Following on from Koln we went for another 3 days to

Euro DisneyLand

located just outside Paris. We had hoped to have a vacation that had something for everyone and with Disney on the table the kids would sure have their fill.

We took a bullet train from Koln - destination Paris. The train went through Brussels, Belgium so we saw the city from the train. Not much to see, though. The train reached a maximum speed of 300 Kilometres/Hour which is 186 MPH. Felt just like driving with Kathy behind the wheel though.

click here for all the pictures

We stayed at the NewPort Bay Club which was good but different than Disney Hotels Stateside. I was walking the 4 boys through the pool, when we encounter a number of topless beauties sunning themselves.

I whispered to the boys that we have to be cool about this - just look straight ahead. So ahead we marched with the boys keeping their heads locked straight ahead, while they tried with all of their might to snag a look at the ladies with their peripheral vision.

The weather was hot for the first time in Europe this summer. Just great for standing in 90 minute Disney lines at the rides.

That first evening we went to the Magic Kingdom and the boys went through 'Phantom Manor' (Haunted House). It quickly became Bradley's favorite as it was kind of scary with no roller coaster type drops during the ride. Bryan, Ben & Brett liked the 'Thunder Mesa Runaway Railway'. When the park closed at 11:00pm we watched the beginning of the fireworks from the top of this ride. Pretty neat.

However, before that we decided to have a nice meal at the Steakhouse Restaurant in Frontierland. The poster child for the Worst Waiter In The History Of The World happens to work at that restaurant and we got him. Frederic is his name and he is forever emblazoned in my memory.

After an hour wait for our food, where for the last 20 minutes we can see it on the shelf waiting to be delivered, he finally produces it to us at our table. Kathy touches hers and it is ice, I find the same so I call the manager over. He is so sorry (producing Crocodile Tears) and says he will remove the food from our bill as it is getting late and the park is closing. My dad though says he can "Make Do" with his frozen, overcooked shoe leather of a steak so we still spend the next 20 minutes waiting for Pop to claw through his meal. Ate every bit of it too as only he would.

Ben, Brett & Bradley both rode a mechanical bull in the Disney Village. They all got bucked off, but they did great. All of them started with one hand on the bull, with the other in the air like real cowboys, but it didn't last for long as they grabbed on with anything they could to hold on once it started.

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After 3 days of waiting in lines & being jostled by the crowds, we couldn't wait to get back to England.

So more than a little tired, we headed to the Train Station to start our journey home to Ascot.

Last funny story....

So we take the short train from Disney to the Gare Du Nord in Paris where we hop on the Eurostar BulletTrain that goes to London's Waterloo Station via the Chunnel. After we get to Waterloo, we hop on a milk run train to take us out to Ascot.

It's late, we're tired and at each stop on this last train the conductor only stops for what seems to be a few seconds. And we have at least 10 bags that have to come off the train along with all the boys (some now sleeping), my Dad and Princess Kathy. So I tell Princess Kathy, it's her job to hustle the boys out to the platform. I tell Dad it is his job to throw all the suitcases to me right quick, so I can secure them on the platform. I repeatedly told him only our bags get pitched off to me.

The only other person in our carriage, was an angry looking black man, with headphones on to probably block out the noise from the Johnson's. He also had but a single bag which I explicitly, repeatedly told Pop was not to get thrown off the train as it was not ours.

So as Ascot station beckons, the train screeches to a halt. Kathy marshalls the boys quickly off the train and Pop starts heaving bags at me.

The first one Pop picks up and tosses me is the Black guys Bag!

At the moment I catch it, the guy looks up and sees me holding his bag, as I'm physically off the train and on the Platform. He thinks I am stealing it while this old man is continuing to throw other bags off the train.

I smile and quickly re-assure the guy that we are not stealing his only bag, but I make sure that I return it onto the train pronto.

Unbelievably we were not killed.

A quick call to Mr. Crook and after 2 short trips we were back in our flat in Ascot.

Truly an unforgettable Holiday!