Pirates of the Caribbean Ride: Yo Ho, Yo Ho

by Jamie Rhein on

With Pirates of the Caribbean’s huge success at the box office, it’s no wonder Disneyland and Disney World revamped the Pirates of the Caribbean ride last summer. I do think this ride is still my favorite and certainly didn’t mind seeing Johnny Depp several times throughout last time I was a rider.

Before Johnny appears (smile), I mean Captain Jack, there’s a huge image of Davy Jones projected onto mist that the ride’s passenger boats pass through. After the boat drops into the main section and the song starts, Captain Jack Sparrow shows up. Part of the charm is seeing where he appears. One time he is popping out of a barrel and right before the end, a rum swigging Jack talks to the riders. (Check out Pirates of the Caribbean Rehab at AllEarsNet for more impressions and a photos.)

I also found this cool Disney site devoted to the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. There’s a video with interviews and footage about how the updates were made plus the history of how the ride came about. And if that’s not enough, here’s a link to Pirates of the Caribbean ride Fun Facts page. For some reason, I find the comments from people who have been on this ride several times fascinating. They pick up on things others may miss.

When I went on the ride, the line took all of five minutes. I wonder with the new movie out, if the wait is any longer.

World Grits Festival: Not Just for Eating

by Jamie Rhein on

Hurry and you might be able to dive into grits if you live anywhere close to St. George, South Carolina. This is the weekend of the World Grits Festival. If I had only known sooner… I found out about this grits mania while I was savoring my morning coffee and thumbing through the Sunday paper. There was a grainy photo of a 6-year-old in a mess of grits. The only way I could tell the dot in the photo was a 6-year-old was because the caption said it was–same thing with the grits. It’s hard to tell one is looking at the top view of a large inflatable-type wading pool filled with grits when the photo is black and white and grainy.

Since I like grits and think a trip to the southern states would be lacking without at least one meal with grits served on the side, I immediately hit the internet to see what’s what in the grits world. St. George bills itself as the Grits Capitol of the World, for one thing.

Sure enough, this is a festival that should be included in festivals to see where food is the theme. And like the picture captured, one of the events at the World Grits Festival is jumping into grits. The festival also includes a grit eating contest and some event where participants roll in grits. Of course, you can eat grits all day. And like any decent festival, there’s a midway complete with rides, games and eats. For grits recipes and more photos, check out the website. This particular photo is from last year’s festival.

This year is the 22nd Annual Grits Festival. Perhaps, if you’ve missed this one, you could plan ahead and make it to the 23rd. I wonder if rolling around in grits is good for the skin–like a total body exfoliate experience.

Vietnamese Water Puppet Show

by Jamie Rhein on

If you’re ever in Hanoi don’t miss the Water Puppet Theater-even if you think you are not a puppet kind of person. This show is not just geared for kids, but meant to delight adults as well. Water puppetry started in farming communities when rice paddies were used as the stage. These days, puppeteers stand in water, chest deep, behind a curtain. The puppets are fastened onto poles and boards and are manipulated using the water as part of the scenery. Here’s a video sampling of what you will see. Sometimes the puppet troupe goes on tour. If it comes through your town, don’t miss it. Thanks, English Tim for the You Tube post.

Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown

by Jamie Rhein on

A celebrate your town event seems to me like a great idea to get people out of the house in the winter if you live where it’s colder. Starting today through this weekend that’s what folks in Victoria, Vancouver Island are doing. For the next 5 days various attractions around the town are welcoming their folks for just $9 Canadian dollars. Normally, admission to all of them would have a $425 price tag. This event called “Be a Tourist in your Own Home Town” happens every year. This is its 35th.

Included in the mix is: Royal London Wax Museum, Pacific Undersea Gardens, Beacon Hill Children’s Farm, Fort Rodd Hill & Fisgard Lighthouse, Glendale Gardens and Woodlands, Navel & Military Museum CFB Esquimalt and more. More than 15 places are included in all. Plus there are discounts at several hotels, tour companies and various shops about town.

Considering that reading about this event makes me want to head to Vancouver Island immediately, I wonder what other towns could offer such bounty that would get me to make a trip. What’s your hometown like and what things make you want to be a tourist there?