- Trail’s End Breakfast
- Horse Riding
- Minigolf
Early start for the girls to horse ride at Fort Wilderness while I soloed the Trails End breakfast buffet. The logistics of buses etc. here are confusing. I thought they needed a bus from parking to the lakeside area with Pioneer Hall etc. but they didn't so only I got the 5 minute bus ride.
Wrote some dining report at the tables outside then headed to check in desk. I ended up at a table for 4 in between two families. Chose a coffee as a first drink and went to get some buffet.
The sweets diverted me from my planned granola option. I was already regretting this and feeling socially impaired when the server came over and said 'starting with the sweet stuff are we' at the top of her voice leaving me a little embarrassed. Now I'm fine with eating alone but a good server will put you at ease not embarrass in that situation. I nodded and she then left without asking if I wanted anything else (I was about to ask what the juice was again). The croissant and danish here were fine, exactly as you’d expect, the warm sticky pecan bun was good with the the hot pecan sauce added too.
Picked up a second plate from the hot section (they also had cereal, granola and cold-cuts areas plus breads).
Went for a modest plate of the Country Benedict, Tater Tots, Bacon, Sausage, Braised Beef Hash and a Biscuit. The server didn’t bother to offer ketchup to the table of one so it’s lucky I didn’t want any
The highlight here was the country benedict which seemed to be a poached egg on pulled pork with a bit of bbq sauce flavour, very tasty and enjoyed this a lot more than the infamous Cali Grill lobster benedict! Tater tots are always welcome and the braised beef has was decent too - cubes of beef and potatoes. This all disappeared no problem and the second my plate was clear the server appeared with the bill. No rush she said as she rushed off again to see to her more lucrative clients
$23.43. Blurred to protect the innocent
By this point I’d had enough of her insincere and difficult style and waited for her to come back so that I could give her a $1 or $2 tip. There was no pen provided to write a tip so presumably it has to be 18 or 20%. I asked for a pen and explained while I wrote $2 down (8.5% tip) that I might have wanted some juice or ketchup. She offered me juice to go. I declined and stalked off huffily to the bus stop. Some people just aren’t cut out for front of house roles. She would be better deployed with a shovel in the stables
Meantime the girls were having a more magical experience
on their horse ride around the woods and trails of Fort Wilderness. They both enjoyed this although I do now fear requests for further sessions when we get home. I’ve always maintained a firm no horse riding line i.e. we can’t afford a horse so no point borrowing one - ride your bike it’s better exercise (and free
).
Anyway after that we dropped DW off for some shopping. DD and I played a round of mini golf at Winter Summerland (Summer course). Gave her 1.5 shots a hole which was way too much because she trounced me with that start. We then did or WalMart shop of junk to take home.
Shopping mini hauls as follows, excluding boring stuff like drinks:
DD Haul - she claims most of this is requests from friends
Haul for me and DW (mostly me TBF), note the apples - clearly it’s health kick time
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Lunch is at Homecomin’