Adventureland '18: Old and New

Adventureland opened for the season last Saturday. This is our third year to get season passes from Santa, and Char was excited to get on some of her favorite rides again.

Riding the Lady Luck never gets old for Charlotte, "If the Lady Luck was the only ride at Adventureland, I would still want to come here."

The Himalaya is also a good time.

For the record, I rode the Scrambler with Charlotte, but there is no photo evidence.

Our problem is that Char is too old for the kiddie rides, and Daphne and I are too old to ride on spinning rides all day long. We would all have more fun if Charlotte wasn't intimated by the coasters, but for now, she won't have anything to do with them. I predict that will change this year.

The park is upping their culinary game with some new food items. That was a surprise.

A Funnel Cake Bacon Cheeseburger? Yes, please.

When you order the Funnel Cake Bacon Cheeseburger, they make you carry a sign as punishment. It's the food equivalent of a dunce hat.

I think I ordered this meal too soon into the season. The funnel cake was burned in several spots. I'm chalking that up to opening day inexperience. 

This was also really hard to eat. That plastic fork was worthless. You had to either picked it apart with your fingers, or you had to lower your mouth down to eat it over the paper boat. 

As for taste, the hamburger patty was the best thing about this. Next time I'll just order a regular burger. Still, points go to Adventureland points for being creative and offering something new.

I'll be thinking about bacon next time.

Iowa State Fair '16: Midway Edition

The next time we went to the fair Charlotte got to use her "ride anything you want as many times as you want" wristband. Last year she bonded with a another girl on the first ride, and they were "two hour friends". Like a gambler who hits a jackpot on the first spin, Charlotte is doomed to believe this will happen every time she gets on an amusement ride.

She thought she had a shot with this guy.

But it wasn't to be.

We consoled ourselves with some food on a stick. Guess which stick is mine and which one is Char's.

A cool drink also helped her mood.

Let's try again.

Time to celebrate and cool off with some ice cream nachos.

Expression exercises!

"Look happy."

"Look sad."

"Look mad."

"Look hungry."

"Look even hungrier."

"Look scared."

"More scared!"

Then I said, "Actually, I think it's time to go home now."

Real emotion?

Nah. Kids are born actors, and we went home anyway.

Iowa State Fair 2015 (part 2): Making Friends Edition

I like to watch the 1945 musical "State Fair" at least once before we head out to the Iowa State Fair. I'll freely admit that is nerdy, but I like to brush up on the melodies before walking around the fairgrounds humming the songs. 

And sometimes life imitates art.

Isn't it kind of fun holding hands?
According to a sweet and corny custom? 
                                   "Isn't Kinda Fun?" State Fair soundtrack

We bought Charlotte a one-day wristband that would allow her on as many midway rides as she wanted. 

This ride is the fair's midway version of the Frog Hopper at Adventureland.

Well, that's what we thought. What we didn't know is that this ride bounces the kids harder and higher. In a word, it was scary. Somehow Char and the girl sitting next to her locked hands as they screamed together. The two had bonded by the time the bouncing was done. They then walked off the ride's platform holding hands, and as they ran to the next ride Char exclaimed, "We're friends now!"

And so they were. For the next hour the two girls were inseparable. And by default, so were their parents. This was a new wrinkle.

I don't want to sound like a jerk, but, "Dang it!" I was hoping I'd only have to follow our daughter around the midway as she waved from one ride to the next; I wasn't planning on 60 grueling minutes of small talk with strangers. I know the secret to small talk is asking questions and keeping the other person happy while I pretend to care, but that's a lot a work, and I didn't feel like exerting myself. I'm socially lazy.

But I did it because Char was having so much fun:

Isn't it kind of fun making vows?
Admitting that we both intend to bust 'em!
                                   "Isn't Kinda Fun?" State Fair soundtrack

By 11:30 both set of parents were ready to do their own thing, but the girls weren't. The other mom suggested that her family would walk up the hill to meet friends, and then she'd text us when they were ready to do more rides. The girls seemed happy with this solution, but as the moms were exchanging numbers the other Dad started showing me his back and quietly walking away. I could tell he had no intention of contacting us again...

What a relief! Thanks, guy!

But using words less diginified, Isn't it kind of fun to be together? 
                                 "Isn't Kinda Fun?" State Fair soundtrack

Then, after lunch, it happened again. Char made friends in a twirling apple. Friend #2 was visiting the fair with her grandmother who seemed genuinely relieved that she wouldn't have to ride anything now that granddaughter had a pal. AND she wanted to talk less than I did. Score! Char's good times continued to roll, and the three adults quietly followed.

After another hour's worth of rides it was time to call it a day.

A few days later we returned to the fairgrounds, but Char only had a "one ride" coupon to spend. Charlotte and this young lady decided to be partners while waiting in line for the "Wacky Worm". I managed to get a picture of their joy as they went streaking by.

This friendship was destined to last only as long the Worm traversed its track, and Charlotte pouted after the two of them had parted ways. She got over it, though. She had discovered something about the Iowa State Fair. The fair offered more than food and entertainment. It was also full of friends! And that's pretty cool, even if those friends would eventually fade into the crowd.

Maybe you're not a girl to have and to hold,
Maybe I'm not a boy who would stay.
But isn't it kind of fun carousing around the town
Dancing the night away? 

                                 "Isn't Kinda Fun?" State Fair soundtrack