Nancy and I drove down to Massachusetts
yesterday to tour the 2014 Boston Globe Travel Show. And it was pretty easy to see
most people from around here have already had their fill of ice & snow. Given
that there were absolutely no takers at the Alaska Land & Cruise Adventures
booth …
Photo by Jim Hill
Meanwhile, right next door in the Florida
aisle, it was body-to-body.
Photo by Jim Hill
Given the steady stream of people that kept going in &
out of the Universal Orlando Resort booth, there are clearly a lot of folks out there
who are excited about USF's soon-to-be-opening new "land," The
Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley.
Photo by Jim Hill
Though — to be blunt — given there were signs up all over
this part of the Boston Globe 2014 Travel Show reminding event attendees how
nice the weather is down in the Sunshine
State this time of year …
Photo by Jim Hill
… there wasn't a Florida-related booth at the Seaport World Trade Center Boston
yesterday that didn't have a mob of people standing around it, frantically
snatching up brochures. As I recall, the Legoland Florida table drew quite the
crowd. Though that may have just because of all thosee cool Lego animals that
they had on display. Which included a … SQUIRREL!
Photo by Jim Hill
And speaking of animals … Nancy & I spent a lot of time at the SeaWorld
Parks & Entertainment booth yesterday.
Photo by Jim Hill
Largely because of all the animal ambassadors that they'd flown out from San
Diego to entertain & inform us hardy New Englanders.
We got to see extremely cool-looking
creatures like a Bearded Dragon …
Photo by Nancy Stadler
… a blue-tongued Skink …
Photo by Nancy Stadler
… as well as an African Bullfrog.
Photo by Nancy Stadler
Just so you know: African Bullfrogs are the largest frogs in
Southern Africa, with some of them reaching dinner-plate
size in the wild. This is largely because African bullfrogs — during the 10
months that they're not underground hibernating — are carnivores. They will
literally eat anything that walks in front of its over-sized mouths. These
items include birds, other amphibians, and small rodents such as … SQUIRREL!
Photo by Nancy
Stadler
SeaWorld Parks
& Entertainment also brought a number of birds out to Boston.
These included a diminutive Screech-Owl …
Photo by Nancy Stadler
… a Tawny Frogmouth …
Photo by Nancy Stadler
… a Harris's Hawk …
Photo by Nancy Stadler
… as well as a Peregrine Falcon.
Julie Scardina — Animal Ambassador for the SeaWorld, Busch Gardens
& Discovery Cove zoological parks — and a peregrine falcon.
Photo by Jim Hill
Which — FYI — was historically known as the Duck Hawk in North
America. And — when in the wild — feed almost exclusively on
medium-sized birds such as pigeons. However, when pickings are slim, the
Peregrine Falcon will also hunt small mammals such as mice, voles, rats, shrews
and … SQUIRREL!
Photo by Nancy Stadler
I'm sorry. I promise that I won't do that joke anymore.
Mind you, the other reason that Julie Scardina (i.e., the Animal Ambassador for SeaWorld,
Busch Gardens and Discovery Cove, zoological parks) brought this Peregrine
Falcon out onstage was because she wanted to remind folks that Busch Gardens
Tampa will soon be opening a brand-new thrill ride, Falcon's Fury.
Copyright
SeaWorld Parks
& Entertainment. All rights reserved
This one-of-a-kind drop tower really has to be seen to be
believed. It looms over the Timbuktu
(soon to be re-imagined as Pantopia) section of this theme park. Though — to be honest – this 335 feet-tall
structure can be seen from virtually every part of Busch Gardens Tampa and from
many points in & around Tampa
itself.
So what does Falcon's Fury do? Given that the falcon is the
fastest animal on Earth and that no other bird has ever matched the speed of
this species of raptor as it begins its hunting dive … Well, the folks who
are in charge of developing new rides, shows and attractions for SeaWorld Parks
& Entertainment thought it might be fun to give BGT visitors a sense of
what it must be like to actually be a falcon.
Copyright SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.
All rights reserved
So picture this: You're hauled up the very top of the
Falcon's Fury drop tower. You're about to experience what it's like to zoom
back down to earth at 60 MPH. But just before this thrill ride's drop sequence
begins, your seat pivots 90 degrees so that you're now in a face-down position.
You're literally looking straight down and will soon be experiencing 3.5 Gs.
If you asked me, you'd have to be a little SQUIRREL! …
Photo by Nancy Stadler
… ly to get on a ride like that. To my way of thinking,
what's going on at SeaWorld San Diego sounds far more enjoyable. That's where
they're re-imagining the entrance of this 50 year-old theme park. Trying to
take Guests on a metaphorical journey from the surface of the sea all the way
down to the ocean floor.
Copyright SeaWorld Parks &
Entertainment. All rights reserved
Mind you, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has a "Sea
of Surprises" cooked up for
its 50th anniversary. Included a brand-new killer whale show which will debut
in San Diego in March, bow at San Antonio
in April and then have its Orlando
premiere in June. But you didn't hear that from me.
Copyright SeaWorld Parks &
Entertainment. All rights reserved
So if you're planning on catching any of these new killer
whale shows, you should probably start SQUIRREL!
Photo by Nancy Stadler
… ing away some dough (Seriously. That's the last time
that I'll make that joke … in today's article).
Okay. That's enough about the 2014 edition of the Boston
Globe Travel Show. As much as I enjoyed meeting a really-for-real sled dog …
Photo by Jim Hill
… watching a salsa
dancing demo in the Puerto Rico booth …
Photo by Jim Hill
… as well as chatting with that Red Sox player who walked
around on stilts while he played a
ukulele.
Photo by Jim Hill
It's now time to return to frosty-freezy New Hampshire.
So if you'll excuse me, I need to swig by the Aruba
booth …
Photo
by Jim Hill
… and pick up an ice scraper. Which I can then use to remove all of the snow & slush that's accumulated on our windshield since Nancy
& I first parked our car and entered the Seaport World Trade Center Boston.
Your thoughts?