Back to Epcot

This afternoon we parked at Disney's BoardWalk and took one of the boats over to Epcot.

The boats make sort of a circuit around the Disney properties and are a neat way to get from one to the other.

We were able to look out on the lake and see some of the 14 barges that were getting set up for tonight's firework show --

There were even more topiaries to see. This one is Snow White and her Prince Charming --

And Cinderella and hers -- (Why is Cinderella such a lousy soccer player? Because she's always losing her shoe and running away from the ball and her coach is a real pumpkin... Told to us by the boat captain on the way back.)

Beauty and the Beast --

Loved this one of the Teapot and Chip --

We watched a great comedy act outside the French Bistro (and saw very nice movie about France) --

The it was time for dinner. Leslie made this dinner reservation at the Moroccan pavilion especially for Forrest --

Not that she thought he might enjoy the entertainment --

I'd say he was pretty attentive...

Not sure what the fellow on the left was playing. It looked like it might have been related to a dulcimer...

I'm not sure if Bill was trying to get a better look at the belly-dancer, or just wanted to get in the picture?

This is the beef shish kabob Forry and I shared --

And the lamb shank that Bill and Leslie had --

We had Turkish coffee with dessert. It was quite strong and made with orange blossom water --

 Dessert was a plate with almond, walnut and pistachio baklavas along with a dab of a date jam --

By then the dancer was back for another show (note the little girl on the left watching) --

She brought all of the little girls down to do a dance with her --

This is just one of the beautifully tiled buildings in the Morocco section of Epcot --

Some more topiaries --

 

 

We went to see the show at the US pavilion (which was very dated and disappointing) then found ourselves a place to watch the grand finale fireworks show --

We stopped in a VERY long line for ice cream at the Beaches and Cream shop, then took the boat ride back to the parking lot. Except we got on the boat going the wrong way and had a scenic tour in the dark of many of the Disney properties until we finally got to where we needed to be...

Bonjour?

The Boardwalk RV Resort here in Homestead is a Mecca for folks from way up north. I think the highest percentage of license plates we have seen here are from Quebec, Canada. I had expected to be hearing lots of Spanish, but instead we are being greeted in French.

We are finally far enough south to be seeing papaya trees! I actually bought one the other day at a fruit stand by Lake Okeechobee. We had half of it for breakfast with lime juice this morning.

Walking around this urban park this afternoon almost felt like being in a florist shop with VERY large foliage plants -- like this split leaf philodendron.

And we saw lots and lots of hibiscus --

This family had pots of orchids hanging from their awnings --

The owner said they had just started blooming --

Another color of hibiscus --

This is another plant that I have seen -- a whole lot smaller -- in florist shops.

I have never seen so many different kinds of palm trees. These young ones were clustered at one end of the park --

Another florist plant in the north --

Most of the sheds around the park had straps like this attached to big screws in the ground -- preparation for hurricane winds?

A gorgeous double hibiscus --

A large banana plant --

I have no idea what this large tree might be. There were about a dozen of these "bulbs" scattered throughout the foliage --

Another gorgeous double -- or triple? -- hibiscus.

English and Spanish and French AND Swahili?

We have gotten used at our Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference annual meetings to having translation available in Spanish as well as written materials. We have worshiped for many years in both Spanish and English. This year we admitted International Bethel City Church of Portland as a PNMC member. They are mainly a French speaking group of Congolese who have emigrated to the US over a period of years. So we had music today in French, English and Spanish -- and then were introduced to a song in Swahili!

A PNMC meeting is somewhat like going to a large family reunion -- there are many people here that we only see at such gatherings. So there are many, many conversations catching up on what has happened since we have last seen each other.

One of those pleasant surprises today was getting to visit with Phyllis and Norm who are delegates from Salem, Oregon. They had been long termer volunteers with us during our time with Mennonite Disaster Service in Dulzura, California in March and April.