Epcot

I had always wondered what was at Epcot, and now I know why it is often ranked as the 2nd best of all the Disney parks. It was a mix of technology themed rides (including a space launch simulator that Madeline and Brenda loved), as well as a tour of the world with little sections dedicated to a variety of countries around the world (complete with mostly authentic food).
It was a lot of walking, but also a lot of fun.  

We started with a 45 minute wait for the Anna and Elsa ride (the longest wait of the day) and enjoyed a boat ride through Norway, followed by some creme puffs and european cookies.

On the way back to our next ride (a flight simulator), we spotted trees covered with orchids!

Happy Cousins!
(Because we haven't walked around much yet. . .)

Everyone needs a family shot at the Epcot center.

The excitement was palpable at the Nemo ride--a ride perfect for Sophia's speed.

In Mexico (after we had lunch) we visited the Aztec calendar (which isn't really a calendar).  

There were beautiful hand-carved wooden animals from Oxaca.

Dos Cousin-Caballeros

Sophia thought Mom needed a Sombrero!
Maybe this one wasn't quite the right size?

In China we watched a video about China in a theater-in-the-round.
Unfortunately, that also meant we had to stand to watch it for 14 minutes
(no sitting allowed). 

No disney trip is complete, until you walk around with
a stuffed tarantula wearing a sombrero on your shoulder
(and, yes, Brenda actually did walk around with it sitting on her shoulder
for a while when Sophia was too tired to carry it):

The big golf-ball over the water:

Of course, when you stop in Japan, you have to take pictures.

Sophia and Celeste were a little tired of pictures:

The whole time we were in Japan, we enjoyed a festive drum concert at this temple.

We had dinner at the Moroccan restaurant in Morrocco.  A little pricey--but good food and a great place to rest and enjoy ourselves with air conditioning (we got in at 4:40, right after they opened up).

The food was good, and so was the belly-dancer show!

We headed to France--Madeline found an actual light-up Lumier!

In Paris, Godzilla-Sophia is really a lot bigger than the Eiffel Tower!

This is apparently something in Canada.
Stacey, who grew up in Canada, had no idea where it was from. . .

We finally got Sophia to kind of smile in a photo with her daddy.  

It was a long day, and a long trip.  Sophia convinced us to skip the water and light show to take one last dip in the pool together as cousins.  This pool (that we definitely did not spend enough time in ;)--

And now, it is time to rest and go home. :(