The Magic Kingdom

January 5 – Drive to Bakersfield was uneventful…..except for the fog.  Day dawned sunny and warm but when we got on the road (and over the hills) the fog rolled in and stayed.  Fog is expected to stay for the next week!!!!  So much cooler, dank, and not the best weather……….BUT when we get into our Bakersfield RV (Orange Grove RV park) the orange trees are loaded.  Orange Grove RV is built on the acreage of an orange grove and each site has at least one orange tree next to the rig.  We have three trees and right behind us is the dog run with two rows of loaded orange trees just waiting for someone to pick them.  There is nothing like tree ripened orange……..and they’re  FREE!!!  Tomorrow we get a Fantastic fan in the bathroom.  Our bathroom fan has developed a major fault – it doesn’t work and we need to replace it.

January 6 – Up early because someone Ross travels with someone who, while making the appointment with Camping World, said rather non-challantly: “Sure we can be there by 8:30”!!  Keep in mind that we had to get up, dressed, have something to eat, pack everything away, slides pulled in, car hitched and get the dogs walked……..all by sometime before dawn!!  But we did get things organized and we were off by 8:00.  Decided to have Ross drive the car and follow the motor home. BIG mistake!!  While going over some rough pavement the hitch arms fell down on the pavement.  Sparks flying all over so when we finally got stopped, the metal cords used as security cables were ruined, the end of both arms were slightly ground down, and the pins were gone.  We gathered what we could and were at Camping World by 8:27. 

So while the good people at Camping World worked on installing a new fan in the bathroom we took the dogs for a walk, shopped at Camping World, had a coffee at Starbucks, and filled the car with gas.  By 11:00 we were driving out of the CampingWorld parking lot…….with new pins, new safety cords, and a new bathroom fan that runs perfectly!!  Back at the RV park we set up camp again and then went out to explore Bakersfield.  This is an interesting town.  Mainly agricultural (oranges, nuts, other citrus, some vegetable markets), a railway hub, confluence of four highways, and that’s about all.  Took ourselves to Olive Garden for a late lunch and then explored the town.  Interesting neighbourhoods – some rich, beautiful homes, some run down areas, plenty of Mexican influence.  Then back home to watch a little TV, drink a little wine, and an early night.

January 7 – Today we are off to see the zoo, but before we do that, the dogs have got to be walked and there are oranges to be picked – the trees are loaded and we have picked our share.  Large, ripe, sweet, and full of Vitamin C.  And did we mention they’re free!!!  Left the dogs in the motor home (they would not be welcome at the zoo) and off to find this place – California Living Museum (CALM) – www.calmzoo.org.  CALM is California’s premier native zoo and botanic garden, focussing exculsively on California’s native animal exhibits and plants (this from their brochure). 

We found the place a little run-down, cages are small and some of the animals looked to be in some distress.  On the bright side all animals on display are not able to fend for themselves due to disability or their dependence on humans so they are in this zoo to be used for demonstration and educational purposes.  As we walked around the zoo there were an amazing amount of light displays.  HolidayLights runs from mid November to the end of December and has been going for the last 17 years.  Would love to see it sometime.

Back home and had some time with the pups then off to a restaurant that we discovered here two years ago – La Costa Seafood.  Great place for shrimp and other seafood – not as good as our favourite place in Fresno where we can walk in, pick up a beer, order whatever we want, and sit down to listen to a semi-good mariachi band……….but still good.  Ed had the shrimp diablo,  Ross had shrimp mi tierra and we both had a margarita followed by a great flan. 

Tomorrow we head over to Anaheim and the Magic Kingdom for a couple of days.

January 8 – Drive to Anaheim was rather uneventful except when we didn’t trust the GPS guy and took a right turn instead of staying in the left lane.  Saw a bit of LA that we hadn’t planned to see but very quickly found our way back to the highway and onto the RV park (Anaheim Resort RV park).  VERY nice and great office staff – exactly the type of people that need to be in the public’s eye.

By the way, and speaking of our delightful GPS, from the end of the Grapevine (mountain highway leading into LA on I-5) our navigator said: “Left turn ahead”, or “Stay in the left lane”, or “Keep left” a total of 46 times until we turned off into the RV park…………just thought you all might be interested in that little tidbit!!!

Got settled and watched the LAPD (or was it the Anaheim police) detain a couple of kids skateboarding on the school grounds – three cop cars, four cops, and a helicopter, Oh My!!  Dinner in tonight to rest up for the next couple of days.  About 9PM we heard fireworks and …. Lo and behold, we could see fireworks from the Matterhorn at Disneyland……..we are that close!!!  Impressive!

January 9 – First day at Disneyland and got to see all the usual haunts (except Haunted Mansion which is closed so they can remove the Christmas lights). This place is so much fun, so clean, so …….so…magical.  We are always amazed how nice the staff is, how clean and new all the attractions look (even after 55 years), and how some attractions have been updated (People Mover in
Tomorrowland is now Innoventions). Got to see a new section – Toontown. 

Now we have been told that Toon Town was built and used from 1955 until last year as office space. Now a great place for the younger set.  All buildings are out of whack, with garish colours, and cartoon characters all over.  Some great rides too.  However did have an interesting ride on the Roger Rabbit Car Toon Spin – it broke down just before we got to the end and we had to walk out of the ride - - - in harsh worklights - - - -destroyed the illusion. Home briefly to walk and feed the dogs so we can go back to the park for dinner (BBQ family style) and stayed for the fireworks display. 

Fireworks are incredible……Cinderella’s Castle is ablaze with spots, fireworks, laser, music, and even Tinkerbell flying between the Matterhorn and the Castle (lit up and with a great follow spot).  Simply amazing and narrated by none other than Julie Andrews.  And for about 30 minutes!!  We had enough time to ride the Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster for the second time today – too cool!!

January 10 – Today we tackled California Adventures – a new park to us and we are excited to see what they have in store..  We get into the park (not as many people as we have seen so should be a good day) and Muppet Vison 3D is the first attraction (and no lineups) – great animation and incredible 3D.  Then through Hollywood Pictures Backlot and see the Hyperion Theatre is showing the musical “Aladdin” four times today (we will have to make time for that one).  On through Backlot (avoiding the Tower of Terror – too many screams coming from the place) and into “a bug’s land”. 

No lineups for “It’s Tough to be a Bug” so we had to see that (and it’s another 3D attraction).  Guess what………we get half way through and the house lights come up with the young man acting as host asking us to please leave the theatre immediately.  He has a note of urgency to his voice so we are off and out of there!!  Found out that the largest ‘bug’ sometimes has a little problem with hydraulic fluid leaking from one of his many limbs and theatre is shut down to keep from splattering the guests with hot hydraulic fluid!  (Also found out that originally they had the same trouble with the Mr Lincoln speaks animatron…..except the fluid used was red and it used to bleed out onto Mr. Lincoln’s shirt – not too great…….accurate maybe, but not the greatest way to portray a great President). 

Onto the Golden State section – saw a demonstration of making sourdough bread (real bakery making the bread with overhead TV segments with Rosie O’Donnell and Colin Mochrie),  The bakery is connected to a restaurant where they serve four kinds of soup in a bread bowl – will have to have one next time……..but for now we had a coffee and Mickey Mouse cookie while overlooking the bay, roller coaster, ferris wheel, etc.  Quick tour of tortilla factory (much like the bakery) and back to the Hyperion Theatre.  Lots of people waiting in line……let’s hope the theatre is large.  Finally doors open and we are led into a massive theatre – four or five  times the size of Cleland theatre……….lights everywhere……..real nice.  Did not know what to expect but were thrilled “Aladdin” is a musical…..with live actors and a whole bunch of flying.  Hey, we’re talking about Aladdin, and the magic lantern, and magic carpets, etc.  VERY, VE RY well done show.  After that we treated ourselves with a couple of glasses of port, some blue cheese, and some chocolate then some more port.

Back to the motor home to release the dogs, feed them, and get ready for another feast at the park.  Delightful dinner at Ariel’s Grotto – three course meal of an antipasto plate for appys, ciopinno (sausage, lobster, shrimp, redfish, scallops in a very zesty tomato sauce (almost too hot for Ross), and an incredible plate of desserts.  We could have taken a quick tour of Paradise Pier but we had reserved seating for the World of Color extravaganza.  So we waddle over to the reserved section only to find we actually don’t have “seating” but have to stand. 

To make sure we have a great view we decide to stay, ask the hosts/guides where a good place to stand and we stand there for about an hour.  The show is beyond description!!  Hundreds of water jets that can move in all directions - all with their own spotlights (with capability to change colors…the large lagoon seems to be filled with illuminated paint), lasers and holograms bring various Disney ‘starts’ to life  against a massive water spray, incredible music, fire,massive follow  spots….a techie’s dream!

There are times that there was so much water in the air that we thought the lagoon would be empty!

It left us breathless and totally wowed.  Those of you who know us well know that we can be a little jaded when it comes to theatrical productions.  This production (and the Aladdin show) were out of this world……….and only Disney could have put this together!!!!

Tomorrow we leave this magical place and we can only wait for the next time we can return.