12 Apostles

Location: Victoria, Australia
Address: Great Ocean Road
Date: May 2012
Website: parkweb.vic.gov.au

  The Great Ocean Road runs along the southern part of Australia in the territory of Victoria.  One of the highlights of this drive is the 12 Apostles. These are tall rock formations that were caused by the giant ocean waves eroding the limestone coast.  They are called the 12 Apostles but when we visited there were only about 7 still standing, and we believe there may have never been more than 10.  We were informed that another one had fallen just the year before.

  As you stand on the coast and face south you really feel the awesome power and beauty of nature.  With the wind blowing in our faces and the waves crashing against the rocks we really felt like we were at the edge of the world.  Since at this point we were just west of Tasmania, there was truly nothing but ocean between us and Antarctica.  Amidst all of this the Apostles stand there just off the coast, braving the elements.

  The wind began to pick up and darker clouds were moving in.  We were still about a 3 hour drive from our hotel in Melbourne so our Aussie family tour guides wisely decided it was time for us to go.

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Map of Our World
12 Apostles

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Post # 15

Warner Bros Studio VIP Tour

Location: Burbank, California, USA
Address: 3400 West Riverside Drive
Date: Feb 2014
Website:  vipstudiotour.warnerbros.com

 The Warner Bros. Studio Tour is a must for any TV or movie fan.  Since we are both big TV and movie fans we had to pay the studios a visit.  We went on a Sunday afternoon and not much was happening as far as productions on the lot, but we had the opportunity to see many of the places from productions in the past.

  You go around the studios in small groups riding in a cart like the one pictured above.  The tour guides don't follow any set pattern around the grounds so they can customize the tour based on your group's interests.  Be sure to talk to them and let them know what you like.  The highlights of our tour included a trip around the Backlot, some time to explore the Warner Museum and Picture Car Collection, a visit to the retired Central Perk set from Friends, a drive through The Mill and a visit to The Big Bang Theory and Pretty Little Liars sets.

  You get a glimpse of just how fake everything is, because movies are always just concerned with what you see on screen.   Our guide was telling us how they use pull ties to put branches on the trees depending on what season they need it to be.  It is interesting to see how this all comes together in the finished product.  Even more exciting is knowing that you have been in the same exact spot where your favourite shows and films were created.

To see more of our trip to Warner Brothers, check out this permanent page of
Productions filmed on the Warner Bros. Backlot.

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Map of Our World
Warner Bros Studio VIP Tour

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Post # 14

King's Village

Location: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Address: 131 Kaiulani Ave
Date: June 2010


As we were working our way through the crowds of Waikiki Beach, we happened upon King's Village.  It is named after the Hawaiian Royal Palace Guard for King Kalakaua back in the 1800s, not for the Burger King in front of which the guards perform.  Near the end of each day the King's Guard lower the Hawaiian flag and perform some precision drill routines.  As luck would have it we passed by close to the performance time.  This allowed us to briefly look around the shopping center and then wait for the show to begin.  The shopping center itself is nicely themed like little streets from Honolulu's past.
  The guards in their nineteenth century uniforms finally emerged and the show began.

Two guards performed with near perfect precision.  They spun their rifles, passed the rifles back and forth and bounced the butts of their guns off the ground during their routine.  The guards then proceeded to lower the flag for the day.  When all was said and done, the tourists trapped in the Burger King were free to go and we headed back into the crowded Waikiki streets with a smile.

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Map of Our World
King's Village

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Post # 13