If I had to live anywhere in the states, I’m starting to think I would choose Orlando. But then again, I suspect that is just the theme part nerd in me speaking.
After a long long day of travel (ugh) I finally ended up safely ensconced in a hotel on Universal Drive, only steps from practically everything of interest and a shuttle ride for everything else. So immediately after breakfast, off we went to explore.
It turned out that our hotel was in walking distance of everything from miniature golf to aquariums. There was even a Madame Tussaud’s wax museum! With so many choices, it was kind of difficult to figure out where to go first, but ultimately we went to one of my favourite places
Oooh there’s a Ripley’s here?
Yup, I think it’s right down the street. Wanna do that?
Yes!
So we ambled down the road to the oddly crooked looking building (it’s built to look like it’s sinking into the pavement) and entered into the world of the bizarre, disturbing, and interactive.
The last time I was at a Ripley’s Believer it or Not was in England, and I had fantastic shots of my sitting in the world’s largest chair. I love the place, it’s full of bizarre illusions and interactivity exhibits (the crooked room where everything appears to run uphill drives me crazy) scattered with some very heavy pieces of actual history that catch you by surprise. For example, we turned a corner and found ourselves face to face with a giant section of the Berlin wall. It’s interesting to see how different museums treat different things – there was also a section of the Wall in the Smithsonian, and it was behind glass; but here? It was just sitting there, a massive hulking slab of concrete reaching up to the ceiling inviting you to reach out and feel what it has seen.
Amazing.
I also now have a matched set of pictures of me sitting in the largest pair of chairs in the world. And I am still only a quarter of the size of the tallest man in the world. I also still cannot beat Amras at carnival shooting ranges, although this time around I at least gave him a run for his money.
Yup, love it.
We followed up Ripley’s with a round of pirate mini-golf (which I most definitely lost, quite humiliating really) – and followed that up with ice cream…
Just at this moment, the ship feels blissfully far away…
It’s always fun to armchair travel with you. Thank you again for sharing your perspective on places. I’m glad you had fun.