Belz Shopping Mall, Wilderness Lodge & Wild Bills

Today, we again awake reasonably. The Kids and Anita again have breakfast in the room, whilst the rest of us go to, yup you guessed it, the Ponderosa. Breakfast and the daily fruit roundup occurs - Yeee haw!. Off we go back to the hotel. The kids seem a little tired so we decide that as we have already booked to go to the evening show "Wild Bill's" for tonight, it might be a very good idea if we have a slightly quieter day. We decide to hit the shops, well Belz's shopping Mall. I can honestly say that the American shopping mall's really put our shopping areas to shame.

We managed to buy some special trainers by Converse that Mon had asked for before we left for Florida. (Remember that I am still feeling very guilty over dropping their video camera, so I made sure that we got his boots for him.) He wanted the boots, so we got him two pairs, one ankle high and one normal. When we return home he only wants the ankle pair, so I am now the proud owner of a pair of yellow converse baseball shoes! We proceed to shop quite slowly, the kids wanting to buy everything in every shop. We get a few bargains on the way. We stop and have lunch whilst we're shopping. We decide after lunch that we're really shopped out, and want to relax another way. Russell takes us to Wilderness Lodge, which is one of Disney's own resorts. We go for a swim in the pool. (This is a bit naughty as it is only really meant for residents). We then go down to the lake, where we hire three canoes. Each canoe can take three, so Russell, Andrew and I go in one, Anita, Brigitte and Lauren in another and Joy and Chris have the third. Canoeing has always seemed to be so easy, but what do I know, I've never done it before. We manage to get out but it is not so easy. Once again a video moment is lost, when the Girl's canoe slams into the bushes with Anita bent double, trying to save herself from a very prickly bush. The water resembles coke or oil in consistency, so no one really wants to fall in. Please note no one did! We don't manage to go all the way round the lake, but have a pretty good time. We decide to return to the hotel to get ready for our evening entertainment at Wild Bill's.

Lauren dancing on stage at Wild Bill's

We shower and change, and then we are ready to go again. Anita volunteers to drive the A-wagon, because all the drinks are included in the price for tonight, and the guys think they will make more use of this than she will. (If only they knew). Anita is happy to do this. So off we go. We arrive and await the show. As you enter the arena you go into a brilliant shopping area, which is filled with Wild West related things. We buy Andrew a cowboy outfit and Lauren an Indian squaw outfit. They are chuffed to bits as they walk into the hall. A man in a fairly authentic cavalry uniform greets us. He is dressed as a corporal. On each table a mess sergeant has to be agreed upon. He gives us no choice and Joy is chosen as our mess sergeant. It is her job to serve the food. Soon the beer is flowing, as is the wine, and coke for Anita & the kids. The food turns up. First course is thick broth style soup, which is served on metal plates. More beer & wine, and chicken, and Barbecued ribs with sweet corn, baked potatoes and salad follow this. Apple pie and cream follow this. A scrumptious meal if served up in peculiar surroundings.

An Indian Dancer at Wild Bill's

The dinner show begins, and we are treated to a scouse cowboy! He throws knives etc. There is also a troop of dancing girls. Lauren once again goes out and joins them, and this time she is joined by Andrew. There is some Indian dancing. There is a special dance performed by one of the braves who is a good six foot tall with hoops which could only be eighteen inches across. There is some singing and a cowboy who does rope tricks. As the entertainment stops and the lights come on we realise just how much we have drunk. We go back to the shopping area. Russell and I buy ourselves some spangly waistcoats for use at Discos. Oh I forgot to mention didn't I that back home Russell and I are DJs, and as we mainly do Weddings we always have to look smart. Anita is amazed that we have bought them, but is fairly sure that we are p****d. Indeed she is not far from wrong. Incidentally we are not the only ones; Joy is quite tiddly too.

We return back to the hotel, but it is still fairly early. Anita & I agreed that the kids probably should be asleep, but as everyone is enjoying themselves we thought what the hell, and go to the bar area. We decide that we should perform a karioke song together, especially as now Anita is joining us in a drink, and could probably catch us up quite quickly. (In fact she does - very quickly). We decide that we will sing a song, and advise the compere. We sit and drink and await the call, all of us including Joy whom at first seemed a little worried. However some half an hour later the kids are beginning to fall asleep, and the nerves are setting in. As it is now ten thirty we decide that we might try it another night, and decide to go to bed. We advise the compere that we won't be singing now, because he has taken so long to get around to us. And off we go to bed.