faline
08-07-2010, 07:14 PM
August 1, 2010 - continued
I was sitting on the steps on one side of the pool and Gene was hanging out by the lifeguard’s chair in another section of the pool (The lifeguard’s umbrella offers some shade in that area of the pool). I had looked straight out from where I was sitting and noticed there were some very unhappy, angry looking clouds in that area. I thought I heard a rumble of thunder and thought I saw a flash of lightning but wasn’t sure. A minute later, I distinctly heard the rumble of thunder. As I started to make my way across the pool, I glanced at Gene. He clearly had heard the thunder as well and was already making his way out of the pool. As I crossed the pool, a woman asked it that had been thunder and I said it had. That couple immediately began gathering their children. Just as I exited the pool, more thunder, and the lifeguards began whistling everyone else out of the pool. Before we even dried off, they were clearing the entire pool area.
We headed back up to our room. No housekeeping had yet visited. We showered and changed for dinner. Gene watched part of the Nascar race while I started to catch up on my trip notes. Shortly before we leave, mousekeeping knocks on our door. We say we’re fine but could use some fresh towels. She leaves us with a bunch. I could also look right out the patio door and see amazing flashes of lightning and hear thunder. It was still storming as we left our room to head out to dinner. When we get to the elevator bank, we find a teenager sitting and taking pictures of the storm. It had also started to rain while we crossed over the walkway to the Contemporary.
By time, we boarded the monorail, it was raining pretty hard. We took the monorail to the Grand Floridian where we exited. We went to Mizner’s where we had a drink, listened to the band (Gene loves the band as do I), and watched the rain, lightning and thunder. From the news on the tv here, the storm appeared to be quite a large one. They were issuing storm warnings and indicating there were “thousands” of lightning strikes! The band appeared to be concentrating on Disney songs this evening.
Our reservations at Citrico’s were for 7 p.m. so we walked the few steps from Mizner’s to Citrico’s in time for our dinner. We were seated at a window table within a few minutes and were able to continue to watch the storm. We were presented with another set of Anniversary buttons with our names and the number of years we’ve been married noted on them. We were also presented with personalized menus in honor of our anniversary. We had already decided – no wine for us tonight! We start with a trio of cheeses. Quite good. We follow this with a tomato and cheese salad. Yummy. For dinner, I select a veal shank and Gene beef shortrib. Both are excellent. My veal was very tender and falling off the bone! We are too full for dessert but order decaf coffee which is served in a press pot. Still, we’re provided with strawberries and whipped cream in honor of our anniversary! Also, two managers stopped by our table during our meal to offer their congratulations! Excellent meal to celebrate our special day!
While it has stopped raining, it’s still very dark and dismal outside. I don’t think we’ll be going to the Magic Kingdom tonight. We stop in a shop and, from the upstairs area, listen to the piano player. The band must be on a break. We walk out the door to the monorail and are told that the monorail is not currently operating due to lightning in the area. We’re told busses downstairs will be running the same route.
On the way downstairs, I suggest we take a cab but Gene doesn’t like that idea. We head to the Grand Floridian bus stop. Just as we arrive a bus is pulling in marked Magic Kingdom. A cast member at the bus stop announces the bus will be going to the Contemporary. Okay. That’s our stop. We board. When we leave the Grand Floridian, we take a right and head down a service road. It’s very dark and there are no streetlights along the way. Most of the lighting we see comes from autos headed in the opposite direction. We can only guess they belong to cars of cast members. Gene conjectures we’re traveling around the back of the Magic Kingdom and I think he is right. Soon, I look to my right and see Space Mountain. It is so close, it looks like I can reach out the bus window and touch it! We take a left and there is the bus area at the Magic Kingdom. We again turn to the left and soon are entering the Contemporary parking area. As we’re dropped off, we see two monorails glide by overhead and wonder if they are back in operation.
It’s not raining and we’re not seeing any lightning at the moment. We cross the parking lot and enter our building. Back in our room, I continue these notes until it’s time for the fireworks. We find the music on the television, watch the fireworks from inside while listening to the accompanying music. Way cool! We’ve got beautiful fireworks for our anniversary!
Tomorrow will be our last full day here and I’ve only managed to see the Main Street Electrical Parade once so far!
I was sitting on the steps on one side of the pool and Gene was hanging out by the lifeguard’s chair in another section of the pool (The lifeguard’s umbrella offers some shade in that area of the pool). I had looked straight out from where I was sitting and noticed there were some very unhappy, angry looking clouds in that area. I thought I heard a rumble of thunder and thought I saw a flash of lightning but wasn’t sure. A minute later, I distinctly heard the rumble of thunder. As I started to make my way across the pool, I glanced at Gene. He clearly had heard the thunder as well and was already making his way out of the pool. As I crossed the pool, a woman asked it that had been thunder and I said it had. That couple immediately began gathering their children. Just as I exited the pool, more thunder, and the lifeguards began whistling everyone else out of the pool. Before we even dried off, they were clearing the entire pool area.
We headed back up to our room. No housekeeping had yet visited. We showered and changed for dinner. Gene watched part of the Nascar race while I started to catch up on my trip notes. Shortly before we leave, mousekeeping knocks on our door. We say we’re fine but could use some fresh towels. She leaves us with a bunch. I could also look right out the patio door and see amazing flashes of lightning and hear thunder. It was still storming as we left our room to head out to dinner. When we get to the elevator bank, we find a teenager sitting and taking pictures of the storm. It had also started to rain while we crossed over the walkway to the Contemporary.
By time, we boarded the monorail, it was raining pretty hard. We took the monorail to the Grand Floridian where we exited. We went to Mizner’s where we had a drink, listened to the band (Gene loves the band as do I), and watched the rain, lightning and thunder. From the news on the tv here, the storm appeared to be quite a large one. They were issuing storm warnings and indicating there were “thousands” of lightning strikes! The band appeared to be concentrating on Disney songs this evening.
Our reservations at Citrico’s were for 7 p.m. so we walked the few steps from Mizner’s to Citrico’s in time for our dinner. We were seated at a window table within a few minutes and were able to continue to watch the storm. We were presented with another set of Anniversary buttons with our names and the number of years we’ve been married noted on them. We were also presented with personalized menus in honor of our anniversary. We had already decided – no wine for us tonight! We start with a trio of cheeses. Quite good. We follow this with a tomato and cheese salad. Yummy. For dinner, I select a veal shank and Gene beef shortrib. Both are excellent. My veal was very tender and falling off the bone! We are too full for dessert but order decaf coffee which is served in a press pot. Still, we’re provided with strawberries and whipped cream in honor of our anniversary! Also, two managers stopped by our table during our meal to offer their congratulations! Excellent meal to celebrate our special day!
While it has stopped raining, it’s still very dark and dismal outside. I don’t think we’ll be going to the Magic Kingdom tonight. We stop in a shop and, from the upstairs area, listen to the piano player. The band must be on a break. We walk out the door to the monorail and are told that the monorail is not currently operating due to lightning in the area. We’re told busses downstairs will be running the same route.
On the way downstairs, I suggest we take a cab but Gene doesn’t like that idea. We head to the Grand Floridian bus stop. Just as we arrive a bus is pulling in marked Magic Kingdom. A cast member at the bus stop announces the bus will be going to the Contemporary. Okay. That’s our stop. We board. When we leave the Grand Floridian, we take a right and head down a service road. It’s very dark and there are no streetlights along the way. Most of the lighting we see comes from autos headed in the opposite direction. We can only guess they belong to cars of cast members. Gene conjectures we’re traveling around the back of the Magic Kingdom and I think he is right. Soon, I look to my right and see Space Mountain. It is so close, it looks like I can reach out the bus window and touch it! We take a left and there is the bus area at the Magic Kingdom. We again turn to the left and soon are entering the Contemporary parking area. As we’re dropped off, we see two monorails glide by overhead and wonder if they are back in operation.
It’s not raining and we’re not seeing any lightning at the moment. We cross the parking lot and enter our building. Back in our room, I continue these notes until it’s time for the fireworks. We find the music on the television, watch the fireworks from inside while listening to the accompanying music. Way cool! We’ve got beautiful fireworks for our anniversary!
Tomorrow will be our last full day here and I’ve only managed to see the Main Street Electrical Parade once so far!