Trip Report And everything you do...celebrate you! *COMPLETED*

Oh what an adventure this year has been, and the journey only continued as we embarked on our 8th annual Walt Disney World trip together!

This trip report follows in the footsteps of the inspiration for my not-always-sunny pre-trip report: http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/its-the-time-of-your-life.928664/

But we can skip that and get to the good stuff. A whirlwind of Disney, both the old and new, was just the thing we needed. A reminder that life is good, despite not always going to plan, and to never stop dreaming as we look to the future.

The cast: J - the husband. And myself. Goofy & Pluto Pook-a-looz babies.

Travel dates: September 2nd - September 10th...but Hurricane Irma changed that a bit. Returning home to All-Star Music.

Let the memories begin!

We arrived within the Disney bubble a little later than we were used to, and with an 11am - 12pm DINOSAUR fastpass that we were itching to get to, we barreled into Animal Kingdom around 11:45 desperate to make it. DINOSAUR is one of my favorite all time rides, and it was down for refurbishment last year, so it's safe to say I was going through a serious DINOdrought.

We powerwalked through the lush Oasis, taking in the familiar sights and sounds, maybe beginning to register that we were finally here at Walt Disney World!

Labor Day Saturday at Animal Kingdom probably wasn't the best idea. Especially when you see that both Na'vi River Journey and Flight of Passage were temporarily down on the My Disney Experience app, therefore inflating wait times at everything else. But we'd deal with that later. Must...get...to...DINOSAUR.

As we turned right and rounded the corner to the Dino Institute, there were CMs lined up in front of the entrance. Not good! We stood there panting and clutching the stitches in our sides as they announced the ride is down with no ETA of coming back up yet.

Ugh. Fine. We drowned our sorrows by splitting the Ribs, Chicken, and Pulled Pork Sampler at Flame Tree Barbecue. Food does solve a lot of problems.

This baby was definitely large enough to satisfy two starving adults...but it was a messy experience. At one point, J said to me: Um...you have meat in your hair.

The view didn't hurt either.

We took the time to reset our plans, as DINOSAUR would turn into a recovery FP, and Na'vi was our next one, but apparently down. Ah well, at least we had company! Look who stopped by during lunch:

Animal Kingdom is full of natural beauty.

And wildlife everywhere you turn.

As we cleaned up our colossal mess of a lunch and pulled up the app to see what we could do, J delivered the good news: Na'vi River Journey was back up. Whoopee! It's time to really get this party started.

 

[maelstrom98]

The correct answer is, and always will be, blue.

Y E S!

 

[belledream]

Everything I love about Living with the Land. In this post. The comfy boats. Entering the forest, watching the water stream down through the tree roots, the rainforest, seeing Garden Grill for the first time, feeling the lightest of sprays, confirmation bias of being dried off by the arid desert sun, the American prairie, the most perfect yellow house you ever did see, the barking dog, and the music before you enter the greenhouses. And as if it couldn't get any better...it does.

Was pleasantly surprised and intrigued to see the 'Roots of the Ingredient' signs up. Food & Wine pre-gaming I see. Clever, Disney, very clever.

Because if you were on the fence about getting some of these items, you're definitely gonna get them now.

I. am. obsessed. with. boat. rides.

And seeing familiar Hidden Mickeys.

The way cotton grows is like the coolest thing ever.

I'd try one of those Extremely Hot Peppers. I'd like to think I can handle the spice. Also, Nine Pound Lemon sighting!

Looks like Mickey is still 'earning his ears'.

11 am, please hurry and at the same time, please don't come so I may continue savoring my Epcot morning!

I literally want to yell at the boat to slow down. I don't get nearly enough time for my fix!

And to continue the lovefest, the music at the end of the tour, the colors, the familiar faces...it's so heartwarming to me.

 

[belledream]

Y E S!

I KNOW RIGHT? It's not like her dress isn't blue the entire movie or anything...

 

[belledream]

From The Land, we journeyed to The Seas.

Sing along with me...In the Biiiig Bluuue World...

Our first stop is usually always the manatees. I think we are...'attracted' (for lack of a better word) by the smells. There's something so entertaining about watching them eat lettuce.

But my favorite part is walking down that blue hallway that's framed by tank walls. I just get so excited at the prospect of what I might see. There were a good number of scuba divers in the tank...methinks it was a DiveQuest thing.

Watching these fish swim about their day is kinda mesmerizing. I really think about Finding Nemo and how they're all like 'Hey! Watch where you're going!"

Saw a pretty epic stingray, and a sea turtle! Fun fact: actually swam with a sea turtle in Maui. It was surreal!

The small tanks have some of the coolest creatures.

We went back to visit the manatees from a different vantage point. This is even better, as you can watch them barrel roll through the water, and use their fins to push themselves off the sand.

I could've stayed for another hour, but looking at all this seafood was really just pushing me over the edge. Get me to Food & Wine immediately!

 

[belledream]

Firstly, a stop by my beloved Fountain of Nations must be had. So majestic amidst the blue sky and lush greenery.

We also stopped by Club Cool where J reaffirmed that Beverly is "not bad at all" and I was like "yeah ok whatever, can we eat now?"

I LOVE this year's F&W décor!

As we continued towards World Showcase, seeing the Future World booths with those inviting tables, umbrellas, and string light setups made me feel so giddy!

Mickey was ready to eat, and believe me, so were we.

Grabbed myself a new best friend in my Festival Passport. I kinda missed the stamps...there is something much more satisfying about the sight and sound of a stamp rather than placing a sticker yourself. But I did appreciate not having to wait in line for a stamp either. J always likes to remind me of the time I subconsciously elbowed him out of the way to get a stamp while he was trying to pay for something at our last festival.

Our first stop was at Hawaii, where J had been insisting ever since the menus came out that he would be trying the Teriyaki-glazed SPAM Hash with Potatoes, Peppers and Onions and Spicy Mayonnaise. I literally rolled my eyes at him because he has an unhealthy obsession with unhealthy 'meats'...but the first bite I took of this revealed my true colors to him because he just started laughing. "You LIKE it!" Oh boy, I did. The potatoes were piping hot, the spam was just the salt that I never knew I wanted but had totally been craving, and spicy mayo is the way to go! As anticlimactic as this will be for you, it was hands down the Best of the Fest for us.

We sat on a bench protected by the shade of Port of Entry and happily swapped bites.

I also took to taking pictures of each booth during our festival days, even if we didn't end up getting anything from there. Because I appreciate the unique looks of each.

I had circle the Banana Almond Soft-serve Sundae with Fresh Berries and Crunchy Chocolate Oats from The Almond Orchard (SO PRETTY by the way) but the ice cream machine was BROKEN. This would actually torture me for the rest of the day.

It didn't seem like such a loss at the moment since I was in a savory mood thanks to the spam. So let the feast continue!

 

[belledream]

I always enjoy looking at the displays of Food & Wine. This is such an aesthetically-pleasing presentation. And I don't even like wine. Right. Time for the standard this is our Epcot "Food & No Wine" experience.

We journeyed by some of the Future World booths but really wanted to stick to World Showcase so we backtracked.

To Islands of the Caribbean. Themed so well! But no new foods tickled our fancy.

A fun photo opp.

Thought about revisiting Australia for a Grilled Lamb T-Bone with Mint Pesto and Potato Crunchies, but we decided to pass for the time being.

Having tried Venison here last time and still not finding it to our liking, I was on board for a Lamb Meatball with Spicy Tomato Chutney or Steamed Green Lip Mussels with Garlic Butter and Toasted Breadcrumbs, but J didn't seem too interested. Moving on again. (Isn't this fun?)

Ingenious designs all around. It just makes me : D

Ok, enough window shopping. And these two are definitely repeats in our book. “Le Cellier” Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle-Butter Sauce. Our decision is not solely influenced by the 'cult-following' or the 'awesome snack credit value'. As you know, J loves steak. And we went to Le Cellier 5 years ago with no real opportunity to return. So this was a way to get just a small taste. It was cooked a little more than J's liking (fine for mine), but there was no denying the sauce and mushrooms were great.

I salivated over the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup and Pretzel Roll. A small little cup packed such a rich, smoky flavor. And who doesn't love Pretzel Rolls? One of my faves.

Canada really got the ball rolling for us.

We were really enjoying the view on this first, real sunny day.

 

[belledream]

Friendship Boat sighting!

Scotland is home to our favorite from a previous year: Fresh Potato Pancake with Scottish Smoked Salmon and Herbed Sour Cream. The potato pancake is crunchy yet so smooth on the inside, the smoked salmon is heavenly, and that sour cream knows what it's doing. YUM.

We chose an unorthodox place to eat this as we were still acclimating to the sun and would do anything for shade and seating. Hey, I kinda liked it.

Nothing from Ireland was very intriguing to us.

Because it was so empty, I was really able to appreciate all of U.K.'s structural details.

And look who we saw on her merrily way!

Felt like we were kinda stalking her but maybe she was heading to the France booth too.

Quick detour for more eye candy.

Just feel the breeze, take it in and savor it.

Favorite view.

The area loop was calling.

 

[belledream]

I've always liked this subtle detail.

We came to France to try Escargot Croissant with Garlic and Parsley. Only had escargot once on the Disney Magic and it was a surprisingly buttery and flavorful goodness. I could taste hints of it in here, but it just wasn't as good as the cruise. Too much croissant, not enough snails. But J will always finish anything with garlic, so it definitely wasn't a loss.

France is slowly becoming a favorite pavilion of mine...used to be Mexico, China, Germany, and Japan. I would say it definitely surpasses China and Germany now. It's just so...picturesque.

We felt we had Brazil covered already, but boy is it festive!

Belgium had one of our old favorites but they removed the waffle. Well then!

Morocco would definitely be another stopping point for us.

This booth was all kinds of pretty. I love fake flower hangings.

I also fawned over Living with the Land, World Showcase version of course!

We were really hyped up for the Spicy Hummus Fries with Cucumber, Tomato, Onions and Tzatziki Sauce, and we were not disappointed! Crispy exterior, silky smooth interior. Though I HATE HATE HATE cucumbers, I am finally able to get myself pass the point where I will actually still be able to eat things that it may have touched.

We shared these over a gorgeous, peaceful view of Showcase Lagoon.

And of course we shopped.

 

[belledream]

Our next stop would be Japan! A real stop. For food, for shopping, and probably a bathroom break.

The booth fit in perfectly with the pavilion, and the blossoms and lanterns were a great touch!

We had our eye on two things here: the Wasabi Shumai Steamed Pork Dumplings and the Teriyaki Ginger Pork. We ended up just getting the pork which I think may have been a mistake because I read that the dumplings were really good. FOMO alert! But anyways, the pork was cooked pretty well. It had falling-off-the-bone-type quality. I personally thought the sauce was a little on the sweet side though.

So as I mentioned, a bathroom break was taken here. I never bring my phone with me to the parks, and have zero interest in checking out social media or the news or anything like that while on vacation. J does though. So when he returned from his break, he told me that there was a serious hurricane making its way to Florida. I was like...nahhh it's not coming, we'll be fine. My oblivious and stubborn self did not want to even entertain the idea of this affecting our vacation. But it made some sense now as to why my dad had texted us earlier asking how the weather was. I was like...fine? It's beautiful out, Dad. I was ready to shelve any concerns and continue with our day.

We moved into Japan's Kawaii "Cute Culture" exhibit which has some of the cutest and mind-boggling items anyone has ever seen. All claustrophobically jammed into very small areas. Can totally see why Japan loves Disney, that's for sure!

The real highlight is always taking ample time to peruse Mitsukoshi for interesting snacks and dinnerware I could never use.

New Pick-a-Pearl station! I like it! The design is very clean and the color seems very fitting. J loves to rag on this saying, "So wait. Let me get this straight. You pick the pearl AKA you do the labor. Then they charge you for it?" Not quite, hunny.

Weird stuff you find here.

I'm not entirely 100% sure, but I think I may have seen a look in J's eyes that he wanted, for just a moment, to buy this.

Pokémon and Hello Kitty. Our 8 year old selves would be so pleased.

Always an interesting time spent in Mitsukoshi...and not a shirt or wine glass that says SAKE or JAPAN or DRINKING anywhere. Just ramen.

 

[belledream]

Our day was progressing nicely. It was definitely our least crowded and leisurely day so far.

We popped into American Adventure to take a look at some distinctly patriotic merchandise.

My favorite thing to come out of this was this shirt. I actually considered buying it for a split second, but I settled for the picture.

We spent some real quality time at Italy last year, dining at both Tutto Italia and Via Napoli. Tutto Italia was one of my favorite World Showcase meals ever, which really surprised me!

This pavilion has a far reach going all the way to the lagoon.

One of the best little nooks. Can I pleaseee go up there?

Trevi Fountain.

I don't particularly care for much in Italy's shops, but I did really like this dish towel print. It would make any pasta fiend happy.

All together now...

Even though I am a pasta fiend, we actually found ourselves to be quite full since we had left Japan. And while I had actually wanted to consider a bunch of different things from Italy's booth (Crispy Calamari with Spicy Pomodoro Sauce, Beef Stew with Parmesan Creamy Polenta, and maybe even a Chocolate-covered Cannoli), all the items didn't look particularly amazing, and we decided to take a break in our fooding for a little bit.

We would get a pretty large second wave of hunger later on.

 

[belledream]

No trip to Germany is complete without a dose of miniature trains! We really enjoy looking at the different buildings, people and animals, the little Disney touches like F&W banners as we walk along 'The Romantic Road'.

We're comin' back for ya later, Spain.

Entering Germany makes me feel like a real life princess. A princess that loves the smell of sauerkraut.

The window display at Karamell-Küche is so cool...the milk jug and the spooning of the caramel and the organization of the ingredients...why do I get so excited over these things?

We move into Christmas season at Die Weihnachts Ecke. It's such a classy, festive little place.

When you love the décor of Stein Haus more than the merch and end up merging both.

Trying the same Kunstarbeit in Kristall, except I love the merch!

Case in point.

Wandered by Biergarten and Sommerfest just for the sauerkraut smells.

And then into Der Teddybear to embrace the inner child.

They have XXL Playmobil in here!!!

 

[belledream]

Finishing up Germany with some ingeniously-themed canning.

This chandelier has always given me a sense of comfort. It's so warm and homey.

The woodwork on all the clocks in Volkskunst are remarkable. We had a cuckoo clock similar to the ones found in this shop in our childhood home. Some vivid memories there, watching it go off every 15 minutes, asking my dad to lift me up so I can see it better.

Our last stop at Germany would be Das Kaufhaus. Sort of weird to see real world prices/tags here, even if it's still on the pricey side!

Thought about grabbing a Schinkennudeln (Pasta Gratin with Ham and Cheese) but we figured you can always get that at Sommerfest, and we'd rather save the credits and stomach space for more unique options later.

There was nothing for us here at Brewer's Collection except a...Decorated Gingerbread Heart? That's weird.

The Figment Collection was actually quite appealing to me. I'd wear a Figment apron, chefs hat, and oven mitt getup to MNSSHP.

We still haven't gotten anything from Africa. I would have been game to try the Berbere-style Beef Tenderloin Tips with Onions, Jalapeños, Tomato and Pap, but J was less enthusiastic.

I thought the Pistachio Cardamom Bundt Cake from India looked so beautiful in the promotional pictures, but seeing it up close for real led to another pass.

Something we can never pass on though? China.

Still can't believe I've been to the real thing. Not enough selfie sticks in this version though.

 

[belledream]

While waiting for the next Reflections of China show to begin, we visited the Shanghai Disneyland exhibit so I have my annual cry over the Voyage to the Crystal Grotto. Why does Disney tease me with such personalized-perfection?! It's a slow boat ride. With Tangled. Mulan. Beauty and the Beast. Aladdin. Fountains and lights. O_______O

The Twelve Friends to play off of the Chinese Zodiac. Pluto and Mushu are too cute.

My attempt to be artistic. Failed.

We wanted to rest the feet a little bit so we went back out to the waiting area and sat down on a bench.

With a view of the Mulan Meet & Greet. Bring back the old hair and dress! A million times better.

Anyways, Reflections of China was up next. I grow more and more fond of this show every single time I see it. And even so, I will eagerly await the new film whenever that comes to be. This time around, I became so obsessed with the musical score that I can't stop listening to it.

We wandered House of Good Fortune after the show, but I can't say any of the merchandise is particularly compelling.

I did think this was adorable and proceeded to hug J is the exact same way.

I enjoy this building. Those balconies make me wonder what is up there?

China F&W booth had some intriguing options.

Give me two more countries and then I'll be hungry again!

 

[belledream]

Over here in Norway, Larry Dotson was making an appearance. We absolutely love these around, whether they're of the parks or the resorts, or characters themselves.

Seems like the Frozen Ever After hubbub has somewhat waned. We were pretty underwhelmed with our one ride on it, so it was safe to say it was not in any of our FP plans for either of our Epcot days.

I've seen some pictures of real Norway's waterfront and I actually had an inkling of feeling...a feeling like I've seen it before. All thanks to these storefronts.

We moved on to Mexico.

Because I REAAALLY wanted to ride Gran Fiesta Tour.

For some of my favorite views ever. (We still cannot detect the volcano smoke Hidden Mickey). Help.

The fireworks action we got going on here is always very cool to see.

As is the pavilion itself. It smells SO GOOD in here. The music plays at a very appropriate and experience-enhancing level (I don't know how else to describe it?) and THE BUILDINGS!

From Day 1, Mexico always held some extra magic for me. It's nice that some things never change.

 

[belledream]

I think the aromatic smells of Mexico did the trick. We were hungry and ready to get back at it!

What should we eat...what should we eat...

Ah hah! We struck gold at Greece. With none other than the Taste of Greece. Stuffed Grape Leaves with Lemon Dill Sauce, Grilled Octopus, and Feta Cheese Dip with Warm Pita. The stuffed grape leaves had a great brine flavor to it, the cheese on the pita was very powerful, and the octopus was a pure delight the moment it touched my tongue. My second opportunity to eat octopus on this trip was a hit. Maybe I should eat more!

We went inside Disney Traders where I was like YEEESSS because it had just what I wanted. Amazing decoration.

Yes, I walked to all four corners of the store to get my fill.

Also to get our fill, we stopped next at Farm Fresh for the Crispy Chicken with Griddled Cornbread and Red Eye Gravy. Chicken + cornbread are both very good, so this was a no-brainer right? This was just a tad weird. Did not know that 'Red Eye Gravy' would actually taste like coffee?!

We then went back to The Almond Orchard to get that sundae but the ice cream machine was STILL BROKEN. Also broken: MY HEART.

At least I got a pretty picture out of it.

 

[belledream]

Fine! I shall get my sweet craving from somewhere else.

Behold, the Sweet Dark Chocolate Raspberry Torte with Whipped Cream and Raspberry Dust. Dark chocolate = my favorite. Raspberries = my favorite. Tortes = my favorite because I love GOOEY INTERIORS. This was everything I ever hoped it would be and I was so happy as I stood at a table under an umbrella and devoured this.

Pretty colored flowers and waterfall views.

We ended up at Active Eats to get an item that doesn't strike me as something that keeps you active...unless it's because you need to hit the gym after eating this. Loaded Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Nueske’s Pepper Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Peppers and Green Onions. It was a repeat for us, and while mac & cheese and bacon won't fail you for the most part, I couldn't help but think last year's was better. It had almost given my mouth a tingling sensation with the hot, peppery spice. Or maybe I've eaten so many spicy foods over the past two years that I no longer have any taste buds left.

Flavors from Fire was super intriguing, but I think the heaviness of the chocolate and the mac & cheese left both of us with a 'could take it or leave it' mentality.

Chef Figment! We must have missed you this morning.

We went inside to check out Light Lab, fully knowing there was no way we were going to buy a day-old "Glownut" or non-alcoholic drink that was made with 110% sugar. Sure enough, J declared this, "The stupidest thing ever."

Since we were semi in the area, we decided it was the perfect time for a relaxing journey on Spaceship Earth.

I heard the carts thumping along the tracks, I already began to smell the smells of Rome burning, and so, I am so ready for this!

Got stuck here and it was great.

I'm even warming up to Judi Dench's voice a little bit.

 

[belledream]

We meandered towards the Festival Center, passing by a deserted Innoventions and Universe of Energy on the way.

For me, stepping into this pavilion is like trying to remember a really fuzzy dream moments after I wake up.

As mere spectators, we still find a good amount of entertainment value here. Mainly, the Ghirardelli chocolate displays. Pretty unbelievable stuff.

The other point of interest for us here is shopping, of course! We loved looking through all the different collections of housewares.

And moreso the artwork. The Pudge sighting was great!

We enjoyed nomming on our Ghirardelli chocolate squares as were on our way out.

 

[belledream]

Next door was a "new" attraction that we kept forgetting about...RELAUNCHED! Mission: SPACE...RELAUNCHED! With no idea what to expect from it, we decided now would be the perfect time to check it out.

There was no line whatsoever, and as we walked through the queue, we saw the top of this guy's head who was pretty certainly a real person. Wonder what he's doing? Anyways, we ended up on our own private mission which meant that we both had to do double duty, and we spent the whole preshow wondering why they bothered to refilm the same script??? But the new Green version itself was an nice change, as we flew easily-breezily around the planet Earth with sweeping views. It was very relaxing and I felt like I was in an almost sedated, carefree mindset for the majority of the ride. I guess Less Intense really needed to be less intense! Either way, neither of us were upset with the change.

As is tradition, we set out to create the least efficient car possible on Test Track...and we hit a new record with -8. But that's not all! Our car blows all other cars out of the water in the other three categories as well. It's just that good.

Feeling hungry again, we went to the Epcot Legacy Showplace to check out Craft Beer...for food of course. Here we have the Zesty Cheeseburger and Cheddar Cheese Macaroni Handwich. It's very similar to a cone I got at Min & Bill's Dockside Diner once. The macaroni was good, especially combined with the hamburger falvor, but I didn't find the bread cone to be very appetizing. J loved it though. The exhibits about Epcot's past, present, and future provided really interesting viewing material as we ate.

We returned to World Showcase as the sun spread golden warmth to us. There is no better place to spend an evening at WDW.

We grabbed a Beijing Roasted Duck Bao Bun with Hoisin Sauce from the China booth, and were both immensely surprised at how good it was. The duck was juicy with a hint of crisp on the outer edges, and it was the sweet and salty contrast of the onions and the sauce that made this dish delectable. One of the best!

Still smelling the all the components on my fingers as we continued on. It was that good.

We had high hopes for Spain's Charcuterie in a Cone with Spanish Meats, Cheeses, and Olives with an Herb Vinaigrette. We enjoy meat and cheese boards, I have fallen in love with all kinds of olives more and more each day. However, we were also hitting the full side even if we didn't realize it or want to admit it...and we forced each item down our throats despite the messages our stomachs were telling us. That's a lot of oil to consume and we felt a little heavy afterwards.

That would be it for Food & Wine today. We tried a total of 14 items, which seemed like a surprisingly low number for us. But we did get some hearty portions. Good thing we'd have Round Number Two coming up later in our trip!

As we wound down and got into relaxing, evening mode, the sun was doing good work again.

Thankful for the days I get to spend here.

 

[belledream]

We had some quiet time in front of Italy, savoring the emptiness and admiring really what a work of art this place is.

Everything from lanterns to shrubs come together to paint a picture of a beautiful place in the world.

A comfortable and breezy time was spent gazing at Spaceship Earth together.

Getting really excited as the Illuminations barges are out!

And the Golden Dream.

We'd come back for The American Adventure next time. But first, a second to listen to the sounds of the fountain.

We journeyed into Morocco for the first time, truly feeling transported by the architecture, sounds, and smells. It's one of my favorite 'detail' pavilions.

I've long been a huge fan on the mosaics on the fountains here.

And the dark, imposing architecture of this area. The flags added a colorful, bold touch.

I particularly liked the lanterns against the ornate ceiling inside the Moroccan Style exhibit.

Everything about the Morocco pavilion is filled with exquisite detail. Even the simplest things such as the fruit trees in the courtyard. They're so easy to miss, but represent such a commitment to authenticity here.

 

[belledream]

My sweet tooth was telling me I wanted dessert, but for some strange reason, I just could not get on board with a treat from both L'Artisans or Les Halles because I still REALLY WANTED THAT ALMOND SUNDAE. It was ruining me! I took my moment to ogle at the pretty French buildings before strengthening my resolve. Almond Sundae or bust.

As we continued to make our way around, we stopped into the U.K. for some shopping.

The cute little teapot residents of The Tea Caddy.

I spent a lot of time smelling each of the soaps for sale in Lords and Ladies, which is also a perfect marriage of all the colors and styles that I want in my house.

The Crown & Crest is always a sight to see. I just really enjoy wandering the shops trading "Look at these, Look at thats" with J.

The sky looked like it was gearing up for one of those breathtaking sunsets.

So we quickly went to visit Canada before we would find a place to settle and watch it.

Sure enough, we could see the beginnings of the sun beginning to set over the (it's-just-a-roof-but-I-love-it-so-much) view of Beach Club.

The waterfall was running in full force and it was music to my ears.

Strolling hand in hand down the stairs, on the walkway past the rushing water, into the surroundings of the Victoria Gardens was just a seamless, beautiful moment that still took our breath away.

Less romantic was passing by The Almond Orchard for the third time today to find that the ice cream machine was basically retired for the day (and probably had been all day meaning no ALMOND SUNDAE for me). Woe is me...and I would be eating my own regrets soon enough!