Weekend Update: Disney's Mexico to the Real Germany
We have a tidy little Weekend Update for you this week. SummerInFL takes us through the Mexico Pavilion in Epcot and PhotoMatt shares a few holiday favorites from Disneyland. We also have part one of a multi-part German Holiday trip report from MickeyMaxx and we top it off with more vintage postcard images from darkfairycthulu.
Mexico Pavilion
Epcot, Walt Disney World
SummerInFL sent us these great photos of the Mexico Pavilion at Epcot.
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The Mexico pavilion resembles a Mesoamerican pyramid. The nightly fireworks show "IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth" is controlled from a small office atop the building. The office's window is barely visible from street level, but can be seen at an angle.
Visitors enter through a display of Mexican artwork, the "Animales Fantasticos" art collection. The main room is the home to a twilight-lit Mexican marketplace, Plaza de los Amigos. At the edge of the plaza, a restaurant, San Angel Inn, overlooks an indoor lagoon. To the side of the plaza, a boarding area leads to a boat ride, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros.
Visitors enter through a display of Mexican artwork, the "Animales Fantasticos" art collection. The main room is the home to a twilight-lit Mexican marketplace, Plaza de los Amigos. At the edge of the plaza, a restaurant, San Angel Inn, overlooks an indoor lagoon. To the side of the plaza, a boarding area leads to a boat ride, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros.
Disneyland
Anaheim, California
PhotoMatt selected these two photos as among his favorites from the holidays at Disneyland.
For those of you looking for Disneyland coverage, I invite you to visit Andy Castro's Dateline Disneyland column and Michael "DarkBeer" David's In The Parks column.
Christmas in Bavaria - Weiden in der Oberpfalz
Wherein Rixter and MickeyMaxx and Rixter's Mom travel to the German state of Bavaria to spend the holidays with middle brother Mike and wife Pam who reside there.
This was our very first trip abroad, so to say this was an exciting development is putting it mildly. We flew from LAX to London Heathrow, a 10 hour flight. We were pleased to find that making our connection for a 2 hour flight to Munich was easy, facilitated by the very clear signage at the terminal in London. There was a bus trip from terminal to terminal involved, and lots of walking . . . but the correct direction was never in question. The terminal was beautiful with upscale shopping, play areas for children, and generous seating.
Our 2 hour flight to Munich was a piece of cake after our "hop" across the pond, and we were soon on the ground and saw Pam waving at us on the other side of a window, just beyond our immigration checkpoint.
Munich Airport at night.
Mike and Pam have a striking home in the country at the top of a hill.
Rick's nephew, Kyle, niece, Kayla, and Rick.
The view from the living room.
The next morning we headed to town. The city's Christmas Market (Weihnachtsmarkt or Christkindlmarkt) was still taking place. We were stunned by the beauty everywhere.
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The history of Christmas markets goes back to the Late Middle Ages in the German speaking part of Europe. In many towns in Germany and Austria, Advent is usually ushered in with the opening of the Christmas market or "Weihnachtsmarkt". Generally held on the town square and adjacent pedestrian zones, the market sells food and drink from open-air stalls with other seasonal items and traditional singing and dancing.
Popular attractions at the market include the Nativity Scene (a crèche or crib), Zwetschgamännla (figures made of decorated dried plums), Nussknacker (carved Nutcrackers), Gebrannte Mandeln (candied, toasted almonds), traditional Christmas cookies such as Lebkuchen and Magenbrot (both forms of soft gingerbread), Christstollen (Stollen), a sort of egg bread with candied fruit, Bratwurst, and for many visitors one of the highlights of the market: Glühwein, hot mulled wine (with or without a shot of brandy), or Eierpunsch (an egg-based warm alcoholic drink). Both help stave off the cold winter air which sometimes dips below freezing. Many other handmade items, toys, books, Christmas tree decorations and ornaments (and in recent years less useful gadgets) can be found at a Christkindlmarkt.
Popular attractions at the market include the Nativity Scene (a crèche or crib), Zwetschgamännla (figures made of decorated dried plums), Nussknacker (carved Nutcrackers), Gebrannte Mandeln (candied, toasted almonds), traditional Christmas cookies such as Lebkuchen and Magenbrot (both forms of soft gingerbread), Christstollen (Stollen), a sort of egg bread with candied fruit, Bratwurst, and for many visitors one of the highlights of the market: Glühwein, hot mulled wine (with or without a shot of brandy), or Eierpunsch (an egg-based warm alcoholic drink). Both help stave off the cold winter air which sometimes dips below freezing. Many other handmade items, toys, books, Christmas tree decorations and ornaments (and in recent years less useful gadgets) can be found at a Christkindlmarkt.
The Christmas Market.
Sister-in-law Pam in red on the right.
The former city hall turns upper windows of the building into a giant Advent Calendar, with one window being exposed each day. Note the bells in the first photo. They are mechanized and we got to hear them play one day when we were in town.
There were some comforting signs here and there, in case we should yearn for a taste of home.
But, the local fare looked far more promising. Everywhere we looked there were fresh baked goods, fruits, sandwiches, all enticingly displayed.
Entertainment abounds. Every cafe has entertainment scheduled, and there are lots of ads for cover, or "clone", bands around town.
Charming is around every turn.
A mail box.
A waste container.
A sign announcing the freshest fruit.
The central street in Weiden is a pedestrian way, with autos and trucks quietly slipping in for necessary deliveries, and every building looks like it had just been painted the day before.
Join us next week as we visit Nuremberg by train.
We have some nice postcard images from darkfairycthulu this week and by popular demand, we have included the backside descriptions from a few of the cards and I have added some fun links for some of the other cards.
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LEGEND CITY "Fabulous Family Fun Park" Phoenix-Tempe, Arizona. The world's largest carnivorous spider leaps to the attack as passengers on the Superstition Mountain mine-ride disturb his lair.
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An authentic village in the land of the hillbillies. Has country store with smoked hams and bacon, sorghum, stone ground corn meal, etc. Visit the 8 room hillbilly museum. "Hill" novelties, handcrafts, and souvenirs. Air conditioned. On U.S. Highway 60-63 in Cabool, Missouri.
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Entering headhunter country on a trip down the Rivers of Adventure, a jungle boat passes colorfully costumed natives celebrating the kill of a lion in their village along the river banks.
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Nestled in the pines. Beautiful new carpeted units with refrigerated air conditioning and silent baseboard heat. Lovely swimming pool and cabana. 200 feet from restaurant and in center of town. 1700 ft elevation, near hunting and fishing.
And that brings us to the end of another week. Our photographers have just enough time to reload their cameras before we see you all again next weekend. Thank you to all of our wonderful readers, and as always, a huge thank you to our amazing team of global photographers, spies, and gossips:
Jack Hollywood 1939 Wixom
TDLFAN
Denise nbodyhome Preskitt
SummerInFl
PhotoMatt
Fishbulb
sir clinksalot
MickeyMaxx
BigPigletFan
Abominable Snowman
A very special thank you to darkfairycthulu for sharing the postcard images with us.
Your Editor - Rixter
Where have YOU been recently? We invite you to share your photos of theme parks or any other destination that may be of interest to our readers. Please feel free to contact me via MiceChat Private Message (screen name Rixter)
or send me an email: oceansiderick@gmail.com.
or send me an email: oceansiderick@gmail.com.
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*Some factual information sourced from wikipedia.com.
Total Comments 24
Comments
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Great pictures!
Posted 01-10-2009 at 08:35 AM by SouthHrbrBlvd
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I am craving some German food now. It all looked so yummy. Great update as usual, can't wait to see next weeks installment.Posted 01-10-2009 at 09:10 AM by pratt55 -
Looks like you had a magical trip. Great update. Love the postcards and Mexico Pavilion shots as well.Posted 01-10-2009 at 09:34 AM by Timmy55 -
Great shots again this week, everyone, and I can't wait for those shots of that Castle next week!Posted 01-10-2009 at 09:52 AM by Mac Daddy -
If that gunfight isn't at Knott's, then where is it? Calico? Ghost Town in the Sky?
Any hints here? You can't pose a tease like that and then not answer it... =PPosted 01-10-2009 at 10:54 AM by JesterMn -
The caption is a link to the answer!Quote:If that gunfight isn't at Knott's, then where is it? Calico? Ghost Town in the Sky?
Any hints here? You can't pose a tease like that and then not answer it... =PPosted 01-10-2009 at 12:11 PM by Rixter -
Nice photos!Posted 01-10-2009 at 12:23 PM by WheresMickey -
Great Update!Posted 01-10-2009 at 12:28 PM by Kritter -
Wonderful photos! And I get a real kick out of the postcards. Time for me to go digging through my own old postcard collection and see what I can find!Posted 01-10-2009 at 12:34 PM by C. Andrew Nelson -
Wow, that last postcard looks like it was taken in Europe! Best image I have ever seen of the chalet!!Posted 01-10-2009 at 12:40 PM by karen_c -
Cool update!Posted 01-10-2009 at 12:55 PM by DonDuck -
GREAT pics guys. Can't wait for the next weekend update.Posted 01-10-2009 at 05:34 PM by GoofyDave -
I would have sworn the gunfight photo was an early Frontierland pic.
awsome updatePosted 01-10-2009 at 05:54 PM by hadesthecat -
Love those photos of Germany. I'm half German and to be there at Christmas would be so special.
Love the postcards. That link to the story regarding the gunfight one was kind of sad.Posted 01-10-2009 at 06:19 PM by Wendygirl -
I wish I could go to Europe....great pics!!! I loved them!Posted 01-10-2009 at 06:38 PM by FantasmicNut -
I love the Skyway Chalet post card, especially looking toward the horizon on the right side. No sign of Anaheim beyond the berm. Just an air brushed lake and mountains beyond. If only!
Posted 01-10-2009 at 07:14 PM by MickeyMaxx -
Great update. Thanks for including the postcard descriptions! The Skyway Chalet one is interesting.Posted 01-10-2009 at 07:29 PM by Barbossa -
The pictures from Germany are just lovely... thanks for the update!Posted 01-11-2009 at 04:27 PM by haunted_hottie -
i recognized that postcard immediately. i sed to go there with my grandpa!
(the not knott's one)Posted 01-11-2009 at 07:35 PM by Jordiekins - That not Knott's postcard is from Pollardville Ghost town that used to be outside Stockton, California. They closed it about two years ago. The ghost town buildings were rescued from a 1957 western called The Big Country. Pollardville also had a good chicken kitchen just like Knott's.Posted 01-11-2009 at 10:13 PM by Yensid2
