tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66193620887186616092024-03-14T05:31:25.639-05:00The Disney ObsessionGreghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.comBlogger548125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-77116020227040398722017-07-30T03:30:00.000-05:002017-07-30T15:48:10.260-05:00Some of My Favorite Things<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I love being in Epcot at festival time. It doesn't matter if it is the International Flower and Garden Festival or the International Food and Wine Festival. Either one is fine with me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of the favorite aspects of the former festival is the display of bonsai trees exhibited in Japan. If I am fortunate enough to visit the park during this this time, I will spend an hour or so enjoying and photography these works of art. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sadly, I cannot tend or grow bonsai. There was a time when I would buy a tree from <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Mitsukoshi, bring it home, and do my best to tend it. But within six months the tree was dead. I finally gave up. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Now I simply enjoy the artistry of those who raise these treasures. </span></span></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-32422655382281256452017-07-16T12:00:00.000-05:002017-07-16T14:12:51.567-05:00In the quiet moments...<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The World Showcase in Epcot is one of my favorite places to be in Walt Disney World. It is a cultural and sensory delight to stroll along the promenade and bask in what each country has to offer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">World Showcase also provides a number of off-the-beaten-path locations where the weary park guest can pause, rest, and collect themselves. The garden in the United Kingdom and the back alleys of Morocco are two places you can find me. They are usually quiet and I can sit and enjoy being in a place that I love. The Japanese Gardens in the Japan Pavilion is a treasured place to enjoy a cup of tea and enjoy a moment of tranquility. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Leave a comment and let me know your favorite place to take a few moments to slow down and rest. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">More to follow...</span></div>
Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-87100256206837686492017-07-15T12:00:00.000-05:002017-07-15T12:53:27.069-05:00You're Still Here...<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have been away for a while. Of course you know that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the interest of full disclosure, my interest in taking numerous trips to Walt Disney World has waned. My last trip was in April 2016. I have found that as I have gotten older there are other places that I want to visit, or revisit, while I have both the time and the fitness. Instead of Central Florida, I have found myself in Washington (both the state and the capitol) on numerous occasions. There have been journeys to England, The Netherlands, France, Belize, and Northern Ireland. So as you can see, I am still getting around. Just not to The World. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I must admit, I was pleasantly surprised when for some reason I logged into <i>The Disney Obsession</i> to have a poke about, only discover that there are many good people still visiting here. To all of you let me say, I apologize. I apologize for not having anything new here in years, and many thanks for continuing to look in from time to time. I hope now to make it worth your while again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With so many wonderful blogs and podcasters out there filling the far reaches of the internet and cyberspace with Disney content, I will rarely post anything that you do not already know. I will, from time to time, add a comment or offer my opinion when it mood strikes (e.g. I can hardly wait to photograph The World of Avatar at night or see what the magic the Imagineers create for Star Wars). But for now I am going to commit myself to getting back to posting photographs. I do this for two reasons. One, is to honor those who find yourself browsing this place every so often. Secondly, it serves to motivate me. My creativity in the area of photography has been lacking for some time now and though I don't have any trips to Orlando planned for anytime soon, I do have a nice catalogue of images to pull from. This will then (I hope) serve to entice me to shot more in my daily life and on my other adventures. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So thank you for being here. For sticking around as I have been away doing other things. Such is life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To begin I offer you this from the United Kingdom Pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase. I have long been a fan of the Bard. Perhaps some of you are as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">More to follow...</span></div>
Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-87194573358385298532015-11-27T10:33:00.001-06:002015-11-27T10:40:19.701-06:00Early mornings<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have been trying to do something new with every trip to Walt Disney World. Now, with the time between trips becoming longer and longer, this is more important to me, and in a way easier. With time, things change. Old things are taken away and replaced with new things. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Still, when I look for something new I think about backstage tours. They cost a little more, yes. But they are worth it as they are quite informative.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another benefit of these tours is that they usually require a very early morning arrival at the park you'll be touring. And those early arrivals offer some rather nice photo opportunities. This comes from an early morning just before the "Walt Disney: Marceline to Magic Kingdom Tour." Wonderful tour! </span></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-90282620037099488202015-02-14T09:30:00.000-06:002017-07-15T18:37:27.012-05:00"Get your kicks..."<div class="_209g _2vxa" data-block="true" data-offset-key="400cn-0-0" data-reactid=".e.1.0.1.0.1.$u_0_18_0.0.2.0.0.0.0.1.0.$400cn" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; direction: ltr; line-height: 17px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span data-offset-key="400cn-0-0" data-reactid=".e.1.0.1.0.1.$u_0_18_0.0.2.0.0.0.0.1.0.$400cn.0:$400cn-0-0"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>"If you ever plan to motor west,</i></span></span></div>
<div class="_209g _2vxa" data-block="true" data-offset-key="400cn-0-0" data-reactid=".e.1.0.1.0.1.$u_0_18_0.0.2.0.0.0.0.1.0.$400cn" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; direction: ltr; line-height: 17px; position: relative; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<span data-offset-key="400cn-0-0" data-reactid=".e.1.0.1.0.1.$u_0_18_0.0.2.0.0.0.0.1.0.$400cn.0:$400cn-0-0"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>travel my way, take the highway that is best.</i></span></span></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-17675252670013917402015-01-24T10:50:00.002-06:002015-01-24T10:50:48.910-06:00Out of the Way<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have been on Hollywood's Tower of Terror. Twice. The same day. The first year it opened. And with a developing fear of heights, that was enough. Consequently, I don't go up the hill at the end of Sunset Blvd. very often. I did have a prowl around on a recent trip, looking for some interesting out of the way places. This is one. I think.</span></span></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-55235588641653701862014-12-06T09:57:00.000-06:002014-12-06T09:57:24.764-06:00The Little Things<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After innumerable holidays in Walt Disney World, searching out and enjoying the little things is what I enjoy now. Yes, I still take photographs of the castle and of Spaceship Earth, but finding those hidden gems of design and decor is what draws me back nowadays.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Morocco Pavilion is packed with these gems. <span aria-live="polite" class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; line-height: 18px; outline: none; width: auto;" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Over the years, the Morocco Pavilion has grown on me. The depth of the details incorporated into its design and the small vignettes found within its walls are a feast for the senses. This is one my favorite of my favorite vignettes.</span></span><span class="fbPhotoTagList" id="fbPhotoSnowliftTagList" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; line-height: 18px;"><span class="fcg" style="color: #9197a3;"> </span></span></span></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-65980795437181086712014-10-26T15:00:00.000-05:002014-10-26T15:53:34.833-05:00Columns<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Of the many hundred favorite places I have in Walt Disney World, the colonnade beside the Castle Couture shop in Fantasyland is one. I have taken several photos there with the challenge now being to find it empty. There have been times when I have had to wait for guests to finish playing Sorcerers' of the Magic Kingdom to get a photograph. It is worth the wait.</span></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-19244469919491627652014-10-18T10:00:00.000-05:002014-10-18T10:00:03.086-05:00Good morning!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I often dream.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I often dream about the things I would do when the time comes for me to retire.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One dream that I have is to be a Photopass Photographer at Walt Disney World. But it is a specific dream. I would want to work in the Magic Kingdom, along Main Street U.S.A. during the morning and early afternoon shift.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To me, these are the most magical hours in the Magic Kingdom! Families, particularly children seeing Cinderella Castle, some for the very first time. The sense of awe is inspiring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all go through life with that sense of awe at even the most ordinary and mundane things? If feel the world would be a much better place if we simply tried a little harder to see the magic of each day. It is there you know.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s_Gxl2ZBTLg/VEJ9v-FOwqI/AAAAAAAADTY/R6nm_KYm0JU/s1600/MK_MS_Morning_2014%2B10%2B18_adjusted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s_Gxl2ZBTLg/VEJ9v-FOwqI/AAAAAAAADTY/R6nm_KYm0JU/s1600/MK_MS_Morning_2014%2B10%2B18_adjusted.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-46371743218656355432014-10-11T15:00:00.000-05:002014-10-12T11:43:19.435-05:00The Gate<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In a place filled with many wonderful examples of architecture, the Torii Gate in the Japan Pavilion at Epcot's World Showcase is one of my favorites.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mjdwkq3dRFg/VDmE9EQvflI/AAAAAAAADSo/9XJRJWm7J6Y/s1600/EP_WS_Ja_2014%2B10%2B12_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mjdwkq3dRFg/VDmE9EQvflI/AAAAAAAADSo/9XJRJWm7J6Y/s1600/EP_WS_Ja_2014%2B10%2B12_a.jpg" height="228" width="320" /></a></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-91749332286740152682014-08-23T12:00:00.000-05:002014-08-23T13:09:28.134-05:00Snow White<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Wouldn't you have loved to been there on December 31, 1937? The real one, of course.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gD827ynftbk/U_jYgjgxFyI/AAAAAAAADR8/Y9tJK5KGabw/s1600/HS_SB_Carthay_082414a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gD827ynftbk/U_jYgjgxFyI/AAAAAAAADR8/Y9tJK5KGabw/s1600/HS_SB_Carthay_082414a.jpg" height="400" width="285" /></a></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-22936945055737043722014-08-09T12:00:00.000-05:002014-08-09T12:00:00.579-05:00Fireworks from France<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Through the years I have taken numerous photographs of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. I still do. I continue to search for the elusive photograph of fireworks that I can point to and say, "that is pretty good." Some day perhaps.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My last trip was during the closing weekend of Epcot's International Flower and Garden Festival, and I decided to try something a bit different. Instead of queuing on the promenade and shooting from there, I decided to shoot from the courtyard inside the France Pavilion. I thought it may provide a different perspective on things having something in the foreground.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I still need to work on this, but here is a first effort at a different vantage point. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LKy_qkcXlOI/U-ZSaAhF0yI/AAAAAAAADRc/39T-19OKtBo/s1600/EP_WS_Fr_080914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LKy_qkcXlOI/U-ZSaAhF0yI/AAAAAAAADRc/39T-19OKtBo/s1600/EP_WS_Fr_080914.jpg" height="400" width="285" /></a></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-11396315532924061682014-07-13T08:00:00.000-05:002014-07-13T17:10:04.649-05:00An Evening with Pirates<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Anytime is a good time to ride a classic Adventureland attraction like Pirates of the Caribbean. But at night the queue takes on an air of mystery.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MUCo8FdosME/U8MDhaZByCI/AAAAAAAADRM/DeFs9-JdPmE/s1600/MK_Ad_POTC_071314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MUCo8FdosME/U8MDhaZByCI/AAAAAAAADRM/DeFs9-JdPmE/s1600/MK_Ad_POTC_071314.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-61777264053386163622014-06-29T08:00:00.000-05:002014-06-29T16:59:51.478-05:00An Art Deco Paradise<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've said it previously, but it bears saying again, I love Disney's Hollywood Studio for two primary reasons. One is the use of neon making evening photography so much fun. The second is the Art Deco design elements. I could spend hours strolling up and down Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards and consider it time very well spent.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KbHIEps9Ql4/U7CLwCTFyOI/AAAAAAAADQ8/_ZsWMlxRrxg/s1600/HS_Mi_Entrance_062914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KbHIEps9Ql4/U7CLwCTFyOI/AAAAAAAADQ8/_ZsWMlxRrxg/s1600/HS_Mi_Entrance_062914.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-76206483732856675922014-06-22T08:00:00.000-05:002014-06-22T08:00:03.213-05:00It Is A Marvel<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Like a grand and miraculous spaceship, our planet has sailed through the universe of time. And for a brief moment, we have been among its many passengers."</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It always has been, and always will be, one of my favorite attractions in Epcot. Though I will say that I prefer the Jeremy Irons version, or the Walter Cronkite version. I can never really decide. What I do know is that, like Soarin', one of my three FastPass+ selections to start the day in park will include Spaceship Earth.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How about you. Walter Cronkite, Jeremy Irons or Judi Dench?</span></span><br />
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-26830112889906035972014-06-15T08:00:00.000-05:002014-06-15T08:00:01.103-05:00It Falls from Below the Castle<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The New Fantasyland expansion provided the Magic Kingdom with some much needed love and attention. From a hobbyist photographers point-of-view, it offers so much to be explored and photographed. Some of these photographs, like the one below, would give you the impression of being somewhere other than a theme park. Another tribute to the magic of the Imagineers.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ea_1LLKQR00/U5ylC6da8dI/AAAAAAAADQc/Ds4z1EBPBHY/s1600/MK_Fa_Waterfall_1_061514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ea_1LLKQR00/U5ylC6da8dI/AAAAAAAADQc/Ds4z1EBPBHY/s1600/MK_Fa_Waterfall_1_061514.jpg" height="400" width="285" /></a></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-26689286410370175572014-06-08T08:00:00.000-05:002014-06-08T08:00:07.133-05:00It's In The Details<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Most of us have heard the expression "The devil is in the detail." But did you know that this expression derived from an earlier expression which said "God is in the detail?" The idea is that whatever one undertakes, it should be done with attention to the details. The origin of the expression varies though I subscribe to the theory that is comes from French writer Gustave Flaubert who said, "Le bon Dieu set dans le </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 22px;">détail."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Disney parks worldwide are known for the attention to detail. And I feel that the designers, the Imagineers, have only gotten better in providing us with detail as the years have gone by. Disney's Animal Kingdom is ripe with detail. Some of my favorites are found in Asia, such as this bicycle found along the way.</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jQNIu_oiRTY/U5NDJ37xdGI/AAAAAAAADOY/kD55SIMjlYg/s1600/AL_AS_Bicycle_060814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jQNIu_oiRTY/U5NDJ37xdGI/AAAAAAAADOY/kD55SIMjlYg/s1600/AL_AS_Bicycle_060814.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-36404180827900579092014-06-01T08:00:00.000-05:002014-06-01T08:00:01.717-05:00Old Cars<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">During a recent trip to Walt Disney World I managed to stop by Disney's Hollywood Studios for a few hours before flying home. I am a big fan of the architecture of this park. I should probably clarify that statement. I am a big fan of the architecture of this park apart from a large stage constructed in front of a large hat that obstructs what was once the original "weenie" for the park. Sorry, some of you may like those additions, but in my opinion they detract from the atmosphere that the Imagineers of that day were trying to create. What they created was a nostalgic experience. One that former Disney CEO Michael Eisner described in his dedication as the "<i>Hollywood that never was - and always will be.</i>" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That is the Hollywood Studios that I love. The cars? Well, the old cars simply add to the charm of that by-gone era of Hollywood glitz and glamor.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C1beeH66Ycw/U4fhtq9eGUI/AAAAAAAADOI/l3CKrzUWWy0/s1600/DHS_SB_Car_060114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C1beeH66Ycw/U4fhtq9eGUI/AAAAAAAADOI/l3CKrzUWWy0/s1600/DHS_SB_Car_060114.jpg" height="400" width="285" /></a></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-21744044266389702942014-05-25T08:00:00.000-05:002014-05-25T08:00:03.670-05:00Something for the Sun<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As I make my way around the World Showcase, I am usually struck by the colorful parasols that are on display in the China Pavilion. To me the bright colors seem so refreshing against a bright sun. </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yutcBSxW0kI/U4E-dZjwu4I/AAAAAAAADN4/0BebBntZkzc/s1600/EP_WS_China_052514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yutcBSxW0kI/U4E-dZjwu4I/AAAAAAAADN4/0BebBntZkzc/s1600/EP_WS_China_052514.jpg" height="285" width="400" /></a></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-17771113852478120812014-05-11T08:00:00.000-05:002014-05-11T08:00:08.071-05:00From the Liberty Square Bridge<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I daresay that no one with a camera has resisted to the temptation to take at least one photograph of Cinderella Castle. Truth be told, there are many of us who have hundreds of photographs of the castle in either print or digital versions. That is okay. It is the way Walt would want it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The challenge for those who go to the parks often, or anyone with an eye to make good photographs, is to find interesting ways to photography something that has been thousands of times. Good photographers know that every good photograph should tell a story. It is what we were taught. However, not being a good photographer (yet), I struggle to grasp that. After all, Cinderella Castle is one of the most photographed objects in the world. Are there any new ways to capture it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, in vain, I search, and sometimes I may find that one shot. But when that doesn't happen, I am drawn to certain angles that I simply enjoy shooting. This is one of those angles. It is one of the quintessential photographs that all photographers must have. I have more than a few like this.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8MWZq-j19tY/U26hBXPFS0I/AAAAAAAADMg/mylbTvxKD3I/s1600/MK_Castle_051114_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8MWZq-j19tY/U26hBXPFS0I/AAAAAAAADMg/mylbTvxKD3I/s1600/MK_Castle_051114_1.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-27926569975225826022014-05-04T08:00:00.000-05:002014-05-04T08:00:01.062-05:00An Orchid in the Oasis<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Admittedly, Disney's Animal Kingdom is my least favorite of the four parks. Not that there is anything wrong with it, I simply don't like it nearly as much as I do the Magic Kingdom and Epcot. These were the parks that I fell in love with at an earlier age and I suppose my nostalgia for them will always keep them at the top of my list.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Still, there are some areas of the Animal Kingdom that are inspiring. It is the one park that continues to grow, in that the foliage is not always kept in check and nature is allowed to flourish. One area where this is evident is in the Oasis. So many rush through the Oasis to get to the more exciting areas of the park. That is a shame. It is one of the more peaceful spots in all the parks. If one will simply take the time to walk slowly through the Oasis, or better still, find a quiet out-of-the-way place to sit, you'll find your cares washing away as though you were standing under one of the nearby waterfalls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It is what it an oasis is; "something that provides a refuge, relief, or pleasant contract."</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LVodnA7bJDs/U2VvjIlZ23I/AAAAAAAADMI/EaCb8Su5o8I/s1600/DAK_Orchid_050414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LVodnA7bJDs/U2VvjIlZ23I/AAAAAAAADMI/EaCb8Su5o8I/s1600/DAK_Orchid_050414.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-76756547180134707762014-04-27T08:00:00.000-05:002014-04-27T19:23:21.076-05:00At the corner of Hollywood and Sunset<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">If you have followed this blog for a short time, or a long time, you realize that I love to take photographs in the parks. This is also true for after the sun has gone down. I still have much to learn with low light photography and believe that practice makes perfect. So most trips to the parks includes some time to unpack the tripod, get out the remote shutter control, and have some nighttime fun.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of my favorite parks to explore in the evening is Disney's Hollywood Studios. I love the art deco design of Hollywood Blvd. and Sunset Blvd. And the neon adds a design element that I appreciate just as much. Here is nighttime look at Disney & Co. from the corner of Hollywood and Sunset.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FFhicb6B6ls/U12edV8SaSI/AAAAAAAADL4/1atBIemqkNM/s1600/DHS_HollywoodBlvd_042714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FFhicb6B6ls/U12edV8SaSI/AAAAAAAADL4/1atBIemqkNM/s1600/DHS_HollywoodBlvd_042714.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-69136798692369672042014-04-13T08:00:00.000-05:002014-04-13T08:00:06.172-05:00If Ever...<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">… you and I get separated while in Epcot, this is where you shall find me. I'll either be on the bridge looking into France or on a bench, absorbing the atmosphere. Perhaps I'll be in <i>Le Petite Rue, </i>sitting at a cafe table with a glass of wine and a baguette, looking up at a <a href="http://disneyobsession.blogspot.com/2008/02/disney-world-after-dark-france-part.html">window</a>, dreaming. After all, it is what I do best. Dreaming. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EdG0ggZVcnk/U0mUNULQejI/AAAAAAAADLo/uqEcuyctBcE/s1600/EP_WS_France_041314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EdG0ggZVcnk/U0mUNULQejI/AAAAAAAADLo/uqEcuyctBcE/s1600/EP_WS_France_041314.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></span></div>
Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-63582330738452577062014-04-06T08:00:00.000-05:002014-04-06T08:00:04.594-05:00Take the Last Train to...<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are many behind the scenes tours of Walt Disney World that I would like to take. My trouble is that I seldom wish to give up precious time in the parks (onstage) to go behind the scenes (backstage). Over the course of my many trips to the parks, I have only managed two tours. The first was the <i>Keys to the Kingdom Tour</i>. Great tour and highly recommended. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My second tour was this past November when two very dear friends and I woke up before dawn to make our way to the Magic Kingdom for the <i>Magic Behind Our Stream Trains Tour</i>. Again, a great tour and highly recommended. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For me, no trip to Walt Disney World is complete without a grand circle tour of Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom. But I never fully appreciated the story and mechanics behind the trains. This tour fueled my understanding and appreciation of these marvelous engines. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our tour ended in the lobby of Main Street Station, having rode aboard the Walter E. Disney to get there. This is where our photo for today was taken.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k0baYn-blig/U0Bip26uZuI/AAAAAAAADLY/4B5TjqLB_qI/s1600/MK_MainStStation_040614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k0baYn-blig/U0Bip26uZuI/AAAAAAAADLY/4B5TjqLB_qI/s1600/MK_MainStStation_040614.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Note: During our tour we learned that the steam engines are in danger of being replaced by diesel engines that will have the appearance of steam engines. Trains were a core part of <a href="http://carolwood.com/">Walt Disney's</a> life and the steam engines are reminder of that. They are part of the nostalgia that some of us love about the parks in general and Main Street in particular. If you care about preserving a part of Walt's heritage and the beauty of these engines, consider signing the petition at <a href="http://www.savedisneysteam.com/">Save Disney Steam</a>. And, next time you're in Walt Disney World, wake up early and go take the tour. You too will have a whole new appreciation for steam.</span></div>
Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6619362088718661609.post-73240949635548467452014-03-30T08:00:00.000-05:002014-03-30T08:00:03.116-05:00At An Oasis<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of the most soothing places I know of in all of Walt Disney World can be found in Disney's Animal Kingdom. They call it the Oasis. </span></div>
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Greghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10451951530394384699noreply@blogger.com0