Local Edition: Medieval Times

Every once in a while, we thought it would be fun to seek out a new experience right in our backyard and report on it.  First up, Medieval Times in Buena Park.

Here's Madelyn's take:

Medieval Times was definitely something fun and different! I had fun watching knights be tested for bravery by fighting in epic battles against each other. After buying a flag that matches the crown you have been given, you enter the arena and sit in seats surrounding the battle ring. Then you cheer on your knight while you enjoy a four-course meal. The meal contain chicken, potatoes, tomato soup, garlic bread, corn on the cob, and a drink of your choice. The best part is -- you eat it totally with your hands. No silverware!  The live jousting tournament, the choreography with horses and all the show elements were outstanding. The horses and falcon were so enjoyable to watch! Yes, it can get a little corny at times, but I actually found it very fun and entertaining!

Mom's take:

We arrived an hour early, as instructed, and were assigned green crowns. This meant we would be cheering for the green knight.  Then we were turned loose in a big waiting area full of bars and shopping kiosks. Picture how Disneyland lets you out of a ride into a gift shop - but in reverse. We bought virgin pina coladas ($6 each) and green flags ($5 each), as these aren't provided.  We walked around and looked at the horses in their pens, and all the other paraphernalia for sale. Finally we were let in, and sat in the green section of the arena. As our drink orders were taken (iced tea), we watched a beautiful horse show. I have no horse vocabulary at all, but it was a gorgeous white horse who did tricks and danced on its hind legs. Then, as the knights were introduced dinner arrived:

It was actually pretty decent - better than I expected. Tomato soup and garlic bread, followed by baked chicken, potatoes and corn and an apple fritter for desert. Keep in mind that this cost about $60 each. So it wasn't THAT good, but we figured we paid for the entertainment. 

The knights did a series of competitions, then there was an intermission with a really cool falcon show. It flew right above our heads! There was a cheesy storyline about a princess and a king, but I didn't really pay attention because I kept thinking about our knight. He was a good looking guy, and I got entirely distracted picturing him trying to go on dates. "What do you do for a living?" "Me? Oh, I'm a knight at Medieval Times." I still wonder how that plays out.

Then the knights closed the show by jousting. Again, I got lost in thought wondering why they were wearing motorcycle helmets instead of knight helmets. It was like a weird combination of medieval knights and Daft Punk.

Alas, our knight did not win. (Does this need a spoiler alert? Is the show always the same?) But he came close. And Madelyn had a lot of fun cheering him on. In the end, that's all that really matters. 

xoxo,

Jennifer and Madelyn

Welcome to our new travel blog!

Hello!

Many of our Facebook friends and Instagram followers have asked us to start a travel blog to share all of our adventures, along with tips for finding unique travel experiences at affordable prices. Since travel is our greatest passion in life and we love sharing with friends -- we have decided to go ahead and blog!

Watch this space for tales from the road, from both a mom and kid perspective.  We hope you will find something that interests or inspires you.

Our travel philosophy could be called Do-It-Yourself-Chic. We read and research…a lot!  Then we book everything ourselves.  Once we are there, we never take a train when we could take a road trip. Isn't the whole point of travel finding hidden gems in tiny villages?  We don't do museums or theme parks (ok, sometimes we do theme parks) -- we do experiences that put us in touch with locals. We like to learn what life is like for people living in the towns, states and countries we visit, so we wander. For weekends away in the USA, we like to treat ourselves by digging up amazing little boutique hotels and then combing them with really bizarre roadside attractions, for photo ops and fun. We are a quirky mother-daughter duo who loves living in Los Angeles, but loves leaving it even more.

For those who don't know us, this is Madelyn:

Madelyn is 11. She loves her two Persian kittens, Lucy and Desi. (Lucy is the redhead, naturally.) Madelyn does amazing accents. I've never met a kid who, when commanded "do Russian!," or "do French," can pull it off flawlessly like she can. She adores traveling for many reasons, but mostly to add to her collection of accents. She is a fearless eater, and will try anything once. Volleyball, playing guitar and crafting are other interests. She has an old soul and a sharp wit that will surely keep readers of this blog entertained.

This is me, Jennifer (aka Mom):

I should have been born a mermaid. I am happiest when I am snorkeling in clear blue waters. But since I need to work on dry land, I also have some more earthly loves, like photography, driving fast, watching sports, and volunteering to help solve cold cases.  My brain is a sponge that holds many useless pop culture facts, which makes me a great partner for cruise ship trivia hour.  Hopefully my finely honed sense of sarcasm and complete lack of filter will make you laugh as you read about our adventures.

We have upcoming trips to Palm Springs, Oklahoma City, Cleveland, and France scheduled. I will also try to write posts on some of our past trips to places like Belize, Puerto Rico, Italy, Croatia, Honduras, private islands in the Bahamas, Alaska, Hawaii, etc. We have a lot to share, so check back often! 

xoxo, 

J & M