Hector does the World (extremely photo heavy)

[Sam]

New pics coming VERY soon!

promises promises!


































Oh you mean the pictures. I couldnt see it all struck out like that! Yes please continue

[Hector]

Day 6: Part 2 Parque de Atracciones de Zaragoza

So after a fun filled day at one Parque de Atracciones, we were off to another in a completely different part of Spain! with a four hour bus drive we had quite a long time to kill so we watched a few DVDs consisting of Family Guy, Robot Chicken, various segments from TPR's DVDs, and other random shows to try and keep us entertained.

ooooooo artsy



But plenty of random stuff to look at on the way



Very. Boring. Drive.



I found my tooth cousin during our stop along the way. He was mighty tasty.



Wind farm



Welcome to Zaragoza, we decided to build the entire city at once

FINALLY we made it the park where we had some free time in the park and a dinner planned.

Photo by Robb Alvey

One of the coasters they had there was called Raneses and it was so messed up. (watch my reaction of the ride here)



Photo by Robb Alvey

They had a Satori Techno Jump which we dubbed "bouncy bouncy" Basically you sit facing forward, the ride spins around really fast and the arms "jump" up and down creating a LOT of air time and a giggle inducing ride



Then they decided to feed us on proper china. We were all so confused.




photo by Robb Alvey

Their food likes to look back at you. Funny thing is we all thought this was all because they kept coming around with more and more of the same things. THEN they brought out big pices of lamb for everyone (which I didn't eat cause I have a wired things of food still on the bone)



MMMM Dessert!

They also gave us wine, and champagne... what the hell were they thinking! After dinner, we headed out to the park for a few more last minute stuff, we ended up doing their really lame dark ride, and since we were all good and drunk at that point we decided on the mirror maze! Of course this lead to much hilarity as we actually got lost for a good 15-20 minutes. I don't think I've ever laughed harder in my life. We ended up scaring each other when we bumped into one another when we thought there was glass in front of us and people would walk right into some of the windows thinking they could get through. It was awesome! One final ride on Bouncy Bouncy, and we were off to our Hotel for the evening. It was a quick 20 minute bus ride away and they had a bar, so of course that's were we ended up!

Unwinding after a LONG day



Guess i had to much as my camera saw what I did

After being yelled at by the receptionist multiple times we all went up to our rooms and passed out awaiting our next destination.

[Sam]

those are some pretty pictures!



Love this one!

Love the tooth cousin as well! lol

[Hector]

Day 7-9: Part one Port Aventura

After waking up nice and early, we headed off to our next destination which was going to be Port Aventura for the next three and a half days with a side trip to Barcelona and Tibidabo. To save my self some laziness, I'm gonna do all three and a half days we spent at PA in this post. Get ready, cause there's a LOT of pictures from here. The place is one of the best theme parks I've been to. The park originally opened as a venture between the Tussauds group (who used to own a lot of parks in the UK), Anheuser-Busch (kown for it's two Busch Gardens and Sea World parks) and Universal Studios (should be enough said there) in 1997 before being completely taken over by Universal. In 2004 NBC Universal sold all it's intrest to La Caixa, which is a mojr bank in Spain. Despite not having Universal for a few years, the place still reeks of it. I guess it would be like the Six flags parks after Warner Brothers sold it off in the mid 90's.

OK, on to the many many many pictures I have!

View from my Hotel room. easiest hedge maze ever!



hmmm what's that in the distance?



quick 10 minute walk to the park from our Hotel



Tiny Water park



The themeing is great



Pretty entrance



Thei main mascot is a guy who loves wood



This is the amazing view you get when you pass the entrance



New for 2007 is Furious Baco up there on the hill. it really fits in.



The theme is a crazy wine inventor is testing his latest machine when his monkey assistant pulls a wrong lever. Unfortunately it was down when we got to it the first night...



We decided to head off to explore the rest of the park



the Polynesia section of the park is really well themed



YAY! first credit at the park. Tami Tami is a Vekoma Roller skater, similar to Gadget's Go Coaster



The park really reminded me of Island's of Adventure, but I liked this park a LOT more



Grabbed a quick bite and ate under this



Next up was the simulator with the best queue



Plenty of theme here



What kind of Simulator is this?



AT least if there was a long line, it wouldn't be too boring



Very Star Tours. The simulator was crap, but it had the GREATEST safety video EVER!



The greatest reason for China, Dragon Kahn!



Dragon Kahn is a sit down Bolliger and Mallibard with eight incervsions, the most on ANy B&M and quite frankly. The second best B&M I've been on.



Yet another grand station for their coaster



Lift Hill: the Ride!



El Diablo is an Arrow Mine Train featuring three lifts, one of which drops you into a set of brakes only to go up another lift... yeah...



Next up is Hurakan Condor, An Intamin AG Free Fall tower coming in at 330' with a 282' drop.



Hurakan Condor features three ways to fall, Regulaar sit down, sitdown that tilts forward at the top, and stand-up floorless sides that also tilt. Stand-up floorless is by FAR the best of the three.



More crazy random themeing on their flat rides. This is a standard Himalaya style ride

There's plenty more to come.

[Hector]

Day 7-9: Part two Port Aventura



The Log ride was really good with three drops, but you get REALLLY wet, which is good cause it was hot!



So we had to warm up somehow



Next morning was some ERT (Exclusive Ride Time) on Stampedia, the parks dueling/racing CCI woodie



Not the best ride, but it wasn't THAT bad.



By China they have a big area of just grass populated by bunnies!



Fountain by Dragon Kahn



More Furiously Masturbator



Coaster Dork pull down your shorts now



Don't mess with the guys from Templo del Fuego



We're addicted!!



Fun with Lasers, this thing actually hit the clouds, it was crazy!

Next up, Day 8.5 at Tibidabo and day 9.5 Benidorm!

[Sam]

very nice pics yet again I love that port aventura or whatever it was and Dragon Khan looks sick as hell! Great updates Hector

[demento57]

So why was so great about the safety video?

[Rick_A_Mortis]

LoL DOH! TPR rocks!

[Maverick]

niceeeeeeeeeeeee

[Hector]

So why was so great about the safety video?

Basically, it's a 3-D bathroom figure showing you what NOT to do during the ride involving a lot of slapstick humor, and a baby talking out of the womb. Very Random and funny, I'm sorry I didn't grab a video of it.

[BenG]

Thei main mascot is a guy who loves wood

Awesome trip! Prot Aventura looks great.

[Hector]

Day 8.5: Tibidabo Amusement Park

Tibidabo is actually a mountain located in Barcelona that just happens to have an amusement park at the top. The narrow winding road up we took on the bus was easily one of the scariest bus rides I've ever ben on. Once we reached the top of the mountain, the road we took was actually to narrow for the bus to continue, so we actually ended up having to hike up the rest of the way. At the top we reached the Temple de Sagrat Cor which is a catholic church right next to the park. It was big and beautiful and I'm kinda sad I didn't have a chance to go in.

the Temple de Sagrat Cor

Tibidabo is actually the oldest amusement park in Barcelona and like Kennywood in PA, It has managed to keep a lot of the rides it opened with adding new thrills and fun along the way. The park actually has six levels to it having different attractions on each level. It honestly looked liked something made in Roller Coaster Tycoon.

Tibiyabbadaddadobo



Let's ride the scary bucket of death ride!



Jesus That's tiny



Hello Barcelona!



"Quick everyone in for a picture before it moves"
*Everyone let's go and just starts to move*
*Bucket starts moving*
*EVERYONE grabs on for their lives*



Back on the ground, a ghetto Galaxy



Please stay on the track. Please stay on the track. Please stay on the track.



View from right next to the coaster with crazy airplane ride on the top right



Airplane on a stick that actually uses it's propellers to move and with real aiplane interior inculding a toilet with a glass door



Everything's built on top of each other

Next up, Day 9.5: Benidorm

[Hector]

Day 9.5: Benidorm

Our last day at Port Aventura wasonly half a day and the other half was spent traveling to Benidorm and getting to explore a little of the city. The bus ride took about six hours, with a one hour lunch break and a little bit of a traffic jam.

Are we there yet?



Welcome to the nicest resort you will ever stay in



Welcome to your suite



Walk IN closet



Nice tub



They even give us robes!?! Screw this dump, let's go downtown!



Random tiny amusement center in the middle of the city



They like to violate copyright laws too



Let's go to the beach



Very Miami-ish



ooo New Sea Credit



Yes, I got in too



Random Dance party!



One of these things is not like the other



Let's go wash our feet free of the evil sand



Wonder what we can find



ooo sand art



Are you done yet?



Hey, that looks like fun



MMMMMMMMM Windex! I desperately wish they still sold this in the states. It's a bubblegum flavored vodka drink!



Zoomed in shot of the view from my room



Benidorm being all pretty



One of three pools, this is the "medium" sized one



That would be the small one...



Damn I love shooting a nice one at night



I see you Benidorm



Good morning Benidorm!



This is what the Resort will look like when it's finished next year when the Golf Course opens



This is what it looks like now. This is also part of the "BIG" pool with fake beach



Tummy's full of yummy food, off to Terra Mitica and another REALLY long drive back to Madrid

[Sam]

Hector I love the pictures they are great like always.... I LOVE the last one of you I didnt remember seeing that one....

[sir clinksalot]

Awesome pics Hector. Looks like you had a pretty awesome time.

At the top we reached the Temple de Sagrat Cor which is a catholic church right next to the park. It was big and beautiful and I'm kinda sad I didn't have a chance to go in.

This would be my thing with a group trip like that. I can't imagine going to a foreign country and not taking time to see such a beautiful place. I mean, I realize the goal is to ride coasters, which is all fine and good, and I'd love to go to those parks, but I'd also love to see what else is out there.

Even when we did our PA Trip, even though we crammed 4 parks in 3 days (Hershey, Knoebels, Dorney and SFGAdv) we took time to do the Hershey bus tour to get the history of the place.

Of course, if the park had been open when we got there, we probably wouldn't have.