Gobbledegook

I love this photo. It has such movement.  And the moon adds the perfect interplanetary touch!  Well, I've never been a Transformers fan.  That is, until I went on this awesome ride. My favorite of the day.  Universal Studios, Florida does a fantastic job of combining thrilling rides with 3 D movie entertainment.  Well, 4 D really. There's often water or even fire making a splash.  Whew, the whole experience can seem pretty real.

Rant alert.  Read only if you are tired of self centered, mug loving, social media misfits...

 If I looked like this metallic guy, I would be able to grab and destroy (or shove them you know where) every stupid selfie stick. And scare the offenders in the process.

And there's no shortage of gulls, pigeons and ducks. Where there's people, there's food...

The only dud of the day (or 3 days) was Poseidon.  I might have to drown myself before going on this one again. 

Glamour shot

A castle fit for Harry Potter.

This guy looms over the new Harry Potter land. I can almost feel the blast furnace of mouth breathing fire. I can't see it though.  Ha! And boy, did they do a great job making this a magical place.  Move over Disney.  RRRROOOOAAARRR!

The kitty moved.  But so did many creatures big and small in and out of store windows.  Especially if you bought a wand.  Then you were really in the magic business. (Wands O.K. but Selfie sticks, no way)

Owls were everywhere.

Beware of books!  It was so fun window shopping.  And if you run out of cash and need to visit the bank, watch out for those testy Goblins.  I don't know why I didn't get a photo of them as we were waiting in line at the theme ride.  They were as real as rain.

"We are talking about a different breed of being. Dealings between wizards and goblins have been fraught for centuries ... There has been fault on both sides, I would never claim that wizards have been innocent. However, there is a belief among some goblins, and those at Gringotts are perhaps most prone to it, that wizards cannot be trusted in matters of gold and treasure, that they have no respect for goblin ownership."

—Bill Weasley talking to Harry Potter about goblins^[src]

Goblins are a highly intelligent race of small hominids with long fingers and feet that coexist with the wizard world.  Their diet consists of meat, roots and fungi. Goblins converse in a language known as Gobbledegook, and are adept metalsmiths notable for their silverwork; they even mint coins for wizarding currency. Due to their skills with money and finances, they control the wizarding economy to a large extent and run Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

Goblins have their own type of magic and can do magic without a wand. They are represented by the Goblin Liaison Office of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures in the Ministry of Magic. Goblins are considered to be inferior by many wizards, who foolishly believe that the goblins are comfortable with that arrangement.

The park had decent food.  But I didn't try this pie.

I prefer my dragons to have a Kahleesi as their mother.  But since Game of Thrones does not have a theme park....yet, I thoroughly recommend Universal Studios.  And don't forget the single rider line.  It made getting onto rides a 2nd time a snap. 

By the time sunset rolled around we were enjoying some well deserved tasty beverages and were finally off our tired feet. But what a magic day!

Saturday's Critters

Wild Bird Wednesday

My World Wednesday

Bird d'Pot