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Old 6 Apr 16, 08:41 PM  
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Grand Train Journey across USA - Day 6

DAY 6 – (23rd June 2006) - Naked and free!


Up this morning and off over to Oakland by the Bay Area Regional Transport metro (BART) to visit the Museum of California.



There’s an exposition on highlighting the 50th Anniversary of Disneyland in California – and it’s really very interesting from a design and technical point of view.



For a Disney nut, I just had to be there. I won’t try and cover the whole exhibition – that would be a report in itself but I’ll pull out one or two highlights.

For me the item that really takes my breath away is the original drawing by Herb Ryman from “The Lost Weekend”. Roy, Walt’s brother, had to “sell” Disneyland to a bunch of bankers who might back the Disneyland project. Walt felt that if they could see a representation of it then it would stir them into backing his project. For two days Walt described what there should be in the park, how it would be divided into “lands” and how, at its centre, there would be a fairy tale castle. As Walt waxed lyrical, Herb would draw the ideas, amending it when Walt thought something wasn’t just so. In 48 hours they produced this incredible sketch. To give you some idea of scale this drawing would cover an average wall:



Another outstanding item is an animatronic of Abraham Lincoln. (Yes there is more than one of them). Be prepared – he has no clothes on!



The transparency of the torso shows just how many wires and motors and hydraulic devices are contained within this image of an American President. There is plenty of explanation on how it all works and it is far too technical to bore you with it here. The face is 100% accurate because its mould, was taken from a “life mask” taken of the actual President two months before his assassination. The rumours that it was taken from a death mask are pure invention.

They also have one of the ravens that feature in the Haunted Mansion. Did you know they are a reference to Edgar Allan Poe. The raven is supposed to be physical representation of the “Ghost Host” although it only “caws” at certain parts of the ride.

There are also lots of original artworks showing how rides and even Main Street were to look.





There was just so much to see.

Transport in the area today is entirely free. We discover that due to high-levels of pollution in the air of the last few (very hot) days, all public transport in the SF bay area (including buses, the metro, trains, cable-cars etc) are all free – designated a “clean air day” to cut down on the amount of traffic within the metropolitan areas. People are asked to leave their cars at home.The advantage for us is that we zip about all day without paying a penny.

By noon we are back in the San Francisco and are ready to hit the shops. Stopping off at Market Street we work our way up and call in at several establishments – clothes shopping is the order of the day here with prices which put UK high streets to shame.

A trolley-bus ride up Market Street allows us to call in at the US Postal office – we have stamps to buy and cards to post. Back down Market Street by the same route and more shopping – this time for gifts for family and friends.



Just time to get back to the hotel, dump the shopping and wash and change for dinner. We have decided to try Zuni Café on Market Street.



I have Ranch pork shoulder roasted with fennel
seed and thyme accompanied with radicchio, cauliflower, fresh ginger-
apple relish, and hazelnuts.



Darrin chooses San Diego white sea bass with Chimmichurri sauce.



Both dishes come with shoestring potatoes:



These are so delicious we have some to go. 24 hours later they are still crisp and tasty.

It’s an early night because tomorrow we are off by “The California Zephyr” train. We nowv trult start to cross the United States of America as our odyssey continues.

INDEX: http://DIBB.in/11466192

Edited at 08:25 PM.
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Old 6 Apr 16, 09:18 PM  
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Geoff. So many interesting things on here.
Would the Bankers have supported Walts concept today?
How on earth did they come up with the Lincoln engineering back in the 60's!
Do they still do fee free days today if the smog is bad?
And as usual Darrin having fish! Top guy! Takes after me, your meal looked nice, his looked ten times better.
Loads of questions but a nice report. Well done.
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Old 6 Apr 16, 09:31 PM  
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Thanks for an enjoyable read again xx
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Old 6 Apr 16, 09:40 PM  
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Mr T.M. :
Would the Bankers have supported Walts concept today?

I doubt it. They look for BIG returns these days - all very share holder led as we are now experiencing at WDW

How on earth did they come up with the Lincoln engineering back in the 60's!
To think it all started with a wind up bird in a cage.

Do they still do fee free days today if the smog is bad? Nope. Seems to have died out around 2008.

And as usual Darrin having fish! Funnily enough we had fish pie tonight!


Loads of questions but a nice report. Well done. Thank you for the interest.
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Old 8 Apr 16, 06:50 PM  
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Those shoestring potatos look lovely and tasty, journey going really well
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Old 10 Apr 16, 12:18 PM  
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Though they don't do them now, more towns/cities should have a no car day and free transport...

Thanks for sharing...
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Old 19 Apr 16, 05:56 PM  
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Love the drawing of the park, and Lincoln's torso

Lesley and Melvin
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Old 16 Feb 17, 10:48 PM  
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the exhibition looks really interesting
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