Slowing Down

On Monday, I once again visited Disneyland for a few hours with the intent of enjoying several attractions that I missed on my Saturday visit. Yet even though my main intent lay in the attractions, I spent a fair amount of time snapping pictures here and there, and I had a small collection ready to upload as I boarded Splash Mountain for my final adventure of the day.

Then something unexpected happened (I still don't know what) and my memory card had to be formatted, thus removing many of the pictures I had shot earlier. Fortunately, this wasn't too much of a blow. I didn't have that many pictures on my camera, and those that I had taken could easily be reshot later if necessary. So I simply moseyed around the Critter Country area and took a few more pictures before heading out. It was at that time that I realized how Disneyland is to truly be enjoyed.

When most people visit the park, they spend their whole time running from one place to another, hoping to catch a show at a certain time or trying to get into a line as quickly as possible. Most people don't take the time to slow down and examine their surroundings. I was forced to do that while I was snapping pictures, and I came to realize just how wonderful a place Disneyland is. Separated from reality, it carries its own sense of peace and wonder, with the dreams and fantasies of many masterfully blended together into one extraordinary park. When you take the time to slow down, there is an infinite amount of details to be found, some placed intentionally, others simply an inherent part of the place. A group of ducks perched on a docked canoe, for instance, or the laugh of a child in reaction to an amazing day. This is beautiful, I thought to myself. It is so wonderful that I get to work here.

The Sailing Ship Columbia was docked in Fowler's Harbor, resulting in her masts poking up over this roof. I'm not terribly satisfied with the way this photo turned out, but it looked lovely in the thought process.


I'm very fascinated with the Haunted Mansion's artistic style, so I spent several minutes grabbing a variety of shots.


Here's a black-and-white pic.


And finally a black-and-white with blue tint.


The canoe dock was very serene that evening.


All the guests and cast members had left, and the canoes were serving as a perch for a group of ducks.


A random shot of the Crystal Arcade on Main Street.


And to conclude, one final shot of the Partners statue in the central plaza.

Thanks for reading, everyone. I start guest interaction training tomorrow, so stay tuned!
T.H. Excellence