Atlantic City 2019 Day 3

August 6^th

Wewaxation…

There was a weather prediction for thunderstorms early.  When I woke up extra early and peeked out the window, heavy clouds seemed to confirm this.  It is possible that those clouds were a hallucination caused by a desire for additional unconscious time, but it all worked out eventually.

When we did finally get up, it was beautiful and dry out. The forecast changed faster than David Copperfield’s assistant’s costume, and was now predicting heavy rains in the early afternoon.

We scarfed down breakfast things and ran straight to the beach.  Being there earlier in the day than we were used to meant the tide was coming in instead of going out. We were clearly less proficient than the gulls who run back and forth at the edge of the water line. 

This forced several scream filled, hurried pull backs of the mats and chairs to keep our stuff dry at random intervals, usually with an unrepeated sideways component. Whoever coined that “predictable as the tides” saying has clearly never sat on an Atlantic beach.

We had some normal tan/read/Chopped time, mixed in with a little swimming in more concentrated areas in front of the severely limited number of lifeguards.  As the clouds started moving in, the guards at each station called everyone in too.

We enjoyed the post exodus peace on the sand for a while as a nice change. Considering how many people give us a hard time for picking an “icky” beach, that sea shore is always mobbed in the summer.

Gaging weather with a giant open sky is something we’re still not used to, despite practice in Colorado on several occasions.  Yet, at one point we could clearly tell the thunder and clouds were getting far too close.  Our foolish staying power did have a benefit, the only ice cream cooler dragging vendor we saw all day came by as we packed up.

We ducked into the hotel just as the deluge started, and went back to the room to wash up.  By the time we finished, the storm meandered up the coast.  It was a beautiful day we exited into to walk up to the Rainforest Cafe. 

Yes, we decided to go eat in fake thunderstorms after escaping the real one.

You can tell we’re Disney people.

The weather related ins and outs of the earlier part of the day pushed us up to the border of crazy hungry and ordering got weird.  None of us were happy with our selections, none of us ordered what we originally planned on, and then we swapped stuff from each other’s plates in an animatronic surrounded square dance.

The food came out tasty and filling for all three of us in the end, but I wouldn’t recommend this path to the inexperienced.

In the gift shop, while trying to avoid eye contact with the Plush Zombie hedgehog, I almost walked directly into the giant snake hanging over head.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

It was hanging from the tree with the face on it, which regained speaking ability!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!

Clearly, I am fun to go shopping with.

Passing the Boardwalk Cupcakes place on our long Boardwalk adventure, Anabelle treated Rosa to dessert, because she’s sweet like that.

At nearby picnic tables we saw seagulls grabbing someone’s leftovers, including a hamburger patty.

Yes, those horrifyingly ravenous beasts of the air are now carnivorous.

Where’s Tippi Hedren when you need her?

We walked all the way up to the other end of the Boardwalk.  As we reached the former Taj Mahal and the Amusement Pier, I pointed out the “Wild Mouse” coaster.  Not being as familiar with ride terminology, Rosa thought I was referring to the typically dressed, made up, and coiffed Jersey Girl at the food stand outside.

Sadly, the description was still apropos.

The Taj had been fully converted to the Hard Rock Casino.  After seeing the Rock and Roll exhibit at the MET we were hoping to take in sights of more classics.  Steve Vai’s outfit was recognizable at a distance, but the display items were only in the restaurant. Standing on tables to read the little identification signs to identify any of the others might have been a social faux pas.

We checked the non-casino Showboat, to allow Anabelle to confirm the presence of the converted WO-mens’ rest room sign.  With all the restaurants opening and upgrades happening there, that was still unchanged- as it should be.  The places where the gaming stuff used to be weren’t curtained off anymore, but still empty. No wonder they have horror and other genre conventions there.

On the way back, after the hamburger incident earlier, we gave a wide berth to the flock of attack seagulls.  A guy trying to snack over on their side of the Boardwalk dropped his plate in full surrender and fled towards the sea.

Rosa decided she finally wanted her funnel cake dessert.  We chose the pizza place with the creepy faced vegetable picture in the back. This is not to be confused with the joint with the creepy faced ice cream cone in the front. That was next door.

Anabelle gave me a script for the Polish Water Ice place so she could get her usual sour apple and taste watermelon as well.  We are an obsession prone family.

Back at the room, I took the initially packed bags up to the car.

Then I went back down to the room because I forgot my keys, to the surprise of no one I was staying with, and likely no one reading this.

Rosa was satisfied with one meal and a funnel cake, but I was past feeding time. Reaching EPCOT Death March crazy hungry levels twice in one day was bad for everyone involved.

Anabelle came with me when I ran downstairs to get a crepe before they closed…

Until I looked at them and didn’t want one.

Crazy hungry surely clouds the mind.

We regained focus by looking at the shiny Disney stuff in the swazor saworf zwrfsk The Crystal Store before trying again.

Eventually I went to the deli down by the boardwalk entrance and got a mediocre wrap. I think both Anabelle and I were hoping the other one would suggest the sports bar we usually hit at least once, since we both admitted we should have gone there after I brought the sad and lonely wrap back to the room.

We rested once again in the room. (aaaaaah.) watching America’s Got (some) Talent (when we’re tired and rats aren’t involved) and  sit-coms while reading comic books. 

Sometimes you gotta recharge.

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