Boston and Washington - Spring 2016 - Day 9 (PANDAS at the National Zoo, Museums, National Mall)

[Cazzius]

Yay!

I LOVE a zoo.
If you even make it to Prague, their zoo is fabulous, even though the Red Pandas (my favourites) didn't wake up until we were about to leave. They are also called Pandy in Czech, which I think is too cute.

So nice for the lady to fetch you plain yogurt, but a shame that it was still ectoplasm. Did you feel you had to eat it as she had fecthed it especially? I know I would.

My BF does the 3 course hotel breakfast too. First cereal, then cooked, then croissants, cold meat and cheese (occasionally as a croissandwich). I don't mind as it means we are getting good value for money!

Sounds like you had an excellent time at the zoo and it wasn't too busy. Despite the downhill/uphill walking at the National Zoo I really liked how it was landscaped. We went when the leaves were turning and it was beautiful.

I found the keepers at the zoo really informative and really keen to share their knowledge. Such a shame about the rudy pushy women. I think I would have cheered when the guy told them "It ain't no petting zoo!" Hurrah for that man.

Great work befriending Nugget Lady and getting hot, fresh food.

Poor RC struggling with his arthritis and the cold weather. I've had a couple of hip replacements due to arthritis and find it always hurts more in the cold so understand the struggle.

I also like the shiny, spangly gold meteor best, though the sharp cream/white one is interesting because of the colour.
I enjoyed Poot's reporting again and especially he makes friends wherever he goes - and had a singalong in the reptile house.

Sounds like a nice chilled evening keeping warm. A shame to miss the restaurant but more money for the Target fund is always nice.

Originally Posted by Goldia

We watched a bit of the weather channel in the mornings as NYC was surprisingly wet and cold and we hadn't brought and warm weather gear. Poor DH, we all bought hoodies or cardies from H&M near the 9/11 memorial, but DH couldn't find anything he liked, he's not really a hoodie person, bizarrely I thought of your poor packing and sighed to myself, oh dear how did I not prepare for this eventuality? We decided we would follow the itinerary as I am dreadful at the thought of changes to the plan, and we just kept going, we are British you know so a bit of wind, rain and chilliness in summer is not outside of our wealth of experience.

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Good old H&M. We seem to find a H&M and buy something due to unsuitable packing/unusual weather on every trip. I have frequented H&M in Amsterdam, Prague, Ghent, Cape Town and Dublin that I can recall!

Originally Posted by Goldia

I'm planning on doing a food trip report. I can't remember if I said that on this thread already, sorry if I'm repeating myself, but I'll tell you the story anyway . On the drive to the airport hotel I asked DH if he minded me taking the photos and he said it was fine. Our first meal in the Mercure hotel the night before the flight he got a bit...angsty...and said I looked ridiculous taking photos of each plate. I've downloaded all the photos and we've got more than 700! I even took photos of receipts and menus in some places. But, all the photos were taken with my phone so they are not the best quality plus lots of them are quite blurry, I think in my haste I wasn't very steady. Each photo was accompanied with encouraging remarks like 'you look mental' or 'hurry up I'm starving' or 'are you finished?' which was usually followed by the plate being whipped away from me!

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My trip report is going to be very low on food photos for the same reason. The BF tutted every time and was certainly not impressed at my attempts to take photos of food/drinks with Disney landmarks in the background.

To hep with your Edinburgh trip persuasion, I belive Edinburgh has quite a large English population, and also has a wonderful university that attracts students from all around the world... so RC will be fine.
You could also take Poot to The Elephant House cafe where JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter The Elephant House

Thank you for sharing your trip and detailing your travels in such an entertaining way

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Cazzius

Yay!

I LOVE a zoo.
If you even make it to Prague, their zoo is fabulous, even though the Red Pandas (my favourites) didn't wake up until we were about to leave. They are also called Pandy in Czech, which I think is too cute.

So nice for the lady to fetch you plain yogurt, but a shame that it was still ectoplasm. Did you feel you had to eat it as she had fecthed it especially? I know I would.

My BF does the 3 course hotel breakfast too. First cereal, then cooked, then croissants, cold meat and cheese (occasionally as a croissandwich). I don't mind as it means we are getting good value for money!

Sounds like you had an excellent time at the zoo and it wasn't too busy. Despite the downhill/uphill walking at the National Zoo I really liked how it was landscaped. We went when the leaves were turning and it was beautiful.

I found the keepers at the zoo really informative and really keen to share their knowledge. Such a shame about the rudy pushy women. I think I would have cheered when the guy told them "It ain't no petting zoo!" Hurrah for that man.

Great work befriending Nugget Lady and getting hot, fresh food.

Poor RC struggling with his arthritis and the cold weather. I've had a couple of hip replacements due to arthritis and find it always hurts more in the cold so understand the struggle.

I also like the shiny, spangly gold meteor best, though the sharp cream/white one is interesting because of the colour.
I enjoyed Poot's reporting again and especially he makes friends wherever he goes - and had a singalong in the reptile house.

Sounds like a nice chilled evening keeping warm. A shame to miss the restaurant but more money for the Target fund is always nice.



Good old H&M. We seem to find a H&M and buy something due to unsuitable packing/unusual weather on every trip. I have frequented H&M in Amsterdam, Prague, Ghent, Cape Town and Dublin that I can recall!



My trip report is going to be very low on food photos for the same reason. The BF tutted every time and was certainly not impressed at my attempts to take photos of food/drinks with Disney landmarks in the background.

To hep with your Edinburgh trip persuasion, I belive Edinburgh has quite a large English population, and also has a wonderful university that attracts students from all around the world... so RC will be fine.
You could also take Poot to The Elephant House cafe where JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter The Elephant House

Thank you for sharing your trip and detailing your travels in such an entertaining way

See more...

Mmm..."croissan'wiches". We didn't have air conditioning when I was a kid, and my father would go out on super hot nights and buy croissants and sliced meat and cheese - so we didn't heat the house up with the oven.

Poot doesn't like croissants - and that makes me sad, since we'll never get to share the 'wich tradition.

And I think you make an excellent point about zookeepers. I think most people ignore them, but I guarantee that if you take the time to ask questions - you will learn something. On our last visit to Busch Gardens we spent AGES in the Animal Care Center. We were lucky enough to speak to a local volunteer who had brought in three injured hawks (one had been SHOT ) - I think I leaned more about raptors in that conversation than I have in the rest of my life.

Pandy?! That IS too cute. I know it's not cute in Czech, obviously - but I love that kind of thing. My favourite cute word is the German one for mobile phone - "handy".


Two hip replacements already? You ARE a trooper. Whether it's osteo- or rheumatoid, I think arthritis often doesn't get taken as seriously as it should. I dislike the doctor who made you cry even MORE now.

On the positive side...dare I hope that your bionic hip means that you DON'T have to go through the body scanner at the airport? Because that thing...SHUDDER.


Ah, lol...you and Goldia. What you didn't endure for your fellow Dibbers! I think my favourite food photo story was from Touring Plans...I'm going to see if I can find it...yes!

My husband’s meal consisted of the fruit salad and King Triton’s Shipwreck al Forno, which is a calzone with soppressata, bacon, sausage, cheese, and gravy. He raved about his meal. (I blinked and it was gone.) The one slightly odd thing about this dish is that it comes with King Triton’s trident in it, but the server has to take the trident out of the meal before walking away. I’m guessing that there was a problem with all of the tridents getting stolen or some epic trident battles, but it made for a weird interaction. Like, “Here is your food! But we don’t trust you with the cutlery.” In any case, it was made even weirder because I was then yelling, “Don’t take it yet!” and shoving the camera at my husband to take a photo of his meal. (The) epitome of awkward.

[Goldia]

April, you are right I have suffered for my art! I am forcing myself back to wdw next summer just so as I can keep everyone back here entertained! I love the disappearing trident quote!

Also, now that you're nearly finished with Helen jnt 2016 report you should try cazzius. I know you have lots lined up and like to read one at a time. But on the pros side, she gives lots of detail, she is only posting 1 episode per week (this is a pro for me as I'm treating it like a TV series) and most importantly it's really good!

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Goldia

April, you are right I have suffered for my art! I am forcing myself back to wdw next summer just so as I can keep everyone back here entertained! I love the disappearing trident quote!

Also, now that you're nearly finished with Helen jnt 2016 report you should try cazzius. I know you have lots lined up and like to read one at a time. But on the pros side, she gives lots of detail, she is only posting 1 episode per week (this is a pro for me as I'm treating it like a TV series) and most importantly it's really good!

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Yes, that's the plan. First Gill's cruise trippie (she was on the Magic the week before us), then Cazzius'.

And I won't lie - when Poot and I read the trident story, we decided that breakfast was a must-do the next time we have the DDP. Only Disney! They'll give you a steak knife the size of a cutlass, but they won't let you keep a novelty toothpick.

[Cazzius]

Originally Posted by GopherLass

Mmm..."croissan'wiches". We didn't have air conditioning when I was a kid, and my father would go out on super hot nights and buy croissants and sliced meat and cheese - so we didn't heat the house up with the oven.

Poot doesn't like croissants - and that makes me sad, since we'll never get to share the 'wich tradition.

See more...

Maybe Poot will grow into liking croissants? I think you said he had the escargot one in France at Epcot... perhaps there is hope for croissandwiches in the future.

Originally Posted by GopherLass

And I think you make an excellent point about zookeepers. I think most people ignore them, but I guarantee that if you take the time to ask questions - you will learn something. On our last visit to Busch Gardens we spent AGES in the Animal Care Center. We were lucky enough to speak to a local volunteer who had brought in three injured hawks (one had been SHOT ) - I think I leaned more about raptors in that conversation than I have in the rest of my life.

See more...

I think (for the most) zookeepers really like what they do, and are really happy to share info with interested guests. You can find out info that you would never otherwise find out, and it is nice to hear their stories.

Originally Posted by GopherLass

Pandy?! That IS too cute. I know it's not cute in Czech, obviously - but I love that kind of thing. My favourite cute word is the German one for mobile phone - "handy".

See more...

Handy! I like that
Here's proof of the sleepy, lesser spotted Czech Pandy

Originally Posted by GopherLass

Two hip replacements already? You ARE a trooper. Whether it's osteo- or rheumatoid, I think arthritis often doesn't get taken as seriously as it should. I dislike the doctor who made you cry even MORE now.

On the positive side...dare I hope that your bionic hip means that you DON'T have to go through the body scanner at the airport? Because that thing...SHUDDER.

See more...

Are the scanners at NYC different from the standard tube type scanners that all the airports seem to use now? I always get pulled out to do those.
If the NYC ones are different I may have to remember to take my doctor's note with me if/when we go there.

Originally Posted by GopherLass

Ah, lol...you and Goldia. What you didn't endure for your fellow Dibbers! I think my favourite food photo story was from Touring Plans...I'm going to see if I can find it...yes!

My husband’s meal consisted of the fruit salad and King Triton’s Shipwreck al Forno, which is a calzone with soppressata, bacon, sausage, cheese, and gravy. He raved about his meal. (I blinked and it was gone.) The one slightly odd thing about this dish is that it comes with King Triton’s trident in it, but the server has to take the trident out of the meal before walking away. I’m guessing that there was a problem with all of the tridents getting stolen or some epic trident battles, but it made for a weird interaction. Like, “Here is your food! But we don’t trust you with the cutlery.” In any case, it was made even weirder because I was then yelling, “Don’t take it yet!” and shoving the camera at my husband to take a photo of his meal. (The) epitome of awkward.

See more...

[/QUOTE]

Oh my gosh, that is excellent! I'm sat in the empty office at work laughing to myself like a crazy lady now. I'll bet it was because tridents were going missing, but still, having it just for the journey from the kitchen to the table seems a bit of a waste.
That calzone sounds amazing too - what restaurant is that?

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Cazzius

Maybe Poot will grow into liking croissants? I think you said he had the escargot one in France at Epcot... perhaps there is hope for croissandwiches in the future.



I think (for the most) zookeepers really like what they do, and are really happy to share info with interested guests. You can find out info that you would never otherwise find out, and it is nice to hear their stories.



Handy! I like that
Here's proof of the sleepy, lesser spotted Czech Pandy

Are the scanners at NYC different from the standard tube type scanners that all the airports seem to use now? I always get pulled out to do those.
If the NYC ones are different I may have to remember to take my doctor's note with me if/when we go there.

See more...

Many thanks for the Pandy photo - I know we're not supposed to like certain animals because they're cute...but I just can't help it. Poot and I stood and watched the pandy at Dublin Zoo for ages.

Oh - this has made me think of an animal book that I bought for Poot a couple of years ago...and I bought it JUST for the amusing title/cover photo...

...teehee..."We Can't All Be Pandas"...


As to scanners, I do think the ones at JFK were the same. I dread the day that Poot turns 12 - and we have to start going through them. Poor you, every time.


...Ah, sorry...the calzone avec trident is at Trattoria al Forno (the restaurant that used to be Kouzzina), on the Boardwalk. They do that special character breakfast there, where you can meet Rapunzel, Flynn Ryder, Ariel & Prince...oh, crap...Eric (had to look that one up - bad Disney fan).

[SEAWORLD FAN]

Been almost a year since I read the previous day of this report as I got sidetracked by all the hurricane threads that were going at the time and then life got in the way but excited to get reading about the rest of your trip now. As it goes, we have a trip booked for next September so good job I read all about the hurricane activity! I am finally getting to visit Washington on the way to Orlando so gathering lots of info from your trip.

So today looks like it was a great day (besides the losing of RC obviously!). I cannot wait to visit the zoo and the pandas in particular. Although despite my comment on a previous day, I am not especially excited about seeing the meteorites. I bet Poot had a blast though, and isn't that the main thing? I really think you can get a feel for his passions from the pieces he writes at the end.

Loved the Rick Scott pic by the way. One of our trips was during the election campaign and those adverts were everywhere. We still make reference to it even now when we come across a particularly shady individual. Lots of them up our way.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by SEAWORLD FAN

Been almost a year since I read the previous day of this report as I got sidetracked by all the hurricane threads that were going at the time and then life got in the way but excited to get reading about the rest of your trip now. As it goes, we have a trip booked for next September so good job I read all about the hurricane activity! I am finally getting to visit Washington on the way to Orlando so gathering lots of info from your trip.

So today looks like it was a great day (besides the losing of RC obviously!). I cannot wait to visit the zoo and the pandas in particular. Although despite my comment on a previous day, I am not especially excited about seeing the meteorites. I bet Poot had a blast though, and isn't that the main thing? I really think you can get a feel for his passions from the pieces he writes at the end.

Loved the Rick Scott pic by the way. One of our trips was during the election campaign and those adverts were everywhere. We still make reference to it even now when we come across a particularly shady individual. Lots of them up our way.

See more...

Sorry to be so tardy in reply!

Poot and I were away (up North and in Glasgow) and what with that and various family things I have neglected the Dibb.

Would you like to see a snap of Poot imbibing the local brew in Scotland?

You wouldn't?

Oh, dear...it's the only photo I've uploaded. Sorry.

He also enjoyed some haggis-flavoured crisps. We do love a bit of cultural stereotyping 'round here.


It did make me laugh that your family also still uses "Too shady...". That is one of my favourite adverts EVER. I hope the chap at the ad agency got a bonus.

It's so funny, too, reading Poot's contributions from early 2016. He is now 11 - and a young man instead of a child (and not just because he has size 9 feet!). It's nice to have grown-up conversations with him...but I do miss that wide-eyed meteorite-loving lad.

Welcome back - and happy planning - your trip sound FAB!