Thursday, January 13, 2011

Let's cook!

I want to cook! Today I have bought 4 new cookbooks and I'm very reluctant to put them down. I started reading the recipes and my head is full of grocery lists and ideas. We're having a wonderful time over here and many would be happy to go out dining all the time. Most meals I've had here have pleased me too and none have given me a bloated tummy. But still, I miss my veggies and a home cooked meal.

Today we visited Epcot, one of the Disney Theme Parks. I had not visited one single Disney park before, so I was pretty excited about this event. Disney is huge! It has its own highways, parking lots, restaurants, .. and it's crowded, even out of season. It took us a while to get to the ticket booth, since every visitor has to hand over his backpacks to be checked. What a waste of time.. It gives people a fake feeling of safety and it makes me laugh. But oh well, if that makes them happy..

Disney tickets are expensive. Very expensive. I will never ever again complain about parking costs in Belgium or theme park tickets at home. Going to one of the Disney parks with a family of four, leaves a big gap in your wallet. Make sure to bring at least $ 550 if you want to grab a drink and a bite as well. Don't enter the souvenir shops and bring your own snacks. The prices are just outrageous.

Epcot is a nice theme park if you like to walk around and sniff the Disney atmosphere. The landscapers did a terrific job and there's plenty to see. Epcot is all about different countries, situated around a huge lake. Take your family along this journey to France, Italy, Morocco, China, Japan, Norway and of course the US. We had lunch at this authentic French restaurant where even the waiters were French. And yes, we ran in to some Disney characters and took their pictures. It was nice to hear Mary Poppins's British accent and The Beauty and the Beast were very charming. The best attraction was Soarin'. It is a multi-sensory attraction that simulates a peaceful hang-gliding flight over the Golden State of California.
The multi-passenger glider is lifted 40 feet into the air. An IMAX projection dome wraps 180° around you, so you're fully engulfed by the impressive scenery. It really feels like you're flying as you glide over such awesome vistas and landmarks.
Feel the wind in your hair, while the air fills with the scent of orange groves, evergreens and the sea breeze. You may think your feet will get wet when you dip down so close to the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean, before you return to the sky to continue your hang-glider ride.

We did some more shopping after our visit to Epcot. There are so many shops to discover and so many fun treats to lay our hands on. Today was a cold day and I got myself a pair of woolwarm boots to pamper my feet. I got some more presents for the people left behind in Belgium.

We crashed at BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse to have a satisfying dinner. We thought being inside could warm us up a little, but air-conditioning thought differently. Nevertheless, we enjoyed our meals and the company, before we went back to the apartment to pack out our goodies and have another chat before we hit the hay..