Day 9 of Road Trip: Silence and John Carter of Mars

The silence is on the bookstore front. We’re ensconced in Universal resort and refuse to leave. The biosphere of always playing rock music, how can I help you’s, and charging humans with Harry Potter on their minds, has us in its web. I can’t remember what day it is or what day of the week. Are they the same thing?

A fountain near Universal’s Sinbad stunt show is called Willie – Wet Willie. And it talks to you. For real. Nobody goes too close to it because it can shoot a stream of water at you if it doesn’t like what you say and it’s extremely sarcastic. Oh and it speaks in an Irish accent so it sounds funny even while he’s insulting you. Hah.

Yesterday we got up early and charged with the crowds to get to the gate at 7:45am and were one of a few hundred waiting in line already. Still we had no wait getting onto the Hogwartz ride – and it was awesome. Actually what was even more cool (because a virtual reality ride is what it is) were the details of Hogwartz that you can see as you walk through the line and wait. The talking pictures, Dumbledore’s office and study, Hermione, Ron, and Harry giving us advice from the Dark Arts classroom – all just terrific details. Having a dragon breathe fire into my face from three feet was a bit terrifying (as can be seen from the picture of the three of us at just that point that they tried to sell us (no thank you!)). Max and I went on the hippogriff coaster and that just about screwed my head on backwards – always a good thing for a small, tightly wound, low to the ground coaster (I love coasters – not one of the kind you put under cups but the kind with wheels).

Oh, and after all this we went to them movies and saw the new Spy Kids movie (not as good as the other ones but fun anyway). And that’s when I saw it.

A large poster of the John Carter of Mars movie. Since I was a kid when I read the first book from Edgar Rice Burroughs – A Princess of Mars – I was hooked on his tale and have been waiting for a movie of the book ever since. I can’t believe it’s actually coming. The opening date in March 2012. Max and I will be there. Check out this trailer for the movie John Carter of Mars. Tars Tarkas of Thark! I just love saying that also. Almost as much as Wingardium Leviosa – which by the way is hard to spell unless you look it up – which I did.

Nothing literary to report. I’m off duty of the bookstore pitching tour until we head back on Sunday. Then maybe one or two on the way home as we follow the hurricane north. I hope all on the path are taking cover and taking care.