the blue blog archives: legoland at last

Finally, legoland. The boys were so excited, I could barely get them to stand still for this picture. And then, the poor things, we made them walk through Miniland before going on any rides. But Miniland turned out to be pretty cool after all. I guess mommy and daddy aren't quite as mean as they look.

This is a 1:20 scale version of the Piazza San Marco in Venice made out of legos. Seriously, that's all Legos there. And the thing is as tall as you. And there was more. There were canals with boats that move through the water. The people in the piazza even danced! It was amazing, amazing, amazing.

And here's the German Reichstag. Did I mention this is all made of legos? I feel like I need to remind you because it's so freaking unbelievable. That's the Love Parade in front of the Reichstag. And in the background you can see one of the cranes from the construction at Potsdamer Platz. (Still, all legos.) There were a ton of buildings from Berlin, including the Brandenburger Tor, the Siegessäule (where Obama recently gave a speech), the Dom, and even the silly red Info Box. All the details were perfect too: there were moving Trambahns and tour buses and all sorts of little minifigures going about their Berliner business.

There were so many other cities that had been recreated, it was a whole miniEurope: an entire Hamburg port with giant ships and cranes and ferris wheels; Amsterdam with like 20,000 little lego tulips, Neuschwanstein castle (something for the Amis to look at - heh, heh); and a humongous version of the Munich Airport with the huge Airbus planes driving into hangars outside and little people movers inside. The coolest of all though was the model of Munich's new Allianz Arena, where the Bayern München soccer team plays.

This is supposedly the largest lego building ever built, with over 1,000,000 lego pieces. Did you forget that these things are all built of legos? I know! Me too! That's legos there. Legos. This model has 30,000 lego minifigures watching the soccer game. And some of them have little cameras that flash. It was so freaking cool even the boys spent some time captivated by it. Before they remembered about the rides.

Yes, the rides. Let's go on some rides. But wait, before we go, does anyone have to use the little boys' or little girls' room?

A lego technic spinny, make-you-sick ride that the boys had to go on all by themselves. "Uh, those rides aren't fun anymore once you're over 20," we told them.

The lego pirates ride, where you ride in a lego-looking boat and shoot water at the people on the shore from water cannons. The spectators have cannons too though, so everyone gets wet. Even though we didn't have any swim clothes with us, we let the boys take off their shirts and play pirate. You can see B in front behind the fence and S's head is just visible behind a water cannon over the cement wall on the other side. Man, they had fun.

This will go down in family history as the trip where the boys became roller-coaster fans. Here they are together on their favorite coaster, the Feuerdrache. This was a park photo - you know the ones they make while you're on the ride that you can buy afterwards. What parents could resist that picture?

Later, when it started to rain near the end of the day, we went inside and built legos. At what other amusement park can you do that?!! The sprinkles turned into a real downpour and it was getting close to closing time, so we pulled on our funny Legoland rain ponchos and made our way back to the car.

Good bye, Legoland. Until next time. Oh yes, we have been told by the boys that there WILL be a next time.

posted by alison at 7:07 pm | in legoland , vacation 2008

Comments

the pregnant legoland sign is the best! looks like a lot of fun!

Posted by: gleek at August 24, 2008 7:56 PM

Looks like LOTS of fun!!

Posted by: Bonney at August 24, 2008 8:19 PM

We went to Legoland in California. I was amazed at Miniland. It was all US cities of course. The little Las Vegas was hysterical. All the little things they had going on with the little lego people. There were muggings, questionable ladies, tourists getting pictures taken. It was really funny.

Posted by: adamboysmom at August 24, 2008 8:26 PM

I have to steal that pregnant Lego woman picture. I'm expecting and the thought of carrying a little Lego baby just made me totally crack up.

Posted by: Marti at August 24, 2008 11:05 PM

A couple of years back - the year before moving to San Diego, my Sister and I took her boys to Legoland. We all had a blast, including my Sister and I! lol. How fun!

Posted by: Susan - Knitters Delight at August 24, 2008 11:51 PM

i'm literally jealous

Posted by: a rose is a rose at August 25, 2008 2:21 AM

I would do Legoland California, again, in a heart beat with our kids. We had the best time ever. There is something for every age to wonder at. Photo op's are marked on the maps. The kids meals were fabulous. The air conditioned Lego playstations were a godsend for weary parents. It's less in-you-face than most of the other amusement parks.

By golly, the Legoland in German looks killer too!

Posted by: Liz Andrsn at August 25, 2008 10:33 AM

Wow! That looks like a great theme park. Miniland looks amazing.

Posted by: Kat with a K at August 25, 2008 10:40 AM

Wow! That is amazing. I might also add a truly cunning way to convince you that you must purchase a gazillion more Legos or life will be incomplete. Not that I wouldn't go there myself, looks fun.

Posted by: Robby at August 25, 2008 11:06 AM

Amazing! And I was impressed with the 7 foot tall Thomas the Tank Engine made from Legos that they had at a Day Out With Thomas! Maybe we'll have to journey to California to see that Legoland. I still remember stepping on them in my bare feet.

Posted by: Donna at August 25, 2008 12:54 PM

Wow, what an amazing place. I have seen it on tv once a few years ago and it looked amazing, but your photos do too. How fantastic a trip, no wonder they want to go back.

Posted by: sue at August 25, 2008 8:55 PM

I just read an article today about a lego artist. Maybe one of the boys will become one! www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/05/31/lego.artist/

This guys makes enough money that he left behind a lucrative career as an attorney.

Posted by: Laurie at August 25, 2008 10:12 PM

Thanks for sharing this, Alison!
Pregnant female lego = prego

Posted by: Pam at August 25, 2008 10:17 PM

I meant to say that I remember stepping on legos in my bare feet when the mother of the grands was little - she loved legos & had a lot. They are hard to see when you're tired & they are hiding in plush carpeting! I love the bathroom signs.

Posted by: Donna at August 26, 2008 3:12 PM

Hi, is there any way of asking you about one of your knitting patterns? Thx!!

Posted by: Cora at August 26, 2008 8:17 PM

If you're ever out in California, take the kids to Legoland there--they have a mini-U.S.A.! I got the biggest kick out of the Washington, DC landmarks because someone built Healy Hall from Georgetown U., and even as an alum, I know that's not a typical DC tourist spot!

Posted by: LIsa at August 27, 2008 8:58 AM

Oh Legoland!!
We went when I was about 10 to the one in Denmark (there wasn't one in Germany back then I think) and I still remember it well. I loved the miniature houses (the rides weren't as 'theme parky fast' as they are now, I think, but there was a pirate one, and there was a car driving one where you could drive a little electric car made from legos and get a driver's licence (they didn't explain the reverse gear to me and then kept shouting at me in Danish until they saw the little flag stuck in my front window and switched to German), and there was a gold washing thing (very Wild Western; after you'd washed your 'gold' you gave your tray to an Indian (native American, but we were (and still are) not very PC in those days) with lots of feathers who would magically turn it into a plastic gold covered medal to wear round your neck... Oh, it was fabulous!!!

Posted by: Kristin at August 28, 2008 5:00 AM

Yes Legoland is definatelyt special. We used to go there almost every year when our children were small. They're almost grown now but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't mind going now. :-) And, Kristin, all of the features you're talking about, are still there! Did you see the doll's house back then? That was my favourite thing (and it was not made out of Lego) when I first went there as a child, sometime in the 70s.

Jette/Denmark. Two hours away from the first and original Legoland. ;-))

Posted by: Jette K at August 31, 2008 6:16 AM