienced. He said at landing, it felt like the plane dropped out of the sky and slammed onto the runway. Why does everyone keep telling me I need to fly? The train is such a fun, relaxing experience.
Anyway, I promised to pray for them on the next leg of their trip from Atlanta to Sacramento, then driving from Sac to Susanville.
I decided to just order room service because I was so tired, so I tried calling, but no one answered. I tried back a few minutes later, nothing. I tried again, nothing. I finally gave up and went downstairs. I guy sitting behind the bar asked if he could help me as I walked by. I said I was looking for the restaurant. He said, "that's me" and led me to an empty restaurant. He seated me, took my order, brought salad & bread, cooked the meal, brought dessert, and bussed the table, and all the while, would run over to the bar and make drinks for people in there. Talk about multi-tasking! I did have to wonder why a big hotel chain like this only has one employee working the restaurant & bar.
I was so exhausted from a week of non-stop excitement, that I just vegged out in the room.
I'll be back on the train tomorrow headed for New York City, so I won't be able to post again until I get to Denver. Only 10 days of my trip left. I'm so glad I have a few days at home before returning to work. Traveling takes a lot out of you, but it's well worth it.
Be thankful, and express it!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Castaway Cay
Day 21:
I can't believe I've been gone 3 weeks already. It's gone by so fast.
Today we went to Disney's own island, Castaway Cay (pronounced key). It's a great little island, and we had perfect weather... lower humidity and no sun. It even rained on us a little while we were swimming. The caribbean water is so nice. Crystal clear and about 79 degrees. We had tropical fish swimming around us that were just beautiful. It's kinda like a dream, just doesn't seem real. Everything about the island is wonderful. The original ship from Pirates of the Caribbean is anchored just off shore. The walk to the beach was lined with Disney characters with lots of photo opps.
The whole time we were swimming, you could smell this amazing BBQ cooking. We couldn't take it anymore, so we headed over to Cookie's BBQ to grab some "free" lunch. (Remember, every time I refer to something as free, it just means it's included in what I've already paid)
It was a great lunch! I had a piece of BBQ chicken that was the best chicken I've ever had. All the fruit they served was wonderful, and they always have yummy desserts.
What a great day at the beach!
We headed back to ship to give the boys a nap because we wanted to take them to see Mickey Mouse. They had encountered all the other characters, but had only seen Mickey once from a distance. Parker LOVES Mickey, so we had to do it. We waited in line almost 45 minutes, but it was well worth it. The look on Parker's face brought tears to my eyes. He was SO excited to meet Mickey, and Minnie was with him, so they 2 for 1. They hugged Mickey, hugged and kissed Minnie, and we got great pictures!
That evening , we had dinner at the Parrot Cay restaurant. That was a lot of fun too. Everything was decorated tropical, and the food was fantastic! Remember when I said I had the best chicken I've ever had at lunch today? That was true, but at dinner I had chicken that is by far the best I've had. It's Roasted Caribbean Chicken, and it's absolutely mouth-watering.
I'm sorry to go on and on about the food, but it was incredible. Trust me, I've given you the Reader's Digest version of the food. I could write pages.
It was a little sad tonight, knowing this was the end of the cruise. I could have handled a couple more days. There is a lot I didn't get to do. I didn't experience the live theatre, the movie theatre, shuffleboard, bingo, the fitness center, the special fancy restaurant, the swimming pool, and much more. 3 days is not enough, but I'm so thankful I had 3 days.
The seas got rough again in the middle of the night, but we were all ok.
The towel creature in our room last night was a cool looking monkey, but the creature tonight looked like a stuffed turkey on Thanksgiving. I'm sure that's not what was intended.
Seriously, if you get a chance to take this cruise, do it. I thought maybe all the kids running around would drive me crazy, but it didn't bother me at all. It was really nice to see all those excited kids having the time of their lives.
So, we're headed back to Florida, and we're headed fast. I didn't know a ship this size could go so fast. I'm not sure what the rush is, but at this rate, we'll be back in no time.
Be blessed!
I can't believe I've been gone 3 weeks already. It's gone by so fast.
Today we went to Disney's own island, Castaway Cay (pronounced key). It's a great little island, and we had perfect weather... lower humidity and no sun. It even rained on us a little while we were swimming. The caribbean water is so nice. Crystal clear and about 79 degrees. We had tropical fish swimming around us that were just beautiful. It's kinda like a dream, just doesn't seem real. Everything about the island is wonderful. The original ship from Pirates of the Caribbean is anchored just off shore. The walk to the beach was lined with Disney characters with lots of photo opps.
The whole time we were swimming, you could smell this amazing BBQ cooking. We couldn't take it anymore, so we headed over to Cookie's BBQ to grab some "free" lunch. (Remember, every time I refer to something as free, it just means it's included in what I've already paid)
It was a great lunch! I had a piece of BBQ chicken that was the best chicken I've ever had. All the fruit they served was wonderful, and they always have yummy desserts.
What a great day at the beach!
We headed back to ship to give the boys a nap because we wanted to take them to see Mickey Mouse. They had encountered all the other characters, but had only seen Mickey once from a distance. Parker LOVES Mickey, so we had to do it. We waited in line almost 45 minutes, but it was well worth it. The look on Parker's face brought tears to my eyes. He was SO excited to meet Mickey, and Minnie was with him, so they 2 for 1. They hugged Mickey, hugged and kissed Minnie, and we got great pictures!
That evening , we had dinner at the Parrot Cay restaurant. That was a lot of fun too. Everything was decorated tropical, and the food was fantastic! Remember when I said I had the best chicken I've ever had at lunch today? That was true, but at dinner I had chicken that is by far the best I've had. It's Roasted Caribbean Chicken, and it's absolutely mouth-watering.
I'm sorry to go on and on about the food, but it was incredible. Trust me, I've given you the Reader's Digest version of the food. I could write pages.
It was a little sad tonight, knowing this was the end of the cruise. I could have handled a couple more days. There is a lot I didn't get to do. I didn't experience the live theatre, the movie theatre, shuffleboard, bingo, the fitness center, the special fancy restaurant, the swimming pool, and much more. 3 days is not enough, but I'm so thankful I had 3 days.
The seas got rough again in the middle of the night, but we were all ok.
The towel creature in our room last night was a cool looking monkey, but the creature tonight looked like a stuffed turkey on Thanksgiving. I'm sure that's not what was intended.
Seriously, if you get a chance to take this cruise, do it. I thought maybe all the kids running around would drive me crazy, but it didn't bother me at all. It was really nice to see all those excited kids having the time of their lives.
So, we're headed back to Florida, and we're headed fast. I didn't know a ship this size could go so fast. I'm not sure what the rush is, but at this rate, we'll be back in no time.
Be blessed!
Nassau, the Bahamas!
Day 20:
After a rough night at sea, we awoke already in port at Nassau. We had a big breakfast, and jumped on the bus for the Atlantis Resort. This is one huge place! No, we didn't gamble. The plan was to spend most of the day on the beach, but because of the storm, the beach was closed and they put us in a roped off swim area away from the beach a little. It was like a swimming pool (I'm on vacation, so I just couldn't face that) and it was really hot & humid today. I lasted about 5 minutes, and said I was going indoors. We met up later, and walked through the "Dig". It is a bunch of huge aquariums decorated like the Lost City of Atlantis, and filled with a ton of fish. I really enjoy stuff like this, so I loved it. The boys really enjoyed it too. They like marine life.
The resort is located on Paradise Island, and they really try to live up to that.
We ate our free lunch, and decided to return to the ship because it was just too hot. The bus driver gave a tour of Nassau on the way back. Again, I'm reminded of how blessed I am, and how thankful I am to live where I do. There is a lot of poverty in Nassau. I know some kids who went on a Mission trip there last year, and I thought it was just an excuse to go to a tropical island... I was wrong. There is plenty of mission work to do in the Bahamas.
Anyway, remember the wild taxi ride I told you about? This bus trip was every bit as wild, minus the high speeds. These drivers are crazy, and not just the bus drivers. All the cars just honk their horn, and then do whatever they want to do.
Back on board, we enjoyed some of the things the ship has to offer. Free food, music, food, games, food, shops, food, shows, food, art, food, and scenery. Did I mention food?
Tonight, we had dinner at the Animator's Palate. This is a great restaurant. When you enter, everything is in black and white, including the server's. As dinner progresses, color begins to appear here and there, and by the end, everything is in color, including the server's.
Speaking of server's, the same server's follow you from place to place during the cruise. Our assistant server is named Masimba, but he goes by Simba (an appropriate name for a Disney employee). He is a great guy from Jamacia, and is a lot of fun. Our server is named Yavor. He is also a great guy. He is from Yugoslavia, and has been working on the ship for over 5 years.
It's kind of cool having the same serving team every night. You get to know them, and they get to know what you like, and don't like.
After dinner, we went up to deck 9, the party deck, and watched a big pirate party. Lots of people were dressed up like pirates, and it was pretty fun. Guess who showed up? That's right, Captain Hook. Parker was a little quiet at first, but then he decided Hook isn't so bad after all. He was actually pretty proud of himself for not being scared of Hook. At one point, Mickey Mouse flew over us from stack to stack, which was cool. After that, they had a great fireworks display. They shot them right from the top of the ship.
Can you tell this hotel doesn't have the time limit on their internet? I tell ya, I could go on and on about all this stuff.
The seas were calm when we left port tonight, and everyone is feeling great. This too is a nice way to travel. Man, I'm really getting spoiled!
Count you blessings!
After a rough night at sea, we awoke already in port at Nassau. We had a big breakfast, and jumped on the bus for the Atlantis Resort. This is one huge place! No, we didn't gamble. The plan was to spend most of the day on the beach, but because of the storm, the beach was closed and they put us in a roped off swim area away from the beach a little. It was like a swimming pool (I'm on vacation, so I just couldn't face that) and it was really hot & humid today. I lasted about 5 minutes, and said I was going indoors. We met up later, and walked through the "Dig". It is a bunch of huge aquariums decorated like the Lost City of Atlantis, and filled with a ton of fish. I really enjoy stuff like this, so I loved it. The boys really enjoyed it too. They like marine life.
The resort is located on Paradise Island, and they really try to live up to that.
We ate our free lunch, and decided to return to the ship because it was just too hot. The bus driver gave a tour of Nassau on the way back. Again, I'm reminded of how blessed I am, and how thankful I am to live where I do. There is a lot of poverty in Nassau. I know some kids who went on a Mission trip there last year, and I thought it was just an excuse to go to a tropical island... I was wrong. There is plenty of mission work to do in the Bahamas.
Anyway, remember the wild taxi ride I told you about? This bus trip was every bit as wild, minus the high speeds. These drivers are crazy, and not just the bus drivers. All the cars just honk their horn, and then do whatever they want to do.
Back on board, we enjoyed some of the things the ship has to offer. Free food, music, food, games, food, shops, food, shows, food, art, food, and scenery. Did I mention food?
Tonight, we had dinner at the Animator's Palate. This is a great restaurant. When you enter, everything is in black and white, including the server's. As dinner progresses, color begins to appear here and there, and by the end, everything is in color, including the server's.
Speaking of server's, the same server's follow you from place to place during the cruise. Our assistant server is named Masimba, but he goes by Simba (an appropriate name for a Disney employee). He is a great guy from Jamacia, and is a lot of fun. Our server is named Yavor. He is also a great guy. He is from Yugoslavia, and has been working on the ship for over 5 years.
It's kind of cool having the same serving team every night. You get to know them, and they get to know what you like, and don't like.
After dinner, we went up to deck 9, the party deck, and watched a big pirate party. Lots of people were dressed up like pirates, and it was pretty fun. Guess who showed up? That's right, Captain Hook. Parker was a little quiet at first, but then he decided Hook isn't so bad after all. He was actually pretty proud of himself for not being scared of Hook. At one point, Mickey Mouse flew over us from stack to stack, which was cool. After that, they had a great fireworks display. They shot them right from the top of the ship.
Can you tell this hotel doesn't have the time limit on their internet? I tell ya, I could go on and on about all this stuff.
The seas were calm when we left port tonight, and everyone is feeling great. This too is a nice way to travel. Man, I'm really getting spoiled!
Count you blessings!
Embarkation Day
Day 19:
They told us we could go to the Animal Kingdom park until 12:30, and then they would pick us up there to take us to the ship. Too cool. We had breakfast at the Rainforest Cafe which was tasty. Then, we went to see Finding Nemo the Musical. It was a great production that we all enjoyed very much! Matthew grabbed 2 more rides on Expidition Everest, which is the crazy ride of that park, and then we just kind of hung out, looked at more amazing animals, then went to the cruise meeting place.
We walked from the park a short distance to the cruise buses. They are very nice, comfortable busses, with portholes for windows. It was a little over an hour bus ride to Port Canaveral, but they played videos which made the trip fly by. I was blown away by the massive ship we were about to board. Since we had taken care of all the embarkation details at the resort, we practically walked right on. We did have to show, birth certificates, and photo ID, but other than that, it was a breeze.
We walked onto the ship, and entered on deck 3, the atrium. Wow! It was amazing. I've never seen anything like it. Everyone already onboard was very excited. We took our carry on bags up to our stateroom (deck 8), and most of our luggage was already there (the rest arrived shortly thereafter). The room is really nice. One room with toilet & sink, another with shower & sink, a large room with queen bed, couch, chair, table, tv, chest, and desk. There is a curtain in the middle of the room to separate the queen bed from the other beds. You're probably thinking, he didn't mention other beds. At night when we were at dinner, they turned our beds down, literally. The couch turned into a bed, a bed lowered from the ceiling, and another from the wall. The kids and I each had our own bed. It was nice.
They fed us a huge buffet lunch while we were waiting to leave. There is a ton of food around here, and most of it is really good.
They had a big Bon Voyage party which was fun. All the Disney characters were on hand, there was lots of music, and they gave us all metallic streamers to wave in the air.
Shortly after we left port, they announced we would be hitting rough water due to a storm a few miles away. Oh great. I took some bonine, so this will be the test. They weren't kidding, it was pretty rough. Jolene got sick, but the rest of us did ok. We had dinner at Triton's which is the fancy restaurant on the ship. They rotate people to each of 3 restaurants, so you get to experience them all. It was good, but didn't have much to offer these country bumpkins who are used to burger & fries. We are such hicks!
After dinner we were all pretty exhausted ( we chose the second seating for dinner which is 8:15) so we looked around a bit, but retired early. I can't believe I'm actually on a cruise.
When we got back to the room, there were chocolates on the bed, and they make animals out of towels to leave in the room. Tonight it was a swan.
I'm very happy that I got a room with a verandah. It's nice to step out and experience the ocean air and view.
Oh wow! I almost forgot to mention one of the coolest things I've ever seen. When we were leaving the port, we saw a bunch of dolphins swimming around by the ship. They were jumping up out of the water and having a great time. They gave us quite a show. Very cool!
I could go on and on about the ship, the food, the people, everything, but I don't want to bore you. Trust me, I'll have plenty more to say later.
God bless you all.
They told us we could go to the Animal Kingdom park until 12:30, and then they would pick us up there to take us to the ship. Too cool. We had breakfast at the Rainforest Cafe which was tasty. Then, we went to see Finding Nemo the Musical. It was a great production that we all enjoyed very much! Matthew grabbed 2 more rides on Expidition Everest, which is the crazy ride of that park, and then we just kind of hung out, looked at more amazing animals, then went to the cruise meeting place.
We walked from the park a short distance to the cruise buses. They are very nice, comfortable busses, with portholes for windows. It was a little over an hour bus ride to Port Canaveral, but they played videos which made the trip fly by. I was blown away by the massive ship we were about to board. Since we had taken care of all the embarkation details at the resort, we practically walked right on. We did have to show, birth certificates, and photo ID, but other than that, it was a breeze.
We walked onto the ship, and entered on deck 3, the atrium. Wow! It was amazing. I've never seen anything like it. Everyone already onboard was very excited. We took our carry on bags up to our stateroom (deck 8), and most of our luggage was already there (the rest arrived shortly thereafter). The room is really nice. One room with toilet & sink, another with shower & sink, a large room with queen bed, couch, chair, table, tv, chest, and desk. There is a curtain in the middle of the room to separate the queen bed from the other beds. You're probably thinking, he didn't mention other beds. At night when we were at dinner, they turned our beds down, literally. The couch turned into a bed, a bed lowered from the ceiling, and another from the wall. The kids and I each had our own bed. It was nice.
They fed us a huge buffet lunch while we were waiting to leave. There is a ton of food around here, and most of it is really good.
They had a big Bon Voyage party which was fun. All the Disney characters were on hand, there was lots of music, and they gave us all metallic streamers to wave in the air.
Shortly after we left port, they announced we would be hitting rough water due to a storm a few miles away. Oh great. I took some bonine, so this will be the test. They weren't kidding, it was pretty rough. Jolene got sick, but the rest of us did ok. We had dinner at Triton's which is the fancy restaurant on the ship. They rotate people to each of 3 restaurants, so you get to experience them all. It was good, but didn't have much to offer these country bumpkins who are used to burger & fries. We are such hicks!
After dinner we were all pretty exhausted ( we chose the second seating for dinner which is 8:15) so we looked around a bit, but retired early. I can't believe I'm actually on a cruise.
When we got back to the room, there were chocolates on the bed, and they make animals out of towels to leave in the room. Tonight it was a swan.
I'm very happy that I got a room with a verandah. It's nice to step out and experience the ocean air and view.
Oh wow! I almost forgot to mention one of the coolest things I've ever seen. When we were leaving the port, we saw a bunch of dolphins swimming around by the ship. They were jumping up out of the water and having a great time. They gave us quite a show. Very cool!
I could go on and on about the ship, the food, the people, everything, but I don't want to bore you. Trust me, I'll have plenty more to say later.
God bless you all.
Animal Kingdom
Day 18:
The Animal Kingdom is my kind of place. Very tropical and jungly. We went on an African safari which was really cool. We saw all kinds of wild animals. There are birds and animals all over the park. It's like a zoo and amusement park all rolled into one. And, there's a Rainforest Cafe there too.
I'm having a hard time deciding which is my favorite park, Animal Kingdom or Epcot. I love the atmosphere at Animal Kingdom, but as far as things to do and see, it has to be Epcot.
If you ever have the chance to come here, plan on spending at least a week or more. We accomplished a lot in 4 days, but there was much more to do.
We went back to Epcot this evening, and spent some time in the Showcase area (where the various countries are represented). We went on a cool little ride in Mexico, and had a good mexican dinner. Then we saw many other countries. I think my favorite is Germany. It made me want to take a trip to the actual country.
I wasn't sure how Jacob & Parker would do, but once their parents bought them a toy to occupy them, they were great. Again, the kids have been excellent on this trip. I don't know that Matthew & Jolene would agree with me, but I've been really impressed with the kids behavior.
We're all excited about the cruise tomorrow. I know I'll have some interesting things to report.
The Animal Kingdom is my kind of place. Very tropical and jungly. We went on an African safari which was really cool. We saw all kinds of wild animals. There are birds and animals all over the park. It's like a zoo and amusement park all rolled into one. And, there's a Rainforest Cafe there too.
I'm having a hard time deciding which is my favorite park, Animal Kingdom or Epcot. I love the atmosphere at Animal Kingdom, but as far as things to do and see, it has to be Epcot.
If you ever have the chance to come here, plan on spending at least a week or more. We accomplished a lot in 4 days, but there was much more to do.
We went back to Epcot this evening, and spent some time in the Showcase area (where the various countries are represented). We went on a cool little ride in Mexico, and had a good mexican dinner. Then we saw many other countries. I think my favorite is Germany. It made me want to take a trip to the actual country.
I wasn't sure how Jacob & Parker would do, but once their parents bought them a toy to occupy them, they were great. Again, the kids have been excellent on this trip. I don't know that Matthew & Jolene would agree with me, but I've been really impressed with the kids behavior.
We're all excited about the cruise tomorrow. I know I'll have some interesting things to report.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Epcot
Day 17:
Today we went to Epcot. I've been told by so many people that the Epcot park is lame, a waste of time, ect. Shame on you people! I loved it. What an awesome park. The only problem is that we only had one day there. This is definately a multi-day park. There is so much to see. We thought the kids would be bored because everyone said there's nothing for kids there. The kids loved it too! There was plenty of exciting stuff for them.
We went to the Land area which had a couple of cool rides, including Soarin', and then went to Sea, which had awesome aquairiums, a Nemo ride, and a cool environment. That big Epcot ball (whatever it's called) has a cool little ride that goes way up around the inside of it.
The fireworks display at night is also very cool. They incorporate almost the whole park in the program.
I was dreading going to Epcot, but it turned out to be my favorite so far. I was thinking I'd never come back to Disney World because there's nothing so exciting that I need to return, but I wouldn't mind coming back to Epcot someday.
It was pretty hot again this morning, but this evening it was really mild, almost too cool. I loved it!
Tomorrow we're hitting the last park, called Animal Kingdom. That is the park I'm most looking forward to.
By the way, I think I already gained back all the weight I lost before my trip, and we haven't even been on the cruise yet...oops!
Today we went to Epcot. I've been told by so many people that the Epcot park is lame, a waste of time, ect. Shame on you people! I loved it. What an awesome park. The only problem is that we only had one day there. This is definately a multi-day park. There is so much to see. We thought the kids would be bored because everyone said there's nothing for kids there. The kids loved it too! There was plenty of exciting stuff for them.
We went to the Land area which had a couple of cool rides, including Soarin', and then went to Sea, which had awesome aquairiums, a Nemo ride, and a cool environment. That big Epcot ball (whatever it's called) has a cool little ride that goes way up around the inside of it.
The fireworks display at night is also very cool. They incorporate almost the whole park in the program.
I was dreading going to Epcot, but it turned out to be my favorite so far. I was thinking I'd never come back to Disney World because there's nothing so exciting that I need to return, but I wouldn't mind coming back to Epcot someday.
It was pretty hot again this morning, but this evening it was really mild, almost too cool. I loved it!
Tomorrow we're hitting the last park, called Animal Kingdom. That is the park I'm most looking forward to.
By the way, I think I already gained back all the weight I lost before my trip, and we haven't even been on the cruise yet...oops!
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Day 16:
The English teacher in me requires that I correct an error from Monday's post. It's que, not cue.
I was excited because I was finally caught up with my posts, so I could make an entry on the day it happened... didn't happen. I stayed up way too late last night.
Yesterday we went to the Hollywood Studios park. We went to a very cute Mickey's Playhouse show for Parker and he loved it. It was so hot in the morning, we decided to wait in line for over an hour to go on the new Toy Story ride. It was a fun little ride, and I enjoyed being out of the heat. Yesterday was the first time it really bothered me. It started raining around 2pm and that "cooled things off" a little (it has no effect on humidity).
Matthew and Jacob stayed in the park later than the rest of us to go on the "crazy" rides. Jacob decided to face his fears. He faced his fears, and I told him I was very proud of him, but he won't be going on those rides again. :)
We all met up and went back to the Magic Kingdom. We went on a couple rides for the kids, and then watched the fireworks show, which was really good.
Then, I offered to watch the kids, so Matthew & Jolene could go back to the Studios park. Jolene wanted to go on the crazy rides too. I had a good time with the kids, and was exhausted by the time M&J got back.
Another great day. Thanks for staying posted.
Blessings!
The English teacher in me requires that I correct an error from Monday's post. It's que, not cue.
I was excited because I was finally caught up with my posts, so I could make an entry on the day it happened... didn't happen. I stayed up way too late last night.
Yesterday we went to the Hollywood Studios park. We went to a very cute Mickey's Playhouse show for Parker and he loved it. It was so hot in the morning, we decided to wait in line for over an hour to go on the new Toy Story ride. It was a fun little ride, and I enjoyed being out of the heat. Yesterday was the first time it really bothered me. It started raining around 2pm and that "cooled things off" a little (it has no effect on humidity).
Matthew and Jacob stayed in the park later than the rest of us to go on the "crazy" rides. Jacob decided to face his fears. He faced his fears, and I told him I was very proud of him, but he won't be going on those rides again. :)
We all met up and went back to the Magic Kingdom. We went on a couple rides for the kids, and then watched the fireworks show, which was really good.
Then, I offered to watch the kids, so Matthew & Jolene could go back to the Studios park. Jolene wanted to go on the crazy rides too. I had a good time with the kids, and was exhausted by the time M&J got back.
Another great day. Thanks for staying posted.
Blessings!
Monday, September 22, 2008
The Magic Kingdom
Day: 15
Today, we visited the Magic Kingdom at Disney World. This place is huge! It was a 20 minute ride on the bus from the resort hotel to the park. This park is fashioned after Disneyland. There are many similarities, but it's very different. We decided we like the cues here better than the ones in California (with the exception of Thunder Mt.), but in general, the rides at Disneyland are better. There are 3 more parks to see.
The boys were perfect today. I thought they might be a little grumpy being so tired, but they had a blast. I didn't realize that Parker had just watched Peter Pan and hates Captain Hook. We all went on the Peter Pan ride and Parker rode with me. For hours afterward, he asked me why I made him go on that ride with Captain Hook! He told me that Captain Hook is mean, so he wants to kick him and punch him until he's dead (he really doesn't like him). I told Matthew & Jolene, I hope we don't see a Hook character in the park, or Parker may do great physical harm to him.
We went on the Transit Authority (People Mover) which Disneyland did away with years ago, and it was a nice little ride.
It is odd not having the Matterhorn in the center of the park. It feels kind of empty.
Looking forward to more parks, and more fun.
We'll keep you posted.
Today, we visited the Magic Kingdom at Disney World. This place is huge! It was a 20 minute ride on the bus from the resort hotel to the park. This park is fashioned after Disneyland. There are many similarities, but it's very different. We decided we like the cues here better than the ones in California (with the exception of Thunder Mt.), but in general, the rides at Disneyland are better. There are 3 more parks to see.
The boys were perfect today. I thought they might be a little grumpy being so tired, but they had a blast. I didn't realize that Parker had just watched Peter Pan and hates Captain Hook. We all went on the Peter Pan ride and Parker rode with me. For hours afterward, he asked me why I made him go on that ride with Captain Hook! He told me that Captain Hook is mean, so he wants to kick him and punch him until he's dead (he really doesn't like him). I told Matthew & Jolene, I hope we don't see a Hook character in the park, or Parker may do great physical harm to him.
We went on the Transit Authority (People Mover) which Disneyland did away with years ago, and it was a nice little ride.
It is odd not having the Matterhorn in the center of the park. It feels kind of empty.
Looking forward to more parks, and more fun.
We'll keep you posted.
Waiting in the Water
Day 14:
I awoke in Jacksonville Florida to thundershowers. The ride from there to Orlando was nice. Everything is so green. Probably because half the state is water. Water everywhere. I arrived at the Orlando station at 10:30 am. It's not a great station either. Then I grabbed a shuttle to the airport. The airport is really nice. Good thing, because I now had 7 hours to kill before the Hurley's arrived. It actually went by pretty quick. People watching is an interesting passtime, and hours fly by.
The Hurley's arrived safely, we got a bus, and soon we were at the nicest, most amazing hotel I've ever stayed at. The Disney Dolphin. Wow! This place is incredible. We didn't get there until 8:30 pm, so we grabbed dinner, and then just rested up for the following day (they had gotten up at 4:00 am to catch their flight in Sacramento.
What a week we have in store! Lord, give us strength.
I'm having problems with photos again, but I'll keep trying.
I awoke in Jacksonville Florida to thundershowers. The ride from there to Orlando was nice. Everything is so green. Probably because half the state is water. Water everywhere. I arrived at the Orlando station at 10:30 am. It's not a great station either. Then I grabbed a shuttle to the airport. The airport is really nice. Good thing, because I now had 7 hours to kill before the Hurley's arrived. It actually went by pretty quick. People watching is an interesting passtime, and hours fly by.
The Hurley's arrived safely, we got a bus, and soon we were at the nicest, most amazing hotel I've ever stayed at. The Disney Dolphin. Wow! This place is incredible. We didn't get there until 8:30 pm, so we grabbed dinner, and then just rested up for the following day (they had gotten up at 4:00 am to catch their flight in Sacramento.
What a week we have in store! Lord, give us strength.
I'm having problems with photos again, but I'll keep trying.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Washington DC
Day: 13
Wow! I loved visiting Washington DC. I had no idea where to go, but I trusted God to lead me in the right direction. I walked down one block, looked left, and there was the Capitol. I walked the 3 blocks there and got some great pictures. I turned around, and there in the distance was the Washington Monument. I knew just behind that was the Lincoln Memeorial, so I started walking. I had 5 hours, so I thought I could see a lot.
It took me an hour and a half to get to the Lincoln Memorial, but I stopped a lot to take pictures. It's an amazing thing to experience all those places... a bit emotional. The walk back only took an hour, so I had plenty of time to lunch before the train left for Orlando.
Again, I have to keep this short because of computer issues, but today was fantastic.
God is Good!
Wow! I loved visiting Washington DC. I had no idea where to go, but I trusted God to lead me in the right direction. I walked down one block, looked left, and there was the Capitol. I walked the 3 blocks there and got some great pictures. I turned around, and there in the distance was the Washington Monument. I knew just behind that was the Lincoln Memeorial, so I started walking. I had 5 hours, so I thought I could see a lot.
It took me an hour and a half to get to the Lincoln Memorial, but I stopped a lot to take pictures. It's an amazing thing to experience all those places... a bit emotional. The walk back only took an hour, so I had plenty of time to lunch before the train left for Orlando.
Again, I have to keep this short because of computer issues, but today was fantastic.
God is Good!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
The Crescent
Day 12:
The computer keeps disconecting every couple of minutes, so this will be short.
The name of the train I rode today is called the Crescent. It was nice.
It was hard to leave Birmingham because I had a great time with the Bailey's.
Atlanta is beautiful at night, and I really like Virginia.
That's it.
The computer keeps disconecting every couple of minutes, so this will be short.
The name of the train I rode today is called the Crescent. It was nice.
It was hard to leave Birmingham because I had a great time with the Bailey's.
Atlanta is beautiful at night, and I really like Virginia.
That's it.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Aaaaaaarrrrrrrggggggg!!!!
Sorry folks, it won't let me post any more pictures. I don't have time to figure out what's wrong because I have to catch my train.
I'll try again this weekend.
I love computers...... :)
I'll try again this weekend.
I love computers...... :)
Pictures, Yea!
Day 10:
This really is day 10, but I didn't post anything for day 1, so now I'm right on track.
You'll see one of the flash flood pics on day 3 post... it was practice. Melody helped me figure all this stuff out.
Today's post will just be a few pics to help catch y'all up. (Did you see my southern accent?)
Here we go...
Laundry Day :(
Day 9:
Well, I guess it's not possible to get away from all the mundane chores of day to day life.
That's ok. While doing laundry all day, I was able to get caught up with blogs, e-mails, and even did some instant messaging.
Melody got off work early today, so she and the kids took me to a local park called Tanhill. It is a really beautiful park. It has original buildings from the 1800's, lots of wildlife, and a brook that turns to a creek that turns to a stream that turns to a river. All of it starts right from the ground. You can see the water bubbling up from the ground where it starts. It's very cool! I got some nice pictures that I hope to be able to post eventually.
Then we went to Melody's mom's house. It was nice to meet her. She is an artist, and I got to see all her paintings. She does a great job.
Then, another fantastic dinner last night. I'm really getting spoiled. The food on the train is good, but nothing like good "home cooking".
My time in Alabama is almost over. It went by so fast.
Newsbreak: They caught the escaped convict last night. Near here.
Thanks for keeping up with me. I won't have computer access for a couple of days, so check back this weekend.
Be Blessed
Well, I guess it's not possible to get away from all the mundane chores of day to day life.
That's ok. While doing laundry all day, I was able to get caught up with blogs, e-mails, and even did some instant messaging.
Melody got off work early today, so she and the kids took me to a local park called Tanhill. It is a really beautiful park. It has original buildings from the 1800's, lots of wildlife, and a brook that turns to a creek that turns to a stream that turns to a river. All of it starts right from the ground. You can see the water bubbling up from the ground where it starts. It's very cool! I got some nice pictures that I hope to be able to post eventually.
Then we went to Melody's mom's house. It was nice to meet her. She is an artist, and I got to see all her paintings. She does a great job.
Then, another fantastic dinner last night. I'm really getting spoiled. The food on the train is good, but nothing like good "home cooking".
My time in Alabama is almost over. It went by so fast.
Newsbreak: They caught the escaped convict last night. Near here.
Thanks for keeping up with me. I won't have computer access for a couple of days, so check back this weekend.
Be Blessed
3 States in 2 Hours
Day 8:
Back on the road again. Not the train this time, but back in the rental car.
I have a friend named Jesse who lives in the hills overlooking Chatanooga Tn. He works in Georgia which is 2 miles from his house, and goes to church in Alabama which is just a few miles away, although his church is further than that. In fact, he leaves for church at 9:30 am, and arrives at 9:20 am. Did you catch that? He arrives at church 10 minutes earlier than he departed (he lives in the Eastern Time Zone, and the church is in the Central Time Zone). He is right in the corner where the 3 states meet. Beautiful place to live if you like that sort of thing. He works at the Wildwood Lifestyle Center and Hospital. They offer alternative medicine like homeopathic stuff, very non-traditional. They also help people with things like weight loss... no, I didn't check in.
I drove 2 hours there, spent 4 hours at Wildwood, and drove 2 hours back. It was a great day, but it wasn't quite over yet. More excitement followed me.
When I got back to Bessemer, an inmate, about to go on trial for murder, had over-powered his guard, taken his gun & uniform, and escaped. He hijacked a woman's van, and held another woman hostage. All this happened near John & Melody's house. As of this post, they still hadn't captured the guy. There were police and state marshalls all over the place.
Melody made the best chili I've ever had tonight. I'm so glad I didn't stop somewhere on the way back to grab dinner. I know something else happened today, but I can't remember what it was. Oh well, it's late. If it was something real important, I'll add it to another post.
Jesus Loves You!
Back on the road again. Not the train this time, but back in the rental car.
I have a friend named Jesse who lives in the hills overlooking Chatanooga Tn. He works in Georgia which is 2 miles from his house, and goes to church in Alabama which is just a few miles away, although his church is further than that. In fact, he leaves for church at 9:30 am, and arrives at 9:20 am. Did you catch that? He arrives at church 10 minutes earlier than he departed (he lives in the Eastern Time Zone, and the church is in the Central Time Zone). He is right in the corner where the 3 states meet. Beautiful place to live if you like that sort of thing. He works at the Wildwood Lifestyle Center and Hospital. They offer alternative medicine like homeopathic stuff, very non-traditional. They also help people with things like weight loss... no, I didn't check in.
I drove 2 hours there, spent 4 hours at Wildwood, and drove 2 hours back. It was a great day, but it wasn't quite over yet. More excitement followed me.
When I got back to Bessemer, an inmate, about to go on trial for murder, had over-powered his guard, taken his gun & uniform, and escaped. He hijacked a woman's van, and held another woman hostage. All this happened near John & Melody's house. As of this post, they still hadn't captured the guy. There were police and state marshalls all over the place.
Melody made the best chili I've ever had tonight. I'm so glad I didn't stop somewhere on the way back to grab dinner. I know something else happened today, but I can't remember what it was. Oh well, it's late. If it was something real important, I'll add it to another post.
Jesus Loves You!
A Boring Day... Praise the Lord!
Day 7:
Today's post will be very short. I did almost nothing, and it was a gift.
John & Melody had to work, so I spent the whole day at the house just relaxing. I listened to more of my John Eldridge cd's, some music cd's, and spent time reading my Bible and talking to God. It was so nice to have a day with no excitement.
Then, when everybody got home, we had another nice meal together, and just visited. Their daughter Lindsey, her boyfriend Jesse, and their baby boy came over too. I hadn't seen Lindsey since she was 5, so it was nice to see her again. Her baby is a sweetie, and Jesse is a nice guy, and a good daddy. It was a really nice visit with everyone.
Hey, while I was talking to God today, I prayed for all of you.
Be Blessed!
Today's post will be very short. I did almost nothing, and it was a gift.
John & Melody had to work, so I spent the whole day at the house just relaxing. I listened to more of my John Eldridge cd's, some music cd's, and spent time reading my Bible and talking to God. It was so nice to have a day with no excitement.
Then, when everybody got home, we had another nice meal together, and just visited. Their daughter Lindsey, her boyfriend Jesse, and their baby boy came over too. I hadn't seen Lindsey since she was 5, so it was nice to see her again. Her baby is a sweetie, and Jesse is a nice guy, and a good daddy. It was a really nice visit with everyone.
Hey, while I was talking to God today, I prayed for all of you.
Be Blessed!
"The" Minority of the Day
Day 6:
My experience at Union Station in LA helped prepare me for today. Remember, I grew up in Crescent City in a time when there were few Hispanics, few Asians, and almost no African Americans. White, white, white.
John & Melody invited me to go to church with them this morning. They go to a black gospel church of 7,000 people. Of that 7,000, twenty (20) are white. The reason I titled today's blog "The" Minority is because of those 20 white people, I was the only one with the funny west coast accent. This church claims to be the friendliest church in the USA, which I thought must be an exaggeration, but I was wrong. This church totally embraced me and made me feel at home. I wasn't looked at differently, or treated differently than anyone else there. Even though I talk funny. The church was nice, but not the style of worship I prefer. The people were amazing and I really enjoyed my time there. I felt completely at ease there, unlike the time I ended up in Watts. I have never considered myself prejudiced, but our society still battles with that. Especially in the south. My friends know that they will face some persecution from some white folks for choosing to worship at Faith Chapel.
After church, we went through the Alabama Museum of Art. This is a great museum with wonderful displays, so I really enjoyed it. Then, we did a driving tour of Birmingham which was interesting. It's a nice looking little city, but has one of the highest crime rates in the country. There are several stories about murders here in the local news right now.
Folks in the south are so stinking friendly, you can't get away from them. We stopped for an ice cream, and this guy started talking to us, and it was an hour before we were able to get away.
We then went to dinner at a very nice Mexican restaurant that has good food. I was told by some people that once I crossed the Mississippi River, I wouldn't be able to find good Mexican food. Habenero's in Bessemer Alabama proves them wrong.
A very nice, but full day. I was glad to get back to the house and put my feet up. I guess that helps prepare me for Disney World.
My experience at Union Station in LA helped prepare me for today. Remember, I grew up in Crescent City in a time when there were few Hispanics, few Asians, and almost no African Americans. White, white, white.
John & Melody invited me to go to church with them this morning. They go to a black gospel church of 7,000 people. Of that 7,000, twenty (20) are white. The reason I titled today's blog "The" Minority is because of those 20 white people, I was the only one with the funny west coast accent. This church claims to be the friendliest church in the USA, which I thought must be an exaggeration, but I was wrong. This church totally embraced me and made me feel at home. I wasn't looked at differently, or treated differently than anyone else there. Even though I talk funny. The church was nice, but not the style of worship I prefer. The people were amazing and I really enjoyed my time there. I felt completely at ease there, unlike the time I ended up in Watts. I have never considered myself prejudiced, but our society still battles with that. Especially in the south. My friends know that they will face some persecution from some white folks for choosing to worship at Faith Chapel.
After church, we went through the Alabama Museum of Art. This is a great museum with wonderful displays, so I really enjoyed it. Then, we did a driving tour of Birmingham which was interesting. It's a nice looking little city, but has one of the highest crime rates in the country. There are several stories about murders here in the local news right now.
Folks in the south are so stinking friendly, you can't get away from them. We stopped for an ice cream, and this guy started talking to us, and it was an hour before we were able to get away.
We then went to dinner at a very nice Mexican restaurant that has good food. I was told by some people that once I crossed the Mississippi River, I wouldn't be able to find good Mexican food. Habenero's in Bessemer Alabama proves them wrong.
A very nice, but full day. I was glad to get back to the house and put my feet up. I guess that helps prepare me for Disney World.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Mississippi Bugged Me
Day 5:
I'm still here...
I survived the stormy night in New Orleans. Called the Hertz place and they came and picked me up to take me to my car. As we drove along Convention Blvd down by the wharfs, I saw thousands of people waiting in line. We're talking at least 20,000 people. I asked the lady driving what was going on, and she said they were handing out emergency food stamps to people. I'll never complain about the lines at Disneyland again.
Ms. GPS led me out of the city with no problems, and I was happy to say goodbye to New Orleans.
I made it from New Orleans, La. through Mississippi, and half way through Alabama in 5 hours. No, I didn't speed at all...promise. I stopped in Ellisville Miss. for something to eat, and that's when I saw them... the front of my car was covered in big, smashed, black bugs. I mean covered. Wow!
Miss. was a nice drive, and so was Alabama. Lots of trees and wild flowers. Both states are beautiful in their own way.
I made it to John & Melody's house around 2:30. John says hey to y'all. Melody made a fantastic dinner, and then we decided to go to a movie. They have a brand new theatre here that is the first all digital everything in the country. None of us had seen the new Batman movie, so that's what we saw. John & Melody's daughter, Christina drove down from Huntsville to join us. The movie was ok, but the presentation was great!
My prayers have been answered so far. It is not too hot, and not too humid. I'm feeling right at home because they live near a train track. I can hear the whistle at night.
It's been nice to have a normal, quiet day. Will it last? What do you think?
Blessings to you all,
Matt
I'm still here...
I survived the stormy night in New Orleans. Called the Hertz place and they came and picked me up to take me to my car. As we drove along Convention Blvd down by the wharfs, I saw thousands of people waiting in line. We're talking at least 20,000 people. I asked the lady driving what was going on, and she said they were handing out emergency food stamps to people. I'll never complain about the lines at Disneyland again.
Ms. GPS led me out of the city with no problems, and I was happy to say goodbye to New Orleans.
I made it from New Orleans, La. through Mississippi, and half way through Alabama in 5 hours. No, I didn't speed at all...promise. I stopped in Ellisville Miss. for something to eat, and that's when I saw them... the front of my car was covered in big, smashed, black bugs. I mean covered. Wow!
Miss. was a nice drive, and so was Alabama. Lots of trees and wild flowers. Both states are beautiful in their own way.
I made it to John & Melody's house around 2:30. John says hey to y'all. Melody made a fantastic dinner, and then we decided to go to a movie. They have a brand new theatre here that is the first all digital everything in the country. None of us had seen the new Batman movie, so that's what we saw. John & Melody's daughter, Christina drove down from Huntsville to join us. The movie was ok, but the presentation was great!
My prayers have been answered so far. It is not too hot, and not too humid. I'm feeling right at home because they live near a train track. I can hear the whistle at night.
It's been nice to have a normal, quiet day. Will it last? What do you think?
Blessings to you all,
Matt
Monday, September 15, 2008
The Big Easy.... isn't
Day 4:
This would turn out to be the most interesting yet.
When I last left you, we were being transfered to buses. We finally were able to leave at 2 am.
Carol and the others headed for Houston, were put on a different bus to Austin. Louis and the rest of us were put on a bus headed for New Orleans that would pass right through Houston. Why it was ok for our bus to go to Houston and not the other bus, I don't know.
What happened next was like something out of a disaster movie. We were on a 6 lane freeway headed toward Houston in the middle of the night. There was not another car, not one, headed east with us. The west bound lanes across the freeway looked like rush hour traffic. Nothing but solid headlights for miles and miles. It was kind of creepy, and most of the people on the bus were pretty uptight. The driver tried several times to find a place we could pull over to get out and stretch, and grab something to eat, but nothing was open, and most places were boarded up. Again, an eerie experience. We finally found a place at 7 in the morning that was open. It was already boarded up, and they said we are evacuating in 5 minutes, so hurry up! It really was like a movie.
Once back on the bus, the wind & rain started to pick up. As we looked southeast, we could see Ike approaching. I've never seen anything like it. The wind continued to increase. My guess was 30 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 60 mph. Have you ever been on a bus in winds like that? The speed of the bus didn't match my taxi ride the other night, but this was now the wildest ride I've ever been on. I'm still completely calm and at peace, and trying to thank God for my adventure.
As we enter New Orleans, it looks like we are driving across the ocean. There are big waves, and the water is very near the bridge. Louis & I look to our right and see why Amtrak refused to let us continue by train... the waves are washing over the track. Thanks Amtrak!!
As we enter the city, the rain drops in buckets. We are drenched.
I hang out with Louis at the station until his friends come to pick him up, then I hail a cab to my hotel. The ride was really boring. The cabby took his sweet time. I'm not complaining, really.
With the storm, I was unable to explore New Orleans. I stayed in the hotel and watched the storm worsen. My room had a sliding glass door with a small balcony. The wind got so strong, the curtains in my room would fly up in the air, even though the door was shut tight. There was a lot of mold in the room which caused me to have a mild asthma attack... I lost my inhaler somewhere along the way. I survived, and was better as soon as leaving the hotel.The hotel was filled with National Guard. I talked to one of the guys and asked if they were here for the hurricane. He said yes, but not for Ike. They have been in New Orleans helping the police since Katrina. He said they will probably be there another year. The city is still in bad shape. They have not nearly recovered from Katrina. It really is still a sad sight. The humidity in New Orleans is almost unbearable. I have no plans to visit again.
Even with all this, I'm still having a great time! I can't explain it, I just know God is blessing me.
Things begin to improve on day 5, as you'll see tomorrow.
I may get caught up by the time I leave Birmingham.
Be Blessed,
Matt
This would turn out to be the most interesting yet.
When I last left you, we were being transfered to buses. We finally were able to leave at 2 am.
Carol and the others headed for Houston, were put on a different bus to Austin. Louis and the rest of us were put on a bus headed for New Orleans that would pass right through Houston. Why it was ok for our bus to go to Houston and not the other bus, I don't know.
What happened next was like something out of a disaster movie. We were on a 6 lane freeway headed toward Houston in the middle of the night. There was not another car, not one, headed east with us. The west bound lanes across the freeway looked like rush hour traffic. Nothing but solid headlights for miles and miles. It was kind of creepy, and most of the people on the bus were pretty uptight. The driver tried several times to find a place we could pull over to get out and stretch, and grab something to eat, but nothing was open, and most places were boarded up. Again, an eerie experience. We finally found a place at 7 in the morning that was open. It was already boarded up, and they said we are evacuating in 5 minutes, so hurry up! It really was like a movie.
Once back on the bus, the wind & rain started to pick up. As we looked southeast, we could see Ike approaching. I've never seen anything like it. The wind continued to increase. My guess was 30 to 40 mph, with gusts up to 60 mph. Have you ever been on a bus in winds like that? The speed of the bus didn't match my taxi ride the other night, but this was now the wildest ride I've ever been on. I'm still completely calm and at peace, and trying to thank God for my adventure.
As we enter New Orleans, it looks like we are driving across the ocean. There are big waves, and the water is very near the bridge. Louis & I look to our right and see why Amtrak refused to let us continue by train... the waves are washing over the track. Thanks Amtrak!!
As we enter the city, the rain drops in buckets. We are drenched.
I hang out with Louis at the station until his friends come to pick him up, then I hail a cab to my hotel. The ride was really boring. The cabby took his sweet time. I'm not complaining, really.
With the storm, I was unable to explore New Orleans. I stayed in the hotel and watched the storm worsen. My room had a sliding glass door with a small balcony. The wind got so strong, the curtains in my room would fly up in the air, even though the door was shut tight. There was a lot of mold in the room which caused me to have a mild asthma attack... I lost my inhaler somewhere along the way. I survived, and was better as soon as leaving the hotel.The hotel was filled with National Guard. I talked to one of the guys and asked if they were here for the hurricane. He said yes, but not for Ike. They have been in New Orleans helping the police since Katrina. He said they will probably be there another year. The city is still in bad shape. They have not nearly recovered from Katrina. It really is still a sad sight. The humidity in New Orleans is almost unbearable. I have no plans to visit again.
Even with all this, I'm still having a great time! I can't explain it, I just know God is blessing me.
Things begin to improve on day 5, as you'll see tomorrow.
I may get caught up by the time I leave Birmingham.
Be Blessed,
Matt
I don't like Ike
Day 3:
The adventure continues...
This is going to be the Reader's Digest version. I just spent almost an hour writing this blog, and it got erased by mistake. I don't have time to redo it all.
Thursday morning I woke up, took a shower (an interesting experience on a train) and had breakfast with Carol & Louis. Spent a quiet morning communicating with God.
The train kept stopping to let freight trains pass. We wondered if this was normal. It's not.
At El Paso, it was raining pretty hard, and we saw 3 accidents in 3 blocks. One was really bad.
Later in the day we stopped for almost 45 minutes. After 20 minutes, they let us know that we were stopped because of a flash flood. I took pics, but can't get them posted (maybe Matthew can help me when we meet up this weekend). I've gone through fire and flood so far, what's next? I would soon know.
Turns out the reason we had to keep stopping for the freight trains was because they were being evacuated from Houston and the surrounding area.
At 9 pm, they told us that Amtrak had decided not to let us through to New Orleans. They said they would wake us up in San Antonio at midnight to transfer us to buses. We wondered why they wouldn't send us through by train, but had no problem sending us into Ike's path by bus. We would find out the next morning.
I'm still having a great time, and staying completely calm. Praise God!
The adventure continues...
This is going to be the Reader's Digest version. I just spent almost an hour writing this blog, and it got erased by mistake. I don't have time to redo it all.
Thursday morning I woke up, took a shower (an interesting experience on a train) and had breakfast with Carol & Louis. Spent a quiet morning communicating with God.
The train kept stopping to let freight trains pass. We wondered if this was normal. It's not.
At El Paso, it was raining pretty hard, and we saw 3 accidents in 3 blocks. One was really bad.
Later in the day we stopped for almost 45 minutes. After 20 minutes, they let us know that we were stopped because of a flash flood. I took pics, but can't get them posted (maybe Matthew can help me when we meet up this weekend). I've gone through fire and flood so far, what's next? I would soon know.
Turns out the reason we had to keep stopping for the freight trains was because they were being evacuated from Houston and the surrounding area.
At 9 pm, they told us that Amtrak had decided not to let us through to New Orleans. They said they would wake us up in San Antonio at midnight to transfer us to buses. We wondered why they wouldn't send us through by train, but had no problem sending us into Ike's path by bus. We would find out the next morning.
I'm still having a great time, and staying completely calm. Praise God!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Sunset Limited
Hello Again ~
Just a bit more about day one before I move on to day two.
Have any of you ever seen the movie Foul Play with Goldie Hawn & Chevy Chase? There is a scene where Chevy Chase grabs a taxi in order to get to the bad guys before they kill the pope.
Anyway, he grabs this cab and starts driving like a maniac, then realizes that there is a little Chinese couple in the back seat. Well, he tells them to hang on, and they go for a crazy ride through the street of San Fancisco. My ride was a lot like that...seriously!!
Day 2:
Remember I said this trip was going to be an adventure? I called the same cab driver to take me back to the train station. Still a wild ride, but not an insane one like the night before.
My train, the Sunset Limited ( I would soon find out what an appropriate name that was) was late, so I spent 3 hours in Union Station. The station was very busy with lots of interesting people to watch. I want to be careful not to sound prejudiced, because I'm not, but only 10% of the people I saw were white (God was preparing me for another adventure in a few days). Again, I didn't feel nervous or uncomfortable, just different.
While I was waiting, I got to watch a film crew shooting footage for some kind of show. They had everything decorated for Christmas. I didn't go up and bother them to ask any questions, but I'll recognize it if I see it on tv.
We were told that we were the last train to leave on the southern route, all others were being canceled because of Ike. Before we could leave, the engine died, so we had to wait another hour while they changed engines. The woman in the room next to me complained about this, so I said, "at least when the train engine dies in route, they just give you a new one. When an airplane engines dies in route, so do you." She laughed and agreed, and we started chatting. The guy next door to her heard us laughing, so he came over too. Her name was Carol from Houston, and his name his is Louis (think French, Louie) from London. We instantly became good friends, not knowing what a blessing that would be to us in the coming hours. We had all our meals together, and spent most of our time together during the next couple of days. Louis is in the production side of show business working on the British versions of the Apprentice, and Law & Order. His main job right now, is bringing the British show Top Gear, to the US. This guy is a kick, and kept Carol and I laughing.
Day 2 ended with all of us going to sleep and missing the whole state of Arizona. Oh well...
Blessings,
Matt
PS Tomorrow I hope to figure out the picture thing.
Just a bit more about day one before I move on to day two.
Have any of you ever seen the movie Foul Play with Goldie Hawn & Chevy Chase? There is a scene where Chevy Chase grabs a taxi in order to get to the bad guys before they kill the pope.
Anyway, he grabs this cab and starts driving like a maniac, then realizes that there is a little Chinese couple in the back seat. Well, he tells them to hang on, and they go for a crazy ride through the street of San Fancisco. My ride was a lot like that...seriously!!
Day 2:
Remember I said this trip was going to be an adventure? I called the same cab driver to take me back to the train station. Still a wild ride, but not an insane one like the night before.
My train, the Sunset Limited ( I would soon find out what an appropriate name that was) was late, so I spent 3 hours in Union Station. The station was very busy with lots of interesting people to watch. I want to be careful not to sound prejudiced, because I'm not, but only 10% of the people I saw were white (God was preparing me for another adventure in a few days). Again, I didn't feel nervous or uncomfortable, just different.
While I was waiting, I got to watch a film crew shooting footage for some kind of show. They had everything decorated for Christmas. I didn't go up and bother them to ask any questions, but I'll recognize it if I see it on tv.
We were told that we were the last train to leave on the southern route, all others were being canceled because of Ike. Before we could leave, the engine died, so we had to wait another hour while they changed engines. The woman in the room next to me complained about this, so I said, "at least when the train engine dies in route, they just give you a new one. When an airplane engines dies in route, so do you." She laughed and agreed, and we started chatting. The guy next door to her heard us laughing, so he came over too. Her name was Carol from Houston, and his name his is Louis (think French, Louie) from London. We instantly became good friends, not knowing what a blessing that would be to us in the coming hours. We had all our meals together, and spent most of our time together during the next couple of days. Louis is in the production side of show business working on the British versions of the Apprentice, and Law & Order. His main job right now, is bringing the British show Top Gear, to the US. This guy is a kick, and kept Carol and I laughing.
Day 2 ended with all of us going to sleep and missing the whole state of Arizona. Oh well...
Blessings,
Matt
PS Tomorrow I hope to figure out the picture thing.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
A View From A Train
Greetings from Birmingham ~
This is the first chance I've had to post anything. The train doesn't have internet access, and the last 2 hotels I stayed at didn't have internet either (they advertised that they do, but...).
Day One:
I walked from the hotel in Sacramento to the train station at 5:30 am. It was only 2 blocks, but a little creepy. The train traveled at about 70 miles per hour to the East Bay (Martinez), so I had high hopes of a quick trip. I can dream.
Actually, even with all the stops, I love train travel. It's very relaxing, and enjoyable. I shared a meal and visited with a couple guys during that leg of the journey. One was from Finland, and kept talking about how much he hates the Russians..."the only good Russian is a dead Russian".
He said that more than once.
The other guy lives in Monterey and runs some big company based in Finland. They did not know each other before boarding the train. Anyway, they are both very wealthy, and snobs, so they weren't really interested in what I had to say, but that didn't stop me. I talked their ears off all during lunch. I had a great time :)
I don't want to start this off on a low note, but I do need to comment on what I saw from the train window. It was worse in the Bay Area, but I saw it all the way south... homelessness. It's so much worse than what they portray on tv and in the movies. It just broke my heart to see the way people live. It's not living, it's existing...barely. You know what's behind all those trees that line the freeways, homeless folks. The lucky ones have a disgusting matress to lay on. One even had a frayed pup tent. Most had a blanket or cardboard that they slept on.
Then there were the houses lining the tracks. Not really houses but shacks that I'm sure would be condemed if they were ever inspected.
All this to say what I hope you already know...we are so blessed. I already knew that, but seeing up close what so many live like, made me feel all the more blessed. I know most of those people are there because of poor choices they've made, but I believe we are supposed to show compassion for them. Thank God for all you have, and pray for those less fortunate.
I had shared with a couple of folks that I was a little apprehensive about arriving at the LA station after dark. It didn't bother me at all. It's a beautiful station, and I never felt uncomfortable at all. From there, I experienced the wildest ride I've ever been on in my life... the taxi ride from the station to the hotel. In the days to come, I'll be sharing some hair-raising experiences, including hurricane Ike, but nothing compares to that cab ride. Yikes!!
Through all this first day, I experienced no fear or anxiety. God is good!
It is very late here and I have church tomorrow, so I'll share more later. Have a happy Lord's day tomorrow, and please keep praying for me. I'm having a blast!
Be Blessed,
Matt
This is the first chance I've had to post anything. The train doesn't have internet access, and the last 2 hotels I stayed at didn't have internet either (they advertised that they do, but...).
Day One:
I walked from the hotel in Sacramento to the train station at 5:30 am. It was only 2 blocks, but a little creepy. The train traveled at about 70 miles per hour to the East Bay (Martinez), so I had high hopes of a quick trip. I can dream.
Actually, even with all the stops, I love train travel. It's very relaxing, and enjoyable. I shared a meal and visited with a couple guys during that leg of the journey. One was from Finland, and kept talking about how much he hates the Russians..."the only good Russian is a dead Russian".
He said that more than once.
The other guy lives in Monterey and runs some big company based in Finland. They did not know each other before boarding the train. Anyway, they are both very wealthy, and snobs, so they weren't really interested in what I had to say, but that didn't stop me. I talked their ears off all during lunch. I had a great time :)
I don't want to start this off on a low note, but I do need to comment on what I saw from the train window. It was worse in the Bay Area, but I saw it all the way south... homelessness. It's so much worse than what they portray on tv and in the movies. It just broke my heart to see the way people live. It's not living, it's existing...barely. You know what's behind all those trees that line the freeways, homeless folks. The lucky ones have a disgusting matress to lay on. One even had a frayed pup tent. Most had a blanket or cardboard that they slept on.
Then there were the houses lining the tracks. Not really houses but shacks that I'm sure would be condemed if they were ever inspected.
All this to say what I hope you already know...we are so blessed. I already knew that, but seeing up close what so many live like, made me feel all the more blessed. I know most of those people are there because of poor choices they've made, but I believe we are supposed to show compassion for them. Thank God for all you have, and pray for those less fortunate.
I had shared with a couple of folks that I was a little apprehensive about arriving at the LA station after dark. It didn't bother me at all. It's a beautiful station, and I never felt uncomfortable at all. From there, I experienced the wildest ride I've ever been on in my life... the taxi ride from the station to the hotel. In the days to come, I'll be sharing some hair-raising experiences, including hurricane Ike, but nothing compares to that cab ride. Yikes!!
Through all this first day, I experienced no fear or anxiety. God is good!
It is very late here and I have church tomorrow, so I'll share more later. Have a happy Lord's day tomorrow, and please keep praying for me. I'm having a blast!
Be Blessed,
Matt
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