123 FIRST FULL DAY

Sunny, 18C with a slight breeze, and a few puffy scattered clouds.  Warm enough to be comfortable in shorts and a Dri-fit T-shirt but not so hot that you dehydrate from sweating.  My favourite kind of day.  I got downstairs for breakfast, and I was hesitant to eat in the cafeteria again after my $26 Cuban sandwich and a salad last night.  But I was hungry and went to a different segment.  Breakfast was only $10 and was scrambled eggs (not my fave, but all they make), 5 strips of bacon, 2 sausages, hash browns and a biscuit.  That’s much more reasonable.  Also had my first Starbucks in almost 2 years, just like I remember it.

After breakfast, I was off to find the Universal City Walk.  It’s within walking distance at just over a mile, but I took a wrong turn and ended up walking the entire circumference of the Cabana Bay Complex.  It’s huge.  It paid off though as I got some pretty good photos of, I think a small Egret hunting, capturing and eating a lizard.  This was right on the center median of the roadway.

Then I spotted the signs and followed along to find City Walk.  This is a free section of the whole Universal complex.  Then I started walking and shooting for hours.  There’s a river complex that links up several of the hotels in the area.  There are shuttle boats on the river that are free to take, and you can just do a water tour on them.  I jumped in one and headed off.  It was nice to get off my feet for a bit.

I came back and had to have a soft pretzel.  I went to a little stand called Auntie Annie’s.  Kind of ironic because that’s what we called my Dad’s sister Anne.  The pretzel was excellent and the water cold, the price?  Not so much.  $20 for a pretzel and a 500 ml bottle of water.  But, as I said, the pretzel was good, and I was thirsty.

The camera and 600 mm lens were a real conversation starter.  I had more people stop and chat with me about the camera.  Even the security people at the entrance.  Speaking of which, security is tight.  It’s like going through the airport.  Everything goes through an x-ray machine and the guard’s wand you.  I never knew this was being done here.  Apparently, the security at Disney is even tighter, but they don’t have the x-ray machines.  I’ll let you know when I go.

I know what the cleanliness is like at Disney, well it is the same at Universal.  There are wastebaskets and recycling bins every 50 feet or so and people use them.  On the rare occasion that there is a spill, or someone accidentally drops something, the cleaners are right there picking in up.  It seems to be the same wherever I go.  Orlando is just a clean city.  Unlike the Vancouver Metro area.

While there, I saw the theater from the Blue Man Group and went up to ask some questions about bringing my camera in and using it.  They told me it was no problem bringing it in, but I had to swear not to use it.  I’ve wanted to see one of their concerts ever since seeing them on a talk show and watching clips on YouTube.  I wasn’t ready to buy tickets just yet.

I wandered around checking everything out and chatting with a variety of people from everywhere.  I ended up with a total of 10.3 miles walked for the morning and afternoon.  My feet and back were sore so I went back to the hotel for a couple hours of rest and then things were up in the air as to what I’d do next.  It was then I discovered that there is a free shuttle bus back to my hotel.  I was spent, so I jumped on.

After resting for a bit, I suddenly decided that I would go to the Blue Man Group tonight.  So, I went online and booked a ticket.  I got a seat in row 6, center stage, which is just outside what they call the Poncho Zone.  Everyone in the first 4 rows is wearing a large plastic bag.  The reason became apparent very quickly into the show.  There is lots of splashing of paint and other things from their percussion instruments.  The paint is washable, but I guess they like to protect the audience.  They are very talented musicians.  There are the three main stars and a backing band of 4 more.  It is very funny, great music and lots of audience interaction.  It’s a very good show for a reasonable price of $63.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Then it was time to make the long trek back to the bus stop and jump aboard the shuttle back to the hotel.  I’m knackered and should fall asleep quite quickly.  Unlike last night when I was up until 3:00 AM.  To be fair that is only midnight at home, but I must transition to Eastern time now.