A very personal Decade of Dreams tour! UPDATED 6/5 - Page 20 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
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We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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Tuesday 31 March – part three: fun new food and drink
From there, it was into the main hall, which was undergoing some major renovation work, which is why there are so few photos of it. We took photos very carefully, so as you couldn’t see what they were doing, but there are also some of the work to give you an idea.
Inside, it was bizarre. The main shrine at the back houses the original Kannon image and everyone was throwing coins at it. It was quite something to see and it created quite a row. I’m fascinated by Buddhism and I think I said this when we were in Hong Kong. I find being near one of their temples very relaxing and here it was the same, although the coin throwing didn’t do much for that relaxation. By the way, later in our trip, when visiting another temple, we learnt all about the coin throwing tradition. It’s something like you bow your head, throw your coin, then clap twice and bow twice. It’s really interesting and the cynic in me says it’s also a very good way of raising money. Slap my hands for saying that, but that thought did cross my mind…
We came out of the main hall and visited the incense burner, which is meant to keep you healthy. Personally, it just made us cough and splutter, as it was so strong, but we’ve never smoked in our lives, so maybe we weren’t the best guinea pigs.
Cleansing themselves before going into the temple
We walked back down Nakamisi-dori and this time, we did buy a few things along the way, getting a couple of banners of Tokyo and Japan that we could display at home for ourselves, a bag for one of Mark’s sisters, some postcards and a fridge magnet for us and some biscuits that we had seen being made. They weren’t what we expected, as they were soft and filled with something that we couldn’t quite work out, even to this day. Still, they were nice enough for me at least, although I know Mark wasn’t that keen.
Making the biscuits… …. And trying them out!
We sampled one and headed off to get the water cruise from nearby Asakusa pier, but while waiting to cross the road, we spotted a KFC and Mark noticed that they did a salmon burger, so we decided to have lunch there. As well as the salmon burger, I opted for a Fanta Melon, which came out a disgusting green colour, but actually, it was very nice and I spent the rest of the day looking for it at any stalls or shops we went into, it was that good. As Mark said, that’s us sorted for the rest of our trip, as we’ll just keep going back to KFC and I wouldn’t rule out a return there for us.
Fanta Melon My salmon burger
Once we finished, we headed off to the water cruise pier and managed to make ourselves understood enough to buy our tickets. Then we got in line. One thing I do love about the Japanese is they’re about as obsessive about lines as us Brits are. There is no pushing in – that just isn’t the done thing and it’s very refreshing not to have to worry about that.
We got on board, but by the time we did, all the window seats were already gone, so I ended up going upstairs and standing out on deck for much of the cruise, so that I could take photos.
Minnie and Mickey!
Every so often, the woman who was doing the commentary for the cruise would come up there and yell “low bridge, low bridge” and urge everyone to crouch down. It was funny to see people fall for it the first time and even funnier to see them fall for it the second time.
It was interesting to see how the city changed as we went along from a bit rundown to high rises, as we got towards Ginza, the heart of the city.
Great report Cheryl! I'm all caught up now . Your photos are wonderful. You really look like you are both enjoying yourselves tremendously. Best of all - you're hitting all the good stuff!!! Can't wait to see what you thought of Tsukiji as I have not been. DH always takes visitors there but says it's no place for the boys with all the forklifts running about .
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Enjoying Tokyo DisneySea with my Buzz & Woody...
I know'd I made a good choice! DVC - Saratoga Springs Resort
Loved the water tour! The temple/shine was beautiful.
OK Cheryl, you guys are bad... (just as bad as the rest of us! ) You go off someplace exotic, like Japan, and eat at KFC and McDonalds!
Great update, my friend!
Just getting caught up Cheryl! What beautiful pictures. The view from the room is fantastic!! The pictures of the cherry blossoms are beautiful!! And all the rest are stunning!! More please!!
More beautiful photos! I had to laugh at your comment about the coins being a way to raise money and the incense making you cough - just glad you shared exactly what you were thinking about them.
I also liked to read your post about eating KFC - reminded me of when we ate McDonald's when we went to Versailles.
Can't wait to 'see' more!
Just got caught up with your report. I love all of the pics. Your room is amazing with a wonderful view. I really loved the nighttime shots.
The cherry blossoms were just gorgeous. The architecture is beautiful. I hope to go to Tokyo someday. My grandparents and parents always had exchange students from the time I was a baby until we moved to Oklahoma. My grandparents and uncle have both been there. One day I will make it there too.
Keep it coming.
Just cuaght up with your last few updates...Japan looks amazing. I love all yuour photos, the shrine and the cherry blossoms are just so beautiful and peaceful. It is definitely crowdy though...and I thought Manhattan at rush hour was bad. Glad you enjoyed your KFC break, it always interests me how the chain resturants change and adapt their menu to fit the culture...that Fanta Melon did look refreshing.
Just getting caught up on a few updates. The outside of your hotel was just as stunning as the lobby! Interesting about turning in your key, and the umbrella holders. I've enjoyed seeing all the places you've been so far. Everything is so beautiful. The architecture is very interesting. Glad you were able to take in some of the sights from a cruise - I'm sure that gave you some "breathing room" from what you were saying about the crowds. Looking forward to more!
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Great report Cheryl! I'm all caught up now 
. Your photos are wonderful. You really look like you are both enjoying yourselves tremendously. Best of all - you're hitting all the good stuff!!! Can't wait to see what you thought of Tsukiji as I have not been. DH always takes visitors there but says it's no place for the boys with all the forklifts running about 
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) You go off someplace exotic, like Japan, and eat at KFC and McDonalds! 
Claytrgtshooter (Minnie Lor's Hubbie)
Dreams, Wishes, Hopes... these are the parts of childhood we should never lose.
Disney Magic - Oct 2015
Liz 
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