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defineifndef-blog · 6 years

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Hakuna Matataland

I was never particularly tempted by Africa, thinking it’s just a desert with little food and little to see. Nothing of that turned true – variety of landscapes, comfortable temperature, numerous animals, friendly locals and clean public spaces can satisfy even the most critical tourist.

Honza tricked me into a holiday in Tanzania by showing the pictures of Zanzibar’s sandy beaches:

Can one say no? :) As a compromise, we decided to spend a week on the continental part for a safari, and then chill in Zanzibar for another week – which I would say is the perfect mix for a comprehensive holiday.

After few hard months at work, we both just slept through the 14 hours of flight with a quick lunch in Istanbul, and woke up in Dar es Salaam - the former capital and largest city in Tanzania. Over the last century, Dar es Salaam has grown from a sleepy fishing village into a metropolis of over four million people. Straddling some of the most important sea routes in the world, it is East Africa’s second-busiest port and Tanzania’s commercial hub. Despite this, and its notorious traffic jams, the city has managed to maintain a low-key down-to-earth feel.

We stayed at the local Backpacker’s hostel owned by a distant acquaintance of ours, who did a city tour for us. It was pretty much just about walking around in a crowded slum-like city center, sweating at every step. The highlight was a metro trip (metro meaning bus run on tracks) and a visit to the local fish market. Boiling hot and rich in smells, it is divided into two main sections, with fresh and less-fresh fried fish sold to the local shoppers and restaurants.

Luckily, we escaped from Dar just after a day, and flew to Arusha, the gateway to the popular Northern Safari Circuit. Nested at the foot of Mount Meru (the view on which we enjoyed from the terrace of our guesthouse with a glass of wine), it is a lush green town as opposed to the dirty Dar. From some points of the area, you could even (theoretically) see Kilimanjaro - but it was always hiding in the clouds.

Here, we had a local buddy called Colman, who helped us book the safari, took us to the dinner with his friends and organized a trip to the Hot Springs (also with five of his friends). This is a fantastic oasis in the middle of nowhere. The term "Hot" in hot spring is used quite loosely though - the water was warm at best, but very clean. The fishes munch at the feet all over, just like at the Thai massage places. There is a swinging rope to either embarrass yourself (me) or show off your monkey skills (Honza), and a little stall with suspicious yet nutritious French fries omelet.

Next day, we took off for the adventure! The first destination was Tarangire National Park in northern Tanzania. Hump-backed wildebeest, kongoni with long ears and short horns reminiscent of a samurai headdress, hulking buffalo, buxom zebra, delicate gazelles, watchful eland, ostrich outriders, fringe-eared oryx and an array of predators move in and out of the park in different directions at different times. Starting with happy shouting when we see one lonely animal here and there, we were soon used to the herds of zebras and the whole elephant families gathering in central riverbeds. One more amazing sight were the giant baobab trees, medusa-headed monoliths often thousands of years old, making the scenery picturesque.

The first night out was in an African igloo at Panorama lodge. It has a stunning view on the savanna, and a storm was coming around in the evening. We enjoyed a dinner cooked by the group’s chef, scaring the lizards away from our plates.

We were in a group of five: two of us, a hot 40-y.o. American, and two German-Italian guys, in an indestructible Land Rover Defender, led by an amazingly calm guide Abdul, who’s been doing this for over 15 years. His personal lifetime safary experience was when a family of lions were passing through the camp and a baby got stuck in his tent, crying for mommy’s help. Abdul also helped me get my own personal lifetime experience of getting out of the jeep to pee in the middle of the savanna (strictly prohibited and deadly) few kms away from the lions.

The next park was THE Serengeti. With nature ranging from apparently limitless grass plains in the south, fertilized by volcanic ash, to wooded highlands in the east, crossed by rivers, it is a home to hundreds of inhabitants.

Among them, the principal actors are blue wildebeest and their spectacular annual Great Migration, “The Greatest Show Of The Natural World”, during which they trek in circumambulation for 3200 kilometers from northern Tanzania to south-western Kenya and back again. In turn, their trips affects other creatures: lions, jackals, hyenas, leopards and cheetahs prey on the migrating and resident herds. Vultures subsist on the predators’ leavings.

The herds of zebras were mainly turning their butts on us, but still were magical. Over the course of the safari, the amount of zebras around us was growing exponentially, until on the last night in Ngorongoro camp our tents were surrounded by them, walking between the tents. This was quite nice, as opposed to SImba camp in Ngorongoro, with hyenas swinging around and laughing right in your ear at night.

Ngorongoro is a park located in a volcano crater, with the diameter of over 20 km. This is a whole magical world, with own ecosystem, salty lakes, humid jungle forests and green swamps. The camp was based on the top of it, and at dawn we were descending for about 2 kms down on a dusty narrow road, speechless from the views unfolding ahead of us.

We’ve seen graceful flamingos, supposedly pink because of the shrimps they eat.

The swamps were full of grey dirty rocks that turned out to be sleepy hippos, nocturnal thus not giving a damn about the birds jumping all over them.

As for me, if you just have one day, Ngorongoro is the most magical place to see on the mainland.

Tired and dusty, we returned to Arusha to fly to Zanzibar on the next morning. Local airlines are truly a miracle, where ‘hakuna matata’ principle rules over any regulations. The boarding passes are issued in handwriting, and our surnames were (understandably) way too difficult for the check-in guy – so we ended up with two pieces of paper stating ‘Jan’ and ‘Daria’, and a delay of just two hours.

The plane had about 10 seats, so it’s almost as if you had a luxury private jet. By the way, there’re at least three different airlines, with ticket price varying from roughly 70 to 370$ for the same route – we dared to go with the cheapest and it was absolutely fine.

Zanzibar lies on the east coast of Africa, and the name officially refers to the archipelago that includes Unguja and Pemba, surrounded by about 50 smaller ones. As we were explained, when mere silly Europeans say ‘Zanzibar’, they usually refer to the Island of Unguja, separated from mainland Tanzania by a shallow channel 37 km across at its narrowest point.

Zanzibaris have a long history of religious tolerance and although the islands are 95% Muslim, alcohol and tobacco are available (if you search for it: not in every hotel, but pretty much in every bar). The tourists are many, and they are requested to show consideration for the Zanzibari culture by wearing long skirts/pants and covering the shoulders.

For many centuries there was intense seaborne trading activity between Asia and Africa, and Zanzibar was a key African port, hosting and blending the culture of Germans, Indians and Omanis. It used to be a colony of Oman for quite a while, and has become an official part of Tanzania quite recently, in 20th century. The name of the country itself is actually made up from two words: ‘Tanganyika’, the name of the continental part, and ‘Zanzibar’.

Zanzibar has great symbolic importance in the suppression of slavery, since it was one of the main slave-trading ports in East Africa. Interestingly, the majority of slaves were female concubines, whose children had full inheritance rights, same as the marital children of the master family. After a concubine gave master a child, it was impossible to sell either – which I can imagine resulted in an interesting blend of relationships and a blurred perception of social stratification.

The last but not the least important historical fact is that their beloved Princess Salme, who published an extensive memoir on her life in Zanzibar, looked like Putin. So we bonded with the locals immediately.

The capital and the main port is Stone Town, home of Freddy Mercury (Muslim locals do not seem especially proud of it, though).

The historic center is essentially a labyrinth of narrow winding streets, all leading to the sea cost, where local children play and swim right between the boats.

The city has a very calm vibe, and for the first time in Tanzania I felt truly comfortable and relaxed strolling around. One drawback is that obviously the prices are rather European – but fresh juices and local foods are worth it.

Zanzibar is sometimes called ‘the Spice Island’, as the agriculture is focused on growing spices. We decided to explore on of the local spice farms. Turns out, pretty much everything we know - cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, cardamom – grows on trees and bushes. Africans do not really use much spices for food, which is rather flat in terms of taste – but their traditional medicine is all about spices. Eating cumin powder helps with ‘running stomach’ (tested, proven personally), nutmeg gives women ‘romantic eyes’ and enhances men’s power (according to an alternative source, it can keep you high for up to 24 hours), and eating henna roots that cause internal bleeding has been an abortion solution for the most conservative Muslim communities for centuries.

After the farm tour, we did a local cooking class – fish curry, spinach mash and coconut milk dumplings with cardamom, all cooked right on the floor and eaten mostly by the local village kids attracted by the smell. If we did not see that fish on the local market, I suspect we might’ve enjoyed it more. But the dumplings were dope, and burnt cane sugar with cardamom is something you should all try!

After Stone Town, we headed to the north-east of the island for beaches and dives. Our first stop for few days was Kiwengwa, which, funnily enough, turned out to be an Italian enclave. Somehow the first tourists that started coming to Zanzibar about 10 years ago were Italians, and all the locals started learning the language. More than a half of the beach cafes were serving pizza, pasta and Prosecco (not that I mind!), and local kids were chasing us on the beach shouting ‘Ciao bella’. The beach souvenir stalls with coconut carvings and textile bags had the proud names like ‘Dolce & Gabanna” and “Fendi”.

The sea life was absolutely stunning. We skipped the crowded dolphin-chasing tours and went diving and snorkeling to the tiny neighboring islands. My personal favorite was a trumpet fish:

And apart from that, there was absolutely nothing to do in the north-east, as there was no wind and no waves. I was counting with sunbathing all day long, however, the tan plan was usually fulfilled in the first 15 minutes at the beach, even with SPF 50: African sun is truly severe. Chilling in the shadow of hotel terrace was complicated by the hardworking waiters, who came every 10 minutes with a call-center dialogue script: “-Hello! -…. ‘How are you?’ ‘… ‘How is your day?’ … ‘Is everything okay?’… ‘Would you like something else?’ ‘… and a killer follow-up ‘Why not?’. When once I dared not to order a drink, one of the waiters literally chuckled, loudly expressing her contempt for my refusal to support the local economy.

After three days, we ran away to Paje, a more democratic party village on the east coast. There was a tiny bit of wind, still not enough for surfing but sufficient for trying out a kite. This kept Honza busy for another two days, while I was swallowing Agatha Christie’s novel in batches. A sport that needs independent coordination of legs and hands did not look very promising for me. And the beaches were just amazing 24/7.

When it was time to go home, we took a ferry from Stone Town to Dar – and despite many negative reviews, I would recommend it to everyone. Reasonably priced (35$), big, clean and air conditioned, it reaches Dar in just about 2 hours – and then you can uber to the airport. Just be aware that local drivers aren‘t big believers in driving after they accept the order – they usually just stay where they are, apparently waiting for you to come to them. It took us just half an hour with 2 phones to actually get a car – but it was about 30 times cheaper than a taxi for an hour’s drive.

A lonely plastic pine tree in the departure hall reminded us that we’re flying back for snow and Christmas. This is nothing personal for Africa, but it was amazing to be back, with the reliable electricity supply, drinkable tap water and no need to bargain over everything.

Some of the practical tips:

· Essential vaccinations are just two – typhus ans yellow fever, but you must have a vaccination certificate for border crossing.

· If customs officers go away for half an hour with all your documents – hakuna matata. Sooner or later they’ll come back, and even if you end up with few local loans on your name, the notifications are not likely to arrive overseas.

· Mosquito net was available everywhere we stayed, but we still took one with us just in case. You’ll be bitten anyway, even with the net and repellent – but the levels of malaria are very high on the continental part.

· If you take Malarone in the evenings together with red wine, your dreams will be vivid and complex.

· If going in the low season as we did, you should definitely book a safari right on the spot in Arusha. This is more than twice cheaper than booking online in advance, and options are plenty. I’ll be happy to refer our local buddy to you :)

· Make sure you go to the bathroom before sleep when you stay in safari camps to avoid unpleasant meeting with hyenas. Same stands for game drives, when you are technically not allowed to leave the car. Skipping on this results in the scariest two minutes of your life, especially if someone in the crew decided to fool you shouting „Look, lion is coming!“ while you’re out.

· By law visitors have to settle bills in US dollars rather than shillings, but no one really cares. It;s best to bring USD and withdraw some local currency just in case. When paying in USD, you can (should) bargain over the exhange rate!

· As usual – avoid raw foods, veggies and fruit that you do not peel yourself, and make sure your water bottles are sealed. Valid even for the five-star hotels. If anything, chew cumin.

· Chat with the locals, smile and hakuna matata! Once you let it all go, Africa is amazing!

#tanzania #hakunamatata #africa #travel

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hella-free-space · 7 years

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Hello! I have a couple questions I was hoping you could help with, I keep getting really mixed answers online. How do I feed my betta frozen food from the little blister pack things that have bloodworms or mysis shrimp? Also, do you have any recommendations for stocking a 10 or 20 g? I want to get another tank besides my betta but I want to try and expand because I've had many bettas in the past. Thank you!

Hi there anon! thanks for the ask :D hopefully I can be of some help to you ^-^How do I feed my betta frozen food from the little blister pack things that have bloodworms or mysis shrimp?I actually had to ask this question myself a few weeks ago :p the most helpful answer that I got was: pop out a whole cube from the pack, take a hot knife and cut off a small piece of the cube. Put the rest of the frozen cube back in the little blister pack (put the whole pack of food in a baggie of some sort) and put that back in the freezer. Then take that little bit that you cut off and defrost it in dechlorinated water, and feed the worms of shrimp to your fish! :p i used some tongs to feed mine and my fish loved it! :D

Also, do you have any recommendations for stocking a 10 or 20 g? I want to get another tank besides my betta but I want to try and expand because I’ve had many bettas in the past. Thank you!You’re welcome!! :) this ask also helped me to compile a list of things that I might wanna stock in a 10 or a 20 since that’s the size of aquarium I’ll most likely be getting when I am able to (i have 3 and 5 gallon tanks rn since I move at least 1x a year…and moving larger tanks is more work!) :p so thank YOU anon :)The stock I list below (for both 10 and 20 gallon tanks) are not necessarily all compatible with each other. Some of these fish are much hardier, and therefore easier to keep, than other fish. Some require schools, some require a species-only tank, others require tropical or temperate waters. Please research thoroughly any species you are interested in keeping before purchasing! :D

Stocking a 10 Gallon:– FISH –- ember tetras- micro rasboras- most rasboras- white cloud mountain minnows- celestial pearl danios (aka ‘galaxy rasboras’)- guppies- endlers- least killifish- lyretail killifish- clown killifish- dwarf pencilfish- german rams (golden, electric blue, etc. if you want to add other species, a 30+ gallon is required)- pea puffer (aka dwarf puffer, pygmy puffer, indian pea puffer)- gold neon dwarf goby (either one or a pair only, a group requires 30+ gal)- scarlet badis- bumble bee goby- peacock goby- sparkling gourami- hara jerdoni (asian stone mini catfish)- pygmy corydoras (aka dwarf corydoras)- african dwarf frog (not a fish, but still super cute; not to be confused with african clawed frog)– INVERTEBRATES –- neocardinia shrimp- cardinia shrimp- Singapore flower shrimp - amano shrimp- ghost shrimp- dwarf crayfish- thai micro crabs- horned nerite snails- nerite snails- mystery snail (one or two)- ramshorn snails

Stocking a 20 Gallon:–FISH–- all fish mentioned above- most smaller, slim-bodied tetras (neons, cardinals, pristella, etc.)- most smaller 2-3″ barbs (tiger, cherry, etc.)- zebra danios- most regular cordora species (some larger species require 30+ gal)- dwarf chain loaches- kuhli loaches (i love these noodles so much - dwarf gouramis (pearl, blue, sunset, etc.)- apistogramma cacatuoides–INVERTEBRATES–- all invertebrates mentioned above- vampire shrimp- panther crabsThat’s all my brain has got for you Anon! :p hopefully this helped you out some ^-^ Feel free to add onto this stock list or make corrections :)

#roni replies #anon ask #stock #fish #10 gallon stock #10 gallon stocking #20 gallon stock #20 gallon stocking #fish tank #aquarium #fishblr #shrimpbr #crabblr #bettablr #aquablr #frozen food

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carmineri · 5 years

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SATURDAY SIX: 6 of the MOST UNIQUE Dining Experiences at Walt Disney World

This week’s SATURDAY SIX takes a look at some of the Most Unique Dining Experiences at Walt Disney World. Nobody enjoys eating at “The World” more than us. From trying next level bonkers hotdogs at the Grand Flo and Animal Kingdom poop snacks, to eating refined cuisine found at Be Our Guest Restaurant and ‘Ohana, food may have actually replaced attractions as what we look forward to the most on our Disney vacations. Now it can be expensive to eat onsite, no doubt, but Disney also offers many unique, one-of-a-kind experiences you will never get back at home. These meals won’t just fill you up, they’ll give you memories. So today we’re going to take a look at some of most unique dining experiences on property, starting with…

# 6 – Sanaa (Animal Kingdom Lodge)

The Animal Kingdom Lodge may be our favorite resort on Disney property. Among other things AKL has to offer; it has rooms in which guests can look out at live animals, has one of the best collection of onsite restaurants at WDW including Boma and Jiko, and also has authentic African art found throughout the resort. Did we forget to mention zebra domes? You can never forget zebra domes. While AKL may be off the beaten path for most WDW guests, one restaurant worth going well out of your way to experience is Sanaa. Located in Kidani Village, Sanaa is the only restaurant at AKL which has a view looking out onto the beautiful savanna and all the animals. The decor of the restaurant is wonderful, with the chairs having backs echoing African tribal shields and lighting fixtures based on nests that Weaver birds would make. The dining room floor has beautiful representations of acacia trees while the entire room is filled with art, which is appropriate since Sanaa is the Swahili word for artwork. Sanaa is hands-down one of the most gorgeous restaurants in Orlando.

Sanaa also happens to be the home of one of the all time greatest foods at WDW: the Indian-Style Bread Service. With five different types of breads and nine varieties of “accompaniments” (which may or may not be the Swahili word for dipping sauces) this is one appetizer that needs to be on your Disney Bucket List. The rest of the menu is worth exploring as well, with many unique options that are far removed from chicken fingers, hamburgers, and pre-made flatbreads,

Check-in desk at Sanaa. (photo by Lindsay Dubose)

Pro Tip: Tell the check-in desk you’ll wait for a window seat.

Indian-style bread service at Sanaa. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Part of the Sanaa menu, including listing out what all the “accompaniments” are. I personally can never remember which ones I like the most, but when all 9 are in order I like the middle 3. My sweet spot. (photo by Captain Cruiseline Scott Sanders of the world famous @TheDCLBlog)

Tandori Shrimp. (photo by @TheDCLBlog)

One item we love getting at both lunch and dinner is the Potjie Inspired dish. The menu describes it as: “Choose one from the Journey – Goan Seafood Curry, Butter Chicken, Braised Beef, or Spicy Durban Shrimp. Choose one from the Harvest – Chickpea Wat, Aloo Masala, Paneer Tikka, Lentil Dhal, or Cilantro-Coconut Vegetables. Served with scented Basmati Rice.”

Potjie Inspired. (photo by Brandon Glover)

One thing to also keep in mind is that Sanaa has a lounge which allows walk-ups if you can’t secure an ADR. There is a full bar and you’re allowed to order off the regular menu.

Sanaa Lounge. (photo by @TheDCLBlog)

Tusker beer on draft. (photo by Brandon Glover)

If you are absolutely insane, like some people we know, you can go to the bar and order the Indian-style bread service to go and take it to the pool area.

Ultimate blogger move.

# 5 – AMC Dine-In Theaters (Disney Springs)

I have two places in Orlando where I like to see movies. One is the true IMAX screen at Pointe Orlando on International Drive. There is nothing like seeing a special effects laden blockbuster on a true IMAX screen. Nothing. The other place I’ll catch a film is at the AMC Dine-In Theatres at Disney Springs. With a shockingly good menu along with a full bar, this is how movies were meant to be enjoyed…with people bringing you stuff! Instead of the usual movie theater where there is literally nothing to do while waiting for your movie, the lobby of the Dine-In Theatres features the MacGuffins bar and lounge. At MacGuffins you can enjoy drinks along with being able to order off the food menu. Inside the actual theater, guests are seated with a table in front of them and a call button for your server. There is no minimum purchase, and you can even just order popcorn and soda (or nothing if you so desire.) Disney Springs has a bowling alley (Splitsville) and a movie theater that both serve food and drinks that are as good or better than many onsite restaurants. Don’t overlook them.

AMC Dine-In Theatres. (photo by Brandon Glover)

A beer at MacGuffins. From personal experience, this makes movies like A Wrinkle In Time or Skyscraper MUCH easier to sit through. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Southern style chicken tenders. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Inside a Dine-In theater. (photo by Brandon Glover)

The button to call your server. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Pizza. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Oh, the kids want to see The Grinch for the third time? No problem there. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Popcorn and Coke Freestyle soda, with unlimited refills. (photo by Brandon Glover)

# 4 – 50’s Prime Time Cafe (Disney Hollywood Studios)

50’s Prime Time Cafe at DHS is one of the few interactive restaurants at Disney, and by that we mean the diners are part of the “show.” The entire restaurant is themed to an old timey kitchen, complete with black and white TVs. With chicken noodle soup, meatloaf, Mom’s old fashioned pot roast, and Grandma’s chicken pot pie, the menu is themed to home cookin’ meals that many of us had growing up. The servers are always in character, such as “Cousin Lilly” or “Uncle Bob,” and will playfully nag you during the meal, so don’t forget to eat those green beans! With great theming, a tasty menu, and the chance to possibly see a family member get an “airplane” of food brought to their mouth, 50’s Prime Time has to be experienced at least once because there is nothing quite like it in your hometown.

50’s Prime Time Cafe. (photo by Kristi Fredericks)

Inside Prime Time Cafe. (photo by Disney Photography Icon Tom Bricker. You can read Tom’s review of 50’s Prime Time Cafe over at Disney Tourist Blog)

TV at 50’s Prime Time Cafe. (photo by Joseph Machado of Machado Farms, home of your theme park’s finest candles and soaps)

Stuffed pork chop. (photo by Joseph Machado)

This fried chicken is as good as it looks. (photo by Joseph Machado)

Dessert at Prime Time, but only after you finish your vegetables! (photo by Joseph Machado)

Chocolate cake. (photo by Joseph Machado)

You did it! (photo by Joseph Machado)

# 3 – Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater (Disney Hollywood Studios)

We admit that the menu at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater at DHS is not going to earn any Michelin stars. In fact the food would have a hard time cracking the top half of WDW sit down restaurants. However, this list is about unique experiences and Sci-Fi delivers that and then some. The restaurant simulates diners being at a ’50s drive-in movie theater at night, and does so spectacularly. Guests are seated in a faux classic American car, which is an attraction in and of itself. Meanwhile all the cars are facing a giant movie screen playing classic clips from the 1950s. Our best bet? Get some appetizers and a couple milkshakes and just enjoy yourself. Or go for desserts, because the S’mores brownie and ice cream along with the house-made candy bar are legit. The Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater is what immersive theming is all about. The food may not be memorable, but the experience itself is something you will remember for years to come. Telling people back at home, “you won’t believe where we ate at…”

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater. (photo by Brandon Glover)

E-Ticket dining booth. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Inside Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Dinner and a show… kinda. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Sci-Fi appetizer sampler. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Drive-in bbq burger. (photo by Megan Stump)

Veggie Burger.

S’mores Shake. (photo by Brandon Glover)

S’mores brownie and ice cream. (photo by Megan Stump)

House-made sci-fi candy bar. (photo by Megan Stump)

The candy bar was cookies and cream mousse, chocolate ganache, and chocolate sauce. Was TERRIFIC. (photo by Megan Stump)

# 2 – Whispering Canyon Cafe (Wilderness Lodge)

Similar to 50’s Prime Time, the severs at Whispering Canyon Cafe can be fully committed to a “performance.” Meaning: this is not the place to come for a quiet and relaxing meal. However, mixed in with all the hootin’ and hollerin’ is one of our favorite meals at WDW because Whispering Canyon offers the All-You-Care-To-Enjoy Skillet (which will be described from this point on as the all you can eat skillet, because we’re not insane.) With ribs, pulled pork, beef brisket, sausage and more, this skillet is what we call mighty fine eatin’! Whispering Canyon also offers a vegan-friendly skillet that contains items such as Beyond Meat sausage and Gardein chick’n. In fact, with this one dish Whispering Canyon went from one of the worst restaurants at WDW for vegans to one of the best. It’s that good. Even better, besides the all you can eat skillets there is all you can drink milkshakes! Kids will absolutely love Whispering Canyon because of the over the top atmosphere, including the well known bit of what happens when you ask for ketchup. Adults will enjoy it because of the tasty vittles.

Whispering Canyon Cafe. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Waiting area at Whispering Canyon. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Some of the Whispering Canyon seating. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Booth seating at Whispering Canyon overlooking the Wilderness Lobby. (photo by Brandon Glover)

All you can eat lunch skillet. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Vegan friendly skillet. (photo by Brandon Glover)

There’s even a breakfast skillet! (photo by @Christie0408)

There are other items on the menu besides the skillet, but c’mon now, you’re here for the skillet! (photo by Brandon Glover)

Ask for enough refills and you may get the LARGE soda….(photo by Brandon Glover)

I did finish that soda by the way.

Anyone ask for ketchup? (photo by Brandon Glover)

# 1 – Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue (Fort Wilderness)

If you haven’t done the Hoop Dee Doo Revue yet, stop reading immediately and book an ADR. We’ll wait here for you.

Back? Good. Now Walt Disney World is filled with wonderful shows, from Festival of the Lion King to Finding Nemo: The Musical to the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, but Hoop Dee Doo Revue blows them all away. It’s funny, entertaining for all ages, and has songs you’ll be humming to yourself long after the show ends. Not only is the all you can eat food incredible, but even the plates that you eat on and the mason jars you drink from add to the overall dining experience. It’s one thing to for the delicious fried chicken and finger lickin’ ribs to be unlimited, but the beer and sangria are also poured all meal long. If we’re dreaming, don’t ever wake us up.

The gigantic strawberry shortcake that caps off your dinner is one of the best desserts at WDW, and trust us, we’ve tried them all. It is rare to find something that can appeal just as much to the 7 year old in your party as it does to the 70 year old, but Hoop Dee Doo Revue hits that spot and continues to be a jewel in the Disney World crown. On your next vacation you owe it to yourself to book a family dinner at Hoop Dee Doo Revue, and consider making a day or night of it and explore everything Fort Wilderness has to offer. You may surprised with what you find!

Pioneer Hall, home of the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Hoop-Dee-Doo. (photo by Brandon Glover)

The beginning of an AWESOME meal. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Oh, it’s fantastic! (photo by Brandon Glover)

Unlimited refills! (photo by Brandon Glover)

The only dessert at WDW with its own “moment.” (photo by Brandon Glover)

Strawberry Shortcake. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Guest interaction at Hoop-Dee-Doo. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Honorable Mention – Brunch at California Grill (The Contemporary)

The first rule of real estate is location, location, location, and no restaurant at WDW can top the California Grill when it comes to that. Sitting high atop the Contemporary Resort, the California Grill’s floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the Magic Kingdom. During the park’s nighttime spectaculars, such as Wishes, the lights in the California Grill dim while the fireworks music is played overhead. It’s also a truly wonderful place to be eating while enjoying the sunset. The service is more reminiscent of a fine dining restaurant than your average Disney table service restaurant, and is impeccable.

However, the meal we would recommend experiencing at California Grill is brunch. Offered on Sundays from 10AM to 1PM, this meal includes all you can eat buffet-style offerings along with an a la carte menu. At $80 per person, the price is steep, but the quality of food, the level of service, and the unbelievable view you get while enjoying your meal makes this one worth checking out.

For more read TouringPlans’ resident foodie Tessa Koten’s thoughts on the Brunch at the Top experience, and check out Tom Bricker’s rave review as well.

California Grill and its million dollar view.

“Brunch At The Top” offers stunning daytime views of the restaurant and Walt Disney World Resort. (photo by Tessa Koten)

Chef’s fritttata with heirloom tomatoes, roasted poblano peppers, chorizo, and goat cheese served with marble potatoes (photo by Tessa Koten)

Several varieties of house-made meats and accompaniments are on offer at the charcuterie table. (photo by Tessa Koten)

Bloody Mary Bar. (photo by Tessa Koten.)

So there you have it: 6 Unique Dining Experiences at Walt Disney World! See you next weekend for the latest installment of the SATURDAY SIX, where we’ll look at something fun from the world of Disney and Universal. If you enjoyed yourself, be sure to check out The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! articles, or, for your listening pleasure, check out the E-Ticket Report podcast. You can also follow Your Humble Author on Twitter (@derekburgan).

If you enjoyed this article, you will surely like the following:

California Grill: A Review of BRUNCH AT THE TOP

6 Examples of the DISNEY DIFFERENCE

Menu Monday: 50’s Prime Time Cafe

Special Thanks to The Elite Brandon Glover, Mr. ‘Ohana Tim Grassey, the SAT SIX Fun Squad of Parkscope Joe and Nick, hot shot Michael Carelli, and Hermoine Granger’s tutor Megan Stump for their invaluable assistance with this article. The SAT SIX is inspired each week by goofballs Aengus Mackenzie and LitemAndHyde and you Potterheads will enjoy Meg’s other blog work over at the Central Florida Slug Club.

FINAL PLUG! Did you know The 2018 Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando has a special edition of the SATURDAY SIX in it? Finally, someone came up with an actual reason to read a book. ORDER this baby now!

The post SATURDAY SIX: 6 of the MOST UNIQUE Dining Experiences at Walt Disney World appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

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akettleoffish · 7 years

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The 10 gallon aquarium is one of the most common aquarium sizes. Its also usually what the beginner aquarist starts with. The 10 gallon poses its own set of challenges because it is such a small volume of water, but that does not mean it is not a viable tank to create a beautiful aquatic ecosystem. This is a list of fairly hardy species that could live in a 10 gallon aquarium. This list also includes some that you can make your own decisions as well about adding to your new aquarium. There are also some “biotope” ideas at the end of this guide to give some ideas.

Sources: Personal experience, 101 Best Freshwater Nano Species by Rachel O'Leary and Mark Denaro, and Anders247’s guide on Fishlore.com.

Betta spp.

• Betta Splendens (1 per tank) • Betta coccina • Betta channoides • Betta albimarginata

Gourami

• Samurai Chocolate Gourami (Sphaerichtys vaillanti) • Honey Gourami (Trichogaster chuna) • Sparkling Gourami (Trichopsis pumila)

Catfish

• Asian Hillstream Catfish (Akysis Vespa) • South American Bumblebee Catfish (Microglanis ihering) • Habrosus (Corydoras habrosus) • Pygmy Cory (Corydoras pygmaeus) • Dwarf Moth Catfish (Hara jerdoni) Loaches • Rosy Loach (Petruichthyd sp. “Rosy”)

Tetras

• Ruby Tetra (Axelrodis riesei) • Ember Tetra (Hyphessobrycon amandae)

Rasboras

• Microrasbora (Boraras spp.) • Emerald Dwarf Rasbora (Danio Erythromicron) • Lambchop Rasbora (Trigonostigma espei) • Dwarf Scissortail Rasbora (Rasbosoma spilocerca) • Green Neon Rasbora (Microdevario kubotai) • Blue Neon Rasbora (Sundadanio axelrodi) Danios • Celestial Pearl Danio (Danio margaritatus) • Gold Ring Danio (Danio tinwini)

Misc.

• Guppy (Peocilia reticulata) • Endler’s Livebearer (Procilia wingei) • Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) • Scarlet Badis (dario dario) • Red Pencilfish (Nannostomus mortenthaleri) • Dwarf Pencilfish (Nannostomus marginatus) • Pea Puffer (Carinotetraodon travancoricus) • Dadio (Laubuca dadiburjori) • Asian Rummynose (Sawbwa resplendens) • Sparkling Gem Minnow (Tanichthys micagemmae) • Lyretail Killifish (Aphyosemiin australe) • Clown Killifish (Epiplatys annulatus) • Least Killifish (Heterandria formosa) • Florida Flagfish (Jordanellr floridae) • Pygmy Sunfish (Elassoma spp.) • Norman’s Lampeye (Poropanchax normani)

Inverts

• Shrimp (Caridina sp./Neocaridina) • Nerite Snails (Neritina spp.) • Mexican Dwarf Crayfish + Variants (Cambarellus patzcuarensis) • Assassin Snail (Clea helena) • African Dwarf Frog (Hymenochirus boettgeri)

================================================== Tank Ideas Assuming adequate filtration and live planting

South Anerican Blackwater 6-8 Ruby Tetra 6 Habrosus Cory OR Pygmy Cory 1 Dwarf Crayfish

South American Community 3 Endler's Livebearers 6-8 Ember Tetra 1 South American Bumblebee Catfish

Indian River 1 Honey Gourami 6-8 Dadio 10-12 Green Shrimp or Indian Zebra Shrimp

American Wetlands PAIR Florida Flagfish OR PAIR Pygmy Sunfish 6-8 Least Killifish 1 Cajun Dwarf Crayfish

#guide #guides #fish guides #reference #fishblr #aquablr

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mikoshrimp · 7 years

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Neocaridina Shrimp: Tank set up for a Beginner on a budget!

Hey all its mikoshrimp with a guide on setting up tanks for neocaridina shrimp such as cherry shrimp, goldenback yellow, blue dream, and lots more! Let’s get started!

TANK SIZE is important! Recommended for all shrimp, a 10 gallon tank. 10 gallon leaves plenty of room for water stability and space for your colony to reach easily in the 100s (300-500 shrimp). However, many people have small nano tanks like 5 gallons, 2.5 gallons, even planted vase aquariums(will not be covering vase aquariums). Of course the cardinal rule to keeping aquatic species is to cycle the tank. Two ways, fishless cycle, or fish cycle. I prefer fish cycle because it’s more consistent and produces more ammonia for beneficial bacteria to eat. (You will need a light, dechlorinator, and fish, sponge filter, substrate)

For a 10G, 3 fish are recommended. recommended fish to cycle: adult guppies, zebra danios(they’re really hardy and have nice appetites), neon tetras. Cycle for about 4-5 weeks doing 10-15% water changes twice a week. If you’re using tap water to cycle, make sure it is dechlorinated as chlorine will destroy the bacteria and harm your fish. I recommend SEACHEM PRIME to treat tap water.

It removes excess ammonia levels as it cycles too. Now for 5 gallons and less, it leaves less stability and is prone to ammonia spikes and quickly rising nitrates unless you do it right. Expert shrimp breeders using 7G or less cycle the tanks for at least 2-3 months to ensure excess amounts of beneficial bacteria that eat ammonia and create plenty of biofilm for baby shrimp to eat. If you see a lot of algae appearing on your glass, that’s a good thing! And when you see time skinny white wiggly worms swimming in the water, it’s a sign of good water quality and cycled/almost completely cycled tank.

yum! (Algae growing on the sides)

SUBSTRATE for neocaridina can be active or inert. We will focus on budgeting and inert substrate. I recommend play sand or pull filter sand from Home Depot. 50lb bag is around $6. Rinse thoroughly because it is quite dusty but when complete, looks a lot like beach sand or river sand for a great natural look.(not to mention it’ll look great for any color neo)

(ghost shrimp eating a blood worm on rinsed play sand)

FILTRATION: I recommend sponge filters with an air pump like tetra whisper. Not only is it inexpensive to find sponge filters on eBay, but it’s not going to suck up baby shrimp and will provide surface area for your shrimp to feed on.

Heaters: not recommended unless your area gets very cold 40s and below. Heaters cause shrimp to metabolize faster and pretty much live faster causing them to die sooner. I live in California so it’s not needed, unless you wish to keep them breeding in the winter, then by all means make it artificial spring for them. I don’t like heaters because you’ll have to ask around for a stable brand. If it malfunctions. Your shrimp will either get cooked or die from extreme temperature fluctuation. Make sure the brand you have is stable.

After your tank finishes cycling, do a major water change and remineralizer your water, even if it’s tap. Recommended remineralizer: salty shrimp, or my personal fave, SL Aqua Blue Wizard. Make sure your tds is in the area you’d like for neos 150-300. If it’s tap, it’s okay to be out of that parameter, just remember tds isn’t as super important than stability in water quality. Temperature, ph, gh, kh are more important.

Before adding your shrimp, drip acclimate with an airline tube for at minimum 1-2 hours at one drop/second. Then scoop out the shrimp with a net and add them to your tank.

Extra add on to your tank: cholla wood, provides hiding places for shrimp and baby shrimp, live plants like moss, Anubis, buce, hair grass, are all great for sucking up nitrates and shrimp love natural live plants which mimic their natural environment. Tannins from leaf litter like Indian almond leaf, guava leaf, magnolia leaf, which are beneficial health wise for your shrimp. Lava rocks provide porosity and more surface area for beneficial Bacteria to grow( recommended for nano tanks) manzanita driftwood, dragon stones, unbleached and unglazed terra cotta pots as caves.

Teddy Bear Cholla wood

Porous Lava Rocks *crushed*

Shrimp Caves, Cholla wood log with moss, and Indian Almond Leaf litter.

Anubia Nana

Two Cherry shrimps on peacock moss. (left is male, right is saddled female *see the orange by the head are unfertilized eggs*)

ENJOY, If you have any more questions let me know! If I left something out let me know too so I can add on! :)

PS: the only safe fish to keep with shrimp is an Oto. Everyone has stories saying their tetras and rasboras are peaceful and do not disturb them but no one is able to stare at their fish 24/7. Babies will be gobbled if they can fit. Even Celestial Pearl Danio, and the Least Killifish(smallest livebearer) target shrimp. So if you dont mind your shrimp colony growing slow, go for it! Otherwise, Otos and ramshorn snails are great tankmates.

#Neocaridina #how to #Care #care sheet #shrimp #shrimpblr #fishblr #bettablr #cherry shrimp #neocaridina shrimp #caridina shrimp #red cherry shrimp #rcs #blue dream #freshwater shrimp #dwarf shrimp

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leopardnaturecamp-blog · 6 years

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Top Reasons to Save Wild Animals : Information for Project

India is a home to many great species of wild animals, birds, insects and reptiles. The big list of wild animals that are majorly found in India consists of The Royal Bengal Tiger, The Asiatic Elephant, Indian Rhino, Indian Leopard, Indian giant squirrel etc. A large number of reptiles that include venomous species of snakes and giant lizards are also found in India. This article throws light on the value and importance of wild animals information for project.

How the wild animals are victimized for commercial purposes these days

For Clothes and Medicines : Wild animals like deer, tigers and bears produce products which people want to eat, wear or use. This list comprises of fur-bearing creatures, fish and marine mammals, and animals whose bones and organs are used in the making of traditional medicines.

1. For Entertainment purpose : Wild animals can be used for labor and also to entertain people. For example, elephants are used to be trained as ‘beasts of burden’ in many countries. They are also given training to perform in circuses and shows along with other animals. Some wild animals mainly like dolphins, whales, and sea lions even have military uses. Many wild animals like whales, zebras etc are found in the sanctuaries, zoos and entertainment venues which humans enjoy watching and photographing.{prove it}

2. For research : Many species of wild animals are used in scientific and medical research which includes primates and some strains of rats, mice, and rabbits.

3. As pets : A wide variety of species, some of which are dangerous to humans are tamed as pets. Keeping wild animals as pets is highly a subject of much controversy and is illegal in many states.

4. For tourism : Apart from providing entertainment in circuses and zoos, wild animals are also a central attraction in international tourism. They are also the key members of ecosystems on which humans depend for essential services. Tourism helps in conserving the delicate ecosystems which contain endangered animals. People are driven to help in all conservation efforts, which leads to a better future for the earth.

5. For a Well-managed ecosystem : The eco-system defines the relationships between different organisms which are connected through many food webs and food chains. If in case, a single wildlife species face extinction from the eco-system, it will disturb the entire food chain which would ultimately lead to disastrous results.

6. Richness of animal extracts : Many of the animal extracts are rich in nutrients and anti-oxidants. Example, the oil from lever of Cod fish is rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6 anti-oxidants which help in fighting ageing. Similarly, the chemicals that are derived from shrimps and lobsters are used for the treatment of fungal infections and the venom of cobra is used as a cure for leprosy.

7. Recreation activities : Wildlife is really important for different recreation activities like wildlife safaris, nature photography and bird watching. If there are no wild animals left, there would be no place to go for any kind of recreation activities.

8. Adding economic value: Wildlife safaris contributes largely to the country’s economy. They also play an important role in improving the gross GDP of the country. Wild animals and wildlife safaris bring in tourists from all across the world to witness rare and endemic species through their unique safaris, wildlife reserves and birding tours; which greatly contribute to the inflow of foreign exchange, resulting in an increase in the country’s GDP.

Wide animals are really important for us. The extinction of wildlife will have a major impact on humans as well. Hope this list will help in understanding the reasons for the importance of wild animals information for the project.

#wild animals

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