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HemlockGrey wrote:

Crown wrote:There is a definate age difference going on here, I am a budget traveler. When I was in Instabul, I was spending $4 (US) a day on accomadation (bed and meals).

That's awesome; how'd you do it?

Last week of November made it off season as it was, 8 people to a room (all bunk beds), three rooms to a floor, two showers to a floor, and one toilet to a floor.

In short, hostel accomadation. Also this was back in 2001 -- when the Turkish ecomomy was something like 200% inflation, so it wasn't expensive to begin with.

Although you shouldn't think the hostel was bad, it wasn't. The food was fulling, the locasion was right back smack in the centre of Istanbul, 1 block away from the Agia Sophia, and the Blue Mosque and across from Topakaki palace.

Best. Deal. Ever.

Wow, I didn't realize how bad ass Vegas was. I think I'd definetely like to go there sometime now. I have an Uncle that always talks about it, and he goes every other year. That hotel looks great, and I didn't realize all the non-gambling things there were there.

Also I love how Mike is wearing a Fanny-pack in all the pics... That is the international sign of the tourist!

Also, Mike you said you went to Universal Orlando. Did you go before or after they built "Islands of Adventure?" And if you went after they built it did you go to that park? (it is adjacent to Universal Orlando), I consider that the best theme park I've ever been to, and even Travel channel deemed it the "best theme park in the world." It is really great, and I highly recommend it to anyone traveling to Orlando.

And I'd also recommend NOT coming to FL in the summer, as it is fucking miserable with horrible insects, terrible heat, and humidity is rediculous.

Sadly, I haven't been further west than Denver, and hopefully in the next few years maybe try and go to Vegas and California, looks really awesome.

Marksist wrote:Wow, I didn't realize how bad ass Vegas was. I think I'd definetely like to go there sometime now. I have an Uncle that always talks about it, and he goes every other year. That hotel looks great, and I didn't realize all the non-gambling things there were there.

It's apparently changed quite a bit from its storied past.

Also I love how Mike is wearing a Fanny-pack in all the pics... That is the international sign of the tourist!

It is? I wear that around town here in Toronto as well.

Also, Mike you said you went to Universal Orlando. Did you go before or after they built "Islands of Adventure?" And if you went after they built it did you go to that park? (it is adjacent to Universal Orlando), I consider that the best theme park I've ever been to, and even Travel channel deemed it the "best theme park in the world." It is really great, and I highly recommend it to anyone traveling to Orlando.

It wasn't there when I went to Orlando, but I checked out the website, and the Jurassic Park water ride is exactly like the one they recently added to Universal Studios LA. I suspect they tend to "mirror" developments from one park to the other. But one thing the Orlando park will never have that the LA park has is actual production studios and sets on-site. That's what's unique about Universal Studios LA; since it's basically in Hollywood, it's attached to actual studios, so the word "Studios" in its name is more than window-dressing. During the tour they take you around to get a peek at soundstages that are actually used to make movies, the original "Back to the Future" set that was actually used for the town square (complete with the city hall building and the clocktower), the original Bates Motel that was seen in the movies, etc.

And I'd also recommend NOT coming to FL in the summer, as it is fucking miserable with horrible insects, terrible heat, and humidity is rediculous.

Yes, I know

California during the same time of year has beautiful weather, at least based on my experience.

Sadly, I haven't been further west than Denver, and hopefully in the next few years maybe try and go to Vegas and California, looks really awesome.

At least Denver has a really nice airport. Not like O'Hare, which is old and crappy and whose only neat feature is the automatic toilet-seat cover machine in the bathrooms.

And I'd also recommend NOT coming to FL in the summer, as it is fucking miserable with horrible insects, terrible heat, and humidity is rediculous.

That's FL all the time.

It wasn't there when I went to Orlando, but I checked out the website, and the Jurassic Park water ride is exactly like the one they recently added to Universal Studios LA. I suspect they tend to "mirror" developments from one park to the other. But one thing the Orlando park will never have that the LA park has is actual production studios and sets on-site.

When me and the family were there, I got to be Fluffy's victim. Good stuff, though the daughter was not happy.

Darth Wong wrote: It is? I wear that around town here in Toronto as well.

That's not surprising; in my experience, Canada tends to be behind the US in fashion and during the late 80's and early 90's, fanny packs were a common fashion accessory.

The Kernel wrote:

Darth Wong wrote: It is? I wear that around town here in Toronto as well.

That's not surprising; in my experience, Canada tends to be behind the US in fashion and during the late 80's and early 90's, fanny packs were a common fashion accessory.

I was actually just about to say that.

Although in this case fashion probably has nothing to do with it: Mike seems to be a very practical man, and fanny packs, despite unholy amounts of dorkiness, are quite practical.

Shep's picture is hilarious. BTW, why are fanny packs considered a "fashion" accessory? Who gives a shit about fashion? If you don't have one, where do you carry all your stuff? My fanny pack weighs several pounds because of all the shit in it.

Darth Wong wrote:If you don't have one, where do you carry all your stuff? My fanny pack weighs several pounds because of all the shit in it.

Cargo pockets.

MKSheppard wrote:http://www.stardestroyer.net/Armour/TheShep.jpg

Priceless.

Darth Wong wrote:It wasn't there when I went to Orlando, but I checked out the website, and the Jurassic Park water ride is exactly like the one they recently added to Universal Studios LA. I suspect they tend to "mirror" developments from one park to the other. But one thing the Orlando park will never have that the LA park has is actual production studios and sets on-site.

Well, there is Nickelodeon Studios...

Or was. Do they still film stuff over there? They did back when I was a young'in. (The Slime Fountain/Shooter/Whatever! YAY!)

Wicked Pilot wrote:

Darth Wong wrote:If you don't have one, where do you carry all your stuff? My fanny pack weighs several pounds because of all the shit in it.

Cargo pockets.

I love cargo pockets...

Anyway, Wong, when I saw the pictures of the hotel I think for the first time in my life my jaw dropped open completely on it's own without my consent. That place is absolutely amazing, I don't think $300 a night is overpriced for that kind of thing at all. The pictures look great and it looks like you and your family had a great time, I suddenly have an urge to go to California...

Well, there is Nickelodeon Studios...

Or was. Do they still film stuff over there? They did back when I was a young'in. (The Slime Fountain/Shooter/Whatever! YAY!)

Yeah Nickelodeon (children's cable TV channel for those that don't know) films all their shows in Orlando still I think. Unfortunetely, that is the only real "studio" part of the Universal Studios Orlando. Except I think they film an occasional music video ( ) at Universal Studios in Orlando, but that is the extent of their "studio" claim; children's TV, and music videos.

Marksist wrote:Yeah Nickelodeon (children's cable TV channel for those that don't know) films all their shows in Orlando still I think. Unfortunetely, that is the only real "studio" part of the Universal Studios Orlando. Except I think they film an occasional music video ( ) at Universal Studios in Orlando, but that is the extent of their "studio" claim; children's TV, and music videos.

Well, there was also that Action Man or whatever show. It had live action stuff that was a direct rip from the action boat show thingy. But then again, that was a children's show too, more or less (at least it wasn't Nick!)

Does the LA one have that too? The stunt boat thingy?

Anyway, Orlando may have some stuff they do, but yeah, it is mostly a theme park. Whatever filming bits they do are probably pretty low key. Kinda like Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando I guess.

But Halloween Horror Nights is teh fun!

Darth Wong wrote:Shep's picture is hilarious. BTW, why are fanny packs considered a "fashion" accessory? Who gives a shit about fashion? If you don't have one, where do you carry all your stuff? My fanny pack weighs several pounds because of all the shit in it.

Actually, people started using them because they were pratical, then they became a fashion trend, then they went out and became dorky. Today most people either use cargo pockets or backpacks for carrying stuff around.

The Kernel wrote:

Darth Wong wrote:Shep's picture is hilarious. BTW, why are fanny packs considered a "fashion" accessory? Who gives a shit about fashion? If you don't have one, where do you carry all your stuff? My fanny pack weighs several pounds because of all the shit in it.

Actually, people started using them because they were pratical, then they became a fashion trend, then they went out and became dorky. Today most people either use cargo pockets or backpacks for carrying stuff around.

Well, then call me a fashion heretic, because I will continue using the fanny pack. Cargo pockets are only found in certain kinds of shorts (ie- not the light variety, and certainly not the type that doubles as swimwear), and backpacks are annoying because you have to take them off in order to sit down on a chair or drive a car. They're also much easier to pickpocket. If you don't have enough stuff to fill a backpack, there's no intelligible reason to use one.

There is also cargo pants, like the ones I have, which are have good sized pockets which are suitable, to pick a random example, for smuggling a small bottle of rum into the Carnegie Library. I like the cargo pants.

Anyway, those are great pictures, Mike. Sounds like you had an awesome time.

Darth Wong wrote: Well, then call me a fashion heretic...

I think we did after we saw that denim jacket with jeans you've been wearing since the 80's.

The Kernel wrote:

Darth Wong wrote:Well, then call me a fashion heretic...

I think we did after we saw that denim jacket with jeans you've been wearing since the 80's.

Those could come back ... maybe ...

Darth Wong wrote:Well, then call me a fashion heretic, because I will continue using the fanny pack. Cargo pockets are only found in certain kinds of shorts (ie- not the light variety, and certainly not the type that doubles as swimwear)

I have several pairs myself.

Darth Wong wrote:

The Kernel wrote:

Darth Wong wrote:Well, then call me a fashion heretic...

I think we did after we saw that denim jacket with jeans you've been wearing since the 80's.

Those could come back ... maybe ...

-snickers-

RogueIce wrote: Does the LA one have that too? The stunt boat thingy?

Anyway, Orlando may have some stuff they do, but yeah, it is mostly a theme park. Whatever filming bits they do are probably pretty low key. Kinda like Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando I guess.

But Halloween Horror Nights is teh fun!

Both places have stunt things that utilize water. The LA one doesn't have a much space but the last time I was there they managed to land a float plane in the big tank they use. The LA stunt show used to be based on Miami Vice but the last time I was there it had been remodled to be based on Waterworld, hence the pontoon plane.

I haven't been to either park in several years but it's been 10 or more sense I was at the Orlando one, and that time the Jaws attraction was close. The main thing that I recall is that King Kong is an actual ride on a aerial tram that gets attacked twice (once from each side) in Orlando while Kong is part of the tour in LA.

Orlando also suffers from never having had the Conan stage show. That was cool.

I once had a fanny pack, but for some reason I rarely wore it. And it doesn't fit me as it is today.

I remember using fanny packs...



...when I was eight!