The Happiest Place on Earth - Saturday

Photos are at Flickr.

We wake up early on Saturday (4:00 a.m.) to get final packings in order and await Ryan and Karissa to pick us up. The Boleys awesomely offered to drive us to the airport at an ungodly hour when those with sense are still sleeping. They saw a bright side to being up so early: catching a McDonald's breakfast. I hope Ryan's agony on the couch was worth it.

Arrive at the airport, breeze through the check-in line as we're going to just take our backpacks on the plane. And then we arrive at American security. Picture a vast room with a high ceiling. Around the walls near the ceiling are massive pictures that represent the United States of America. An astronaut, black children wearing Statue of Liberty hats, mountains, desert, New York skyline. The security officers sit in booths with glass that covers only their faces so I can't imagine what the glass does. We notice a guy ahead of us who looks slightly Middle Eastern and he gets fingerprinted. Luckily, we breeze through with no fingerprinting.

I thought of my co-worker Khaled who was in the States for business. Khaled is a Muslim and he hates going to the States. And he was proven right. He was taken aside into an office for questioning and they told next time he goes on business to have the company provide a letter stating his intentions.

Then we arrive at the actual screening point. People are agitated as they're late for their flight and the line is hardly moving. When we get to the front, we dutifully pull out our pitiful 3 oz. bottles of toothpaste, conditioner, etc so we aren't accused of being bombers. I notice everyone take off their shoes and I do the same because no one wants to visit the office.

Fast forward to LAX. We get off the plane and it is warm. The bus which will take us to our hotel is standing-room only but we grabbed seats. An hour later we're in Anaheim. Our hotel room isn't ready but we got to Disneyland to confirm our passes purchased in Canada do not require extra lining up.

Anaheim has a nifty bus service which takes the tourists hordes to different hotels, malls, restaurants for only $3 a day. We take the bus to the closest mall. We pass the Crystal Cathedral which is considered a tourist attraction but is a giant glass church. I think it's hideous but Daorcey replies it's just an update on stone cathedral. At least the stone cathedrals look beautiful. This glass monstrosity looks like it's waiting for a movie crew.

We eat at the mall at some faux Chinese place because we are ravenous. We walk around the open air mall and buy nothing. The most interesting place is the indoor skate park. We probably see the skinnest kids there.

Then to Vons, the USA Safeway, to pick up food. We walk there since we just missed the bus because we were snacking on a Krispy Kreme donut. Supplies are picked up and we start walking for an unknown transit stop. We figured being south of Calgary the sun would still be up at 7. Nope, it goes down at 5.

Back at our hotel we fall asleep watching TV.