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Published: September 16th 2015
Cappuccino Outside the Hotel
Chilly, wet morning. But the belly was warm!162026SEP2015
Hello hello!!!!!
And another day down! Today was no as eventful day as the last few, but it was very nice.
Today I just planned on relaxing really, and recovering from the last few days. I did not want to tie myself to an agenda today, just to give myself a mental break. I slept in, which was amazing. When I woke up, I was debating between 2 options for the day: Take the metro into Paris and see some of the landmarks more in-depth...Or go back to Disneyland Paris and use my park voucher to go to Walt Disney Studios (I had purchased a 2-Day, 2-Park ticket, and did not go to the Studios the first day). I decided the weather would dictate my day. I opened the curtain, and it was pouring, and 50 degrees. UGH! I decided I did not want to navigate the streets of Paris in the pouring rain. At least with Walt Disney Studios, most of the shows and rides were inside. So I went with Disney.
After scarfing down a quick breakfast and cappuccino at the hotel, I left around 10 AM. The drive was
as easy as ever...I am getting familiar with area...just in time for me to leave! I got to the park shortly after it opening, and it was more crowded than I thought it would be. Much more than Monday's trip to Disneyland. The security guy checking my bag was super thorough. He used a flashlight, dumped the contents, really got in there. I was wondering why the line was taking so long! Once I got through I realized that my sweater and yoga pants were not going to be enough to make it through the day. It was raining steadily, and very chilly. Darn Disney, I have to give you more money. I went into the shop and bought a fleece cap, and a poncho. It did the trick.
After exchanging my voucher for my ticket, I walked into the park, which was built in 2002. It was like walking into California (minus the warmth and sun!)! The building leading into the park was modeled after 1930s-1940s Hollywood and Vine Street. It had The Brown Derby, among other shops and restaurants. Once you head back outside, there was a movie set type background that had the Hollywood sign, and
a lot of 1940s-looking vehicles and buildings. Very charming!!! The park has a front lot, back lot, and toon studio.
It was raining very hard, so I wanted to find a dry, warm place to start. I started with the studio tour, which took you on a tram through the woods, which highlighted varying props from movies like Reign of Fire and Pearl Harbor. The special effects shows were awesome!!! I wish I could upload videos, because things blew up, thousands of gallons of water were dumped, and things shaked and quaked! My favorite part was anything that included fire...because it was warm!
Leaving the studio tour, I continued to wander. They had an interesting Toy Story ride, where you were little toy Soldiers. Really, little toy Paratroopers. You went up in a seat with a "parachute," and dropped, bounced back up, and dropped again. Pretty cute.
Not many characters out due to the rain. I saw Buzz Lightyear. But the highlight for me was seeing the mouse, the myth, the legend...Mickey! I had to get a picture! The line wasn't too bad, it took about 20 minutes. The family in front of me was a nightmare
though, definitely the worst one I encountered in my 2-day, 2-park excursion. They were from England it sounded like. The one boy, probably 2, kept tugging at my poncho thinking I was his mother. Very bossy, very demanding to his mom. He hit his older sister (about 8) multiple times. Nothing was done. The daughter was whiny about her poncho, and both her and the little one kept screaming and crying. The oldest brother looked completely annoyed, and the mother seemed overwhelmed and frustrated. I should have captured her faces for my album of angry parents! But I was so annoyed by her children, and kept wishing she would handle them better. By the time they got to Mickey, the youngest one wanted nothing to do with the picture, and hit Mickey. They walked away with nothing, after all that time waiting. O_O I hope my kids don't end up like that. Doubtful, I would keep them in line!
On a happy note, I enjoyed my time with Mickey! It was the highlight of the studio trip for sure!!!!
It appears that the movies they highlighted the most were Armageddon (they had a studio ride dedicated to their
special effects), 101 Dalmatians, and Pearl Harbor. I am assuming that there must have been a heavy French hand in those movies. I should have asked. I did learn that the birth of special effects was heavily supplemented by the work of Georges Méliès, a French illusionist and filmmaker in the late 19th and early 20th century.
After about 2 hours, I was completely waterlogged and cold. I was not much interested in walking around anymore. By the it was 1 PM, and I was ready to go home. But...not before eating! I ate at a charming American-style 1950s diner called Cafe des Cascadeurs. Standard bacon cheeseburger, fries, and ice cream. Very good, and reasonably priced for it being a Disney park. I did enjoy the coffee the most. It was tasty, strong, and most importantly warm in my belly!!!! I needed it!
After lunch, I was ready to go. There were a few other places I wanted to see, but not enough to navigate the cold rainy lots, and fight through the wet people who were crowding themselves into every small nook and cranny that had a roof. I was honestly shocked at how crowded it was!
Props from Pearl Harbor
On the studio tram tour! I was ready to just go relax in the hotel before my big trip to Switzerland.
Heading back, I again had a frustrating adventure. I found a BP gas station that had a diesel pump! It was just off he A4 highway, on my way back to Champigny Sur Marne. I had to prepay. The guy did not speak good English, but I did understand prepay. I went to stick my card in the machine, and it kept getting rejected. I have found that the card machines out here are temperamental with American cards. Machines have 2 options for cards: standard slide, and stick into the bottom. I have found my card needing to do slide on some, and stick on the others. I do not know if there is a rhyme or reason to it...I just hope for the best. Well the guy told me to stick, which kept giving me errors for both my cards. He was getting frustrated, as was I. I was trying to explain to him in English that I think I had to slide, but he was insistent I had to stick it into the bottom, not slide. I was disagreeing with him!
Mickey and Me
Should be the name to a sitcom He said in English my cards must have been shut off. I knew that wasn't the case. Of course I had forgotten to go to the ATM at the park, and I used the last of my Euro for lunch. I asked where the nearest ATM was, and he said down the street at the Post Office. By the way, a lot of the gas stations out here don't have ATMs...which is something I am definitely not used to! I went outside, and walked down the street..thinking the Post Office was close. I walked about 2 blocks in the rain, and was very confused. I got annoyed and turned back around. Too much trouble, and all I needed was a quarter tank of fuel. I could survive. So I went back to the zoom zoom and left.
Later on in the afternoon I decided I wanted to fill up before the long drive. So I drove around for a different gas station that was more reasonable, and for an ATM so I could avoid any more awkward card situations. I found a place that had a diesel pump. The lady spoke zero English when I was prepaying. And of
Burgers at Cafe des Cascadeurs
Very tasty! Felt like I was back home for a minute. course no ATM. I was so annoyed again, that I did not bother to get my change after filling up. So I was out like 6 bucks, euros. Oh well, at least I had a full tank again! I did find a bank on the way back to the hotel, and drew Euro again...enough to get me through France, with enough left over for when I go to Italy. All in all, this gas and ATM excursion took over an hour! Nothing is ever simple Kayko in a foreign country now is it?!
Once I got back to my room, all I wanted was a hot shower, fluffy warm sweatpants, and my blanket! I packed up the majority of my stuff, so I do not have to worry about it in the morning. I made more cheese and salami sandwiches for dinner (thank you to the Leader Price food market next door for the goods to make dinner sandwiches the last 3 nights!). Then I focused on catching up on blogging, and listening to the rain.
All in all, today was not the most exciting of days. But I am perfectly okay with that! I think I needed
a rest day before my big drive to Zermatt. Sleeping in, no real agenda, and blogging was pleasant to me!
I am trying to research rest and fuel stops for this drive. Driving through the Swiss border seems simple enough. I am not too nervous. Of course you will hear all about it, so wish me luck!
Until tomorrow! À bientôt!!!
XOXO,
Kayko
162107SEP2015
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