Holiday People: MILES OF SMILES IN NEVER-NEVERLAND.
IMAGINE clearing off and missing the Twelfth. But to borrow from the words of a song by Chicago, "everybody needs a holiday, sometime away from each other".Out here in California to visit the legendary Disneyland, one of the main things concerning house owners right now is how much to spend on 'liquid peace'.
We're not talking St John's Wort, but ponds, garden ponds.
All over America people are spending mega bucks building mammoth ponds in search of tranquillity.
While prices start at as little as $3,000 here in Hollywood if you really want to impress the neighbours when you ask them over for a pond party, then $100,000 is not out of the question.
Was I pleased with myself or what when I realised I'd been ahead of the game by installing that water feature last year. OK, so mine which is in the hall was bought in Belfast for me by my sister who just happens to live in California.
When it comes to spending, people in Northern Ireland are increasingly prepared to splash out for something special.
Hence the growth in long-haul travel. The Far East used only to be known as the name of a christian magazine. Now it should come as no surprise to hear a Belfast accent in far away Phuket or Jamaica.
At Disneyland, the new Fast Pass system takes the heat off queuing in 90 degrees sunshine. You get the tickets for the ride you want to go on and are allocated a certain time to come back.
Millions of people from all around the world daily pass through the gates into a fantasy world for children of all ages.
There's a tranquil trip in a little boat that takes in a make-believe visit to just about every country world-wide.
In addition to Tomorrow Land, Adventure Land, Fantasy Land and regular spectacular shows there are restaurants to suit every taste and great rides for everybody from toddlers in tea-cups in Wonderland to one which scared me half to death - Space Mountain.
The daily Walt Disney parades are well worth watching and the fireworks to celebrate 45 years just awesome.
Universal City theme park is also in within driving distance of Los Angeles.According to the pretty guide on one of the regular daily tours it is still the busiest working movie studio in the world, responsible for Jurassic Park, Terminator, Jaws, Psycho and currently shooting Jurassic Park 3.
There are thrilling rides, 3D shows and open-air re-makes of some television favourites.
Universal is the master of special effects. The earthquake in the subway was scary and the heat and 30 foot flames on the set of the motion picture Backdraft was all too real.
Both Disneyland and Universal have facilities for people with disabilities and the miles of smiles you witness all around you make you realise Northern Ireland is not the centre of the universe after all.
Next week the Paul Getty Centre, Malibu, the Hollywood hills and the opulence of Las Vegas.
Well, the temperature is 104 degrees in the shade and the band's playing Brown Eyed Girl.
Now excuse me while I sip my strawberry daquiri by the pool.
Have a nice Twelfth!
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| Title Annotation: | Features |
|---|---|
| Author: | Johnston, Mary |
| Publication: | The People (London, England) |
| Date: | Jul 9, 2000 |
| Words: | 536 |
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| Next Article: | Dr Vernon's Casebook. |