Two parks

I have been gadding about the last fortnight. The places I visited and the things I did could not be more different and yet, they were very similar.

In reverse chronological order, there was this:

The second beach, Olympic National Park

And there was this:

Disneyland

Different, as you can see. And as for the beach, I have many stories to tell, and photographs to share. When it comes to Disney, I need to confess that I went there bristling with cynicism. I am crusty that way, and far too environment-impact-conscious to simply allow myself to relax and take it all in. They air-condition open areas, I griped. The entire tree is plastic, I yelped. There's plastic sheeting under the lawn, I groused.

Thankfully though, the people I went there with loaned me their points of view. One of them was unabashedly enthralled by the whole experience in a way that Walt would have loved. Like a one-woman Disney survival pack, she told us about the various rides, helped us navigate, showed us parts we would have missed, and by simply being with us, helped me look beyond the glitter and  see the magic.

And above all, a small pack of little cousins reminded me that irrespective of the authenticity of an island, the simple pleasure of looking at water with someone you love remains the same.