Crystal & Amy's Misadventures Report-Not That Bridge, Wicked Good, & Is that Canada eh? Updated 8/24 About This Page:

[iamgrumpy]

A trip report of Two PassPorter Friends Touring Canada I Mean Connecticut.


This whole thing started way back in November of 2005 when a PassPorter who should remain NAMED Crystal mentioned a meet in Allentown PA that has become a yearly thing. Well not one to pass up a chance to meet Passporters I watched that Post and the date was set for the last weekend in January 2006. Well living in the frozen Tundra of CT the weather will determine my last minute status of going or not going!

Well Magic Mickey (Lisa) and I decided we would fly into Philly and spend a day sightseeing before being picked up the next day for the PassPorter Meet that was about 1 hour away. We booked a hotel and JoanW and her easy cheese would pick us up and then after the meet drop us at the airport! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/thanx.gif[/img] Joan!

Well Crystal had bugged me about going making sure I was still going that sort of thing for a while before the meet. So when the big day arrived I thought it would be the end of it (Boy was I wrong! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img]) Well to make a long drive I mean story short my navigational skills got Joan, her daughters, Lisa, and I lost and we ended up in the Pocono’s! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] Never should have seen those but hey that is what happens when you let Mr. Magoo navigate ( I can’t see very well anymore old age you know I was quickly approaching the really big 2-4 [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] ) Well we almost ran out of gas and were about 1 hour away from the 1 hour point to the restaurant. I don’t have Crystal’s cell number, Joan doesn’t have it and well the only number I can ask for is the restaurants as I didn’t know crystal’s last name. So my first interaction with this person is the restaurant telling her she has a call from someone looking for Tony Stewarts Stalker [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] oh and she does ceramics on Wednesday’s [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img]

So we hit it off and chit chat through lunch and that brings us to the current months. We chatted all the time and one day I get this message “Mohegan Sun” . From crystal and it peaks my interest. “what room would you book if you were to stay at Mohegan Sun from July 27 to July 31?” I don’t even think about what to say other then “whatever is available” I was psyched! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/woot.gif[/img] So after the shock that she was coming all the way out here to visit I helped her book her reservation and quickly set my countdown to tick away slowly those days until she would arrive! I had free reign to plan the days out to give her a tour of CT!

Well here is where I came into difficulty [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] what is there to see other then 2 casinos?? [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] I don’t visit my state I leave it and head to Florida so I have no idea what to do or see. So I ask coworkers, family, friends and come up with ideas. Then the Dining, its not easy when PassPorter hasn’t done a Field guide to restaurants in Connecticut! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] So I research online, go on my gut instinct and past experience and figure we will just wing it for most things.

Crystal and I chatted on what things they liked disliked and the such and this is what the itinerary looked like before she got here:

Friday

Meet up at the Hotel and head out to Mystic
Shop at the Old Mystic Village
Lunch at Mystic Pizza (Crystal’s Must Do!)
Mystic Aquarium or Seaport (depending on the weather)
Dinner at Margarita’s


Saturday

Meet at the hotel
Tour Newport RI
Lunch out wherever we find something we link
Tour a little more of Newport
Dinner with DyanKJ130 at Gregg’s in Warwick [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/woot.gif[/img] [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/yuma.gif[/img]

Sunday

Meet up at hotel
Breakfast/lunch together somewhere
Gillette’s Castle
Outlet Shopping
Beach stop
Dinner at Foxwoods
Hang out at Foxwoods for a while

Since I can’t gamble at Mohegan we will stop at Foxwoods and see if I have any luck on the slot machines [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]


Monday Crystal goes home so we will say our goodbyes Sunday night I will be [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/zcry.gif[/img] [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/zcry.gif[/img] [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/zcry.gif[/img] as I leave as I know we will have such a Rocking Time!


Up Next..the start of the visit and Canada Eh?

[crystalloubear]

Great report - I can't wait to hear what happens [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img]

Seriously, Amy is like the little sister that I never wanted [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/ukid.gif[/img] I mean never had. We are having a wicked awesome time!!! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

I will let Amy tell you what happens and add my own remarks. I may have to censor some of them - especially if she mentions how people here drive [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]

[iamgrumpy]

Friday July 28th 2006

Canada Eh?

Well That excitement you feel right before you go to WDW and your “I’m too excited to Sleep” hit me last night like I couldn’t believe. I was excited to show Crystal my hometown, my backyard. Plus Donna’s report still fresh I was determined to play tourist in CT [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/thanx.gif[/img] Donna! I grabbed my camera and headed out the door at 7:30 for the short drive of 15 minutes to my work so I could be there in plenty of time for the 9am meeting time [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] I couldn’t stand waiting at home the time was going so slow! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img] very slow!

I stopped at the very not Healthy McDonald’s for breakfast as I had Plenty of time to kill as it was now only 8am by the time I got to the McDonald’s. I got my breakfast and sat and ate it dreading that clock for moving so slowly. I finished up and drove over to work about a 5 minute drive and debated over parking in the employee garage (like I’m supposed to) or using the valet service at the hotel (frowned upon) well since I really don’t care if I get in trouble at this point I figure why spend another 20 minutes fussing with the shuttle and walking through the casino so Valet won! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] I beg them fire me please!

I sat and waited for crystal it wasn’t long before I saw her get off the elevator and we both waved [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/zwavin.gif[/img] at each other and grinned like Tony Stewart had walked by or something [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] Crystal’s DH Doug looked like OH NO not another crazy PassPorter I mean Crazy-like [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] Doug was pretty Cool and likes to talk so we will see if he can out talk me … I tend to never shut up sometimes so its on Doug! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img]

So we pick up Crystal’s New Electric Blue Convertible and decide we are going to head out and see what the day brings. Here is a picture of the car!


Well Crystal and Doug hadn’t had breakfast so we head down the back roads and so Far we haven’t gotten lost but question ourselves when we find our breakfast at this place :


So we fear we took a wrong turn and landed in Canada-eh.. (yes we had to add that in as CT folk don’t talk like that so it wouldn’t feel real with out the eh) Oh good we didn’t get lost and we get our Timbits and some drinks and a breakfast sandwich for Doug and then headed out for the day (for real this time!)

We make our way to the highway and then to the back roads and now I’m getting a little nervous as I’m really afraid now that we will get lost and I’ll never live down the Pocono Story. So we do fine until we get to the end of this one road and I forget [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/foreheadslap.gif[/img] if we go left or right. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] this starts everything downhill in terms of directions. Well I recognize a store to my left so we turn left. We drive for a while and see signs for and Educational Center (doesn’t say aquarium) but I am like “maybe that was our turn but I’m not sure” Doug and Crystal looked worried until I started the Carlton Dance once I saw the Signs for Mystic Aquarium. Well Panic was over as until we saw that second turn I thought for sure I was lost and my only option was to call my mom and ask her how to get out if we couldn’t find it ourselves so I was glad we found it.

We quickly made our way to the Old Mystic Village and parked the car, the appropriate pit stops were made and then we explored shops and bought a few things. Crystal will have to tell you what she bought as I was too busy window shopping and trying the free fudge and cheese the shop had. We had a good time just wandering around and shopping for an hour or so. It’s a Cute little area and we even tried this soda that was supposedly bottled nearby but it wasn’t really so it was good to drink but nothing special.

We got back to the car and decided we were ready for lunch and Crystal’s only MUST DO for this trip was Mystic Pizza. So we followed the road that I knew it was off and well I got confused and almost turned the wrong way but luckily there was a sign that told you where downtown Mystic was. We made it over the bridge and drove up towards the restaurant and at first decided to skip it as the line was out the door and we couldn’t find parking but after turning around and coming back realized it was just a family talking and not waiting. So we drove around the block and found a place to park that was nearby and headed into the restaurant. We were taken to the 2nd floor and given menus. We decided to get an appetizer sampler and a pizza to share. The appetizer was ok Mozzarella Sticks, Chicken wings, chicken tenders, and French fries. I had a mozzarella Stick and a chicken tender and both were average nothing spectacular. Then came the Pizza and my first thought was “that doesn’t look like pizza that I am used to” not sure what Crystal’s first thought was but we dug in and all seemed to agree that it was Horrible! That had to be the worst pizza ever!
A few pictures of that pizza!



We didn’t stay long and decided that due to the heat and threat of storms we would hit the aquarium and not the seaport!

Up Next A visit to the Aquarium!

[crystalloubear]

Those shops were pretty neat. I bought some Maine Blueberry Jam and Raspberry jam. Then we went into this Christmas store and Amy made the mistake of pointing out the kitchen Christmas tree. I got 7 new ornaments for my kitchen Christmas tree including a BBQ Frog Chef and a jalepeno in a chef hat that said "Hot Stuff" on it. I also got my friend Joanne a cool daschound purse that matched a cell phone holder that I got her in Savannah.
We won't talk about how I pulled too far into the parking spot and scratched up the underneath of my front bumper [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

[gwugirl03]

Great start! Can't wait to see what the next installment brings!

[iamgrumpy]

Friday July 28 2006 Continued…

So we drove back into town Crystal taking every chance to tease me about my navigation skills or lack there of but we make it to the Aquarium in one piece so don’t know what she is complaining about [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img]

CT Drivers are not the best we are a mix of New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. We don’t know how to drive very well and you have to basically use the phrase “what do you expect its CT!” [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] I will admit I drive horribly but that’s just to mix in with everyone else! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif[/img]

We parked the car and headed over to buy tickets. I asked a simple question of “do you offer Discounts to Mohegan Sun Employees?” First she thought I said Foxwoods, then she was confused as if I was from a museum and well I gave up and just paid the full price. So $20 lighter I got my ticket and waited for Crystal and Doug to finish up their purchase. We headed inside and the first thing we saw was a tent where you could take pictures with a parrot or a toucan well I don’t even want to touch a sting ray much less have a bird on me so I just take a picture from a bit away.
The Parrots


Then it was over to the Artic Pool where they had Beluga Whales performing tricks and since it was feeding time it was quite busy by the pool so we watched from a far and caught this pictures.




We headed back to the Seal and Sea Lion area and they did a whole talk on the differences between seals and Sea lions. (sorry I don’t remember [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] I never pay attention I am too busy looking at the animals and taking pictures)

Well the Females were in one tank and area and Kodiak the male Sea Lion was in a different one I’m guessing they aren’t trying for any baby sea lions right now [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img]

So here are the Sea Lions, seals as well!





We walked over to the Penguin area it was very small and they were being fed so that was fun to watch they would get their food then all line up at the edge of the rocks until every one was fed their food. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/rofl2.gif[/img] looked like little butlers all lined up too Cute!


The rest of the aquarium had the basic fish and exhibits that you would expect and we stayed long enough to see the show in the theater with the other male sea lions, Skippy, Tabor and two others who names I forget.

The show was neat and the guys were real hams about being on stage. They even came out to the audience which was a little unnerving!

Here are some photos of the aquairum and the show together!
Jelly Fish


Dory and Nemo are mad at each other!


Doug and Amy on PT109 exhibit


Sea Lion Show



After the show we left and decided to skip the Mexican Food and head towards my house from some hot dogs and hamburgers.

Up next Who ordered that Monsoon?