Innumerabilis

What is the point of coming to Anaheim, if not for Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure? Our appetite was whetted yesterday night when we saw the spectacular fireworks from Disneyland while walking back from Balboa Park. Today, we are Disneyland-bound!

The entrance of Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure is actually side by side. We took a picture in front of California Adventure, but wouldn’t go in until tomorrow.

At the entrance of a small Disney museum inside Disneyland.

Disneyland is famous for its street parades, and we caught every single one of them.

Behind us is a statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse, while in the background is the famous castle that is so iconic Disneyland. It is modelled upon a real castle in Germany.

In the dog pound! The bars are actually made of rubber, and you can easily step through the bars if you so wish.

Flowers make up the face of Mickey Mouse. Behind the slope is the train station that brings one to different attractions in Disneyland; we wouldn’t take the train until the third day (Day 7).

Me and Jiawei in the Mickey hat. This is from “The Sorceror’s Apprentice” where Mickey wore a similar hat.

At night, Disneyland is lit up presenting a different site. We went to catch a night show and then watched the fireworks. No pictures because it is hard to capture pics at night.

Anaheim is in Orange County, but it is most famous for Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure. Initially, we wanted to take a greyhound bus from San Diego to Anaheim. When we called for a taxi to take us to the greyhound station, though, the driver made a deal to drive us directly to Anaheim for about $7 more per person (as compared to greyhound). At first we didn’t want to, but he kept saying how convenient it would be for us, how it’d let him go home early, how he’s giving us a discount that we acquiesced.

By the time we got to Anaheim, it was in the afternoon so we didn’t go to Disneyland. Instead, we went to the Crystal Cathedral and The Block at Orange, a shopping centre near the Cathedral.

Packing up in San Diego. Our breakfast is usually the free continental breakfast provided by the motels. We’re eating instant noodles here to clear up the load as we thought we’d be taking greyhound to Anaheim.

The Crystal Cathedral. I was a little disappointed to find that it is made of stainless steel and not glass or crystal! The steel gives it a very modern look, but I think I prefer the aged architecture of older Cathedrals, such as Notre Dame de Paris.

There were many metal statues depicting biblical scenes in the compound of the Crystal Cathedral. This one says, “Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone.”

After that was an afternoon/evening of shopping at The Block at Orange. I don’t think any of us bought anything much, but it was refreshing to window shop in the huge selection of shops here after a 10 weeks of the same stuff at Grand Canyon.

The San Diego Zoo is world famous. Indeed, Singapore’s Mandai Zoo’s open concept originated from the San Diego Zoo. However, I wasn’t very impressed. It is not that the zoo is not good, but that it is too similar to Singapore’s zoo! I didn’t really see many animals that I couldn’t see in Singapore. Still, as zoos go, San Diego would rank right up there among the top.

Our Citypass provided for a free bus tour. We’re sitting on the 2nd level of the bus, which has no ceiling.

The mascot of San Diego zoo. It took Danny and Jiawei’s cap and put it on its ears!

In the zoo’s cable car.

Forgot its name, but this animal is a native of Malaysia.

Pandas! This one is still a baby.

The panda enclosure has drawings of panda. I’m trying to imitate the panda on my right.

Exiting the zoo after a long day.

A last photograph of the zoo at the signboard.

The journey back (we walked back) brought us past Hillcrest again. The scene is much more active at night, I was actually propositioned by a guy. Eeep!