More Duffy in Prescott

(OK, so this one published earlier than I wanted, but ah well...it's Monday somewhere!)

I don't have time to say much and Duffy is just so darned cute! (More photos and an explanation of Duffy in last Monday's entry.)

Duffy's paws are magnets, so he can pose in some odd places, like this painting on the stairs of our hotel.


Or he can pose in front of nature! Noooooo, that is not a painting. Not at all. (shifty eyes)


I believe the Hotel St. Michael is the oldest hotel in Prescott, though there may be a bed and breakfast that is older.


Some of the shots made it look kind of stormy, but it really wasn't. Just warm.


OK, this is one of those places where the full-sized (19"?) Duffy would be cuter.




This is a timeline area out in front of the courthouse, that has a timeline of mostly Arizona (but some nation/worldwide) events. I'm sure the Arizona flags are for Arizona's centennial (our state will be 100 in February!).




No, Duffy is not a Mason.


In the background is kind of antique-store row.


He even has a magnet on the back of his head, so he can levitate. Kind of.




Blimpie is so much better than Subway!

Duffy the Disney Bear in Prescott

OK, I've been blogging since January...if this blog were a baby it would have been born by now! In all that time, I'm not sure you've all realized that I am at least a little silly. If you haven't realized that by now, well, I hope you can get used to it.

Pictures from Prescott with Duffy the Disney Bear. (It's the tiny magnet-pawed one. I made the sailor suit and hat myself!)

Duffy at Bashford Courts.




Like a bear in a candy store.



I live in a new city so you NEVER see fire escapes.


Parking garage:


View from parking garage:


Panda Express. Duffy likes to eat.


Tiny Blue Bunny ice cream.




Iced hot chocolate from Coco's (only 99 cents! and weird but good):


One of the nice things about having a bear for a friend is that they are omnivorous, so they won't get mad at you for eating their friends or think you are crazy for just eating vegetables.




And this is just outside one of the shops from Prescott. I believe a couple years ago they had a chalkboard that read "We'll all be just fine in 2009."

Tampa Bay Airport - Things to Do in Airside/Terminal C

So on my flight to Florida, I had a long layover in Tampa Bay. As in, I arrived at 4:30 PM and was scheduled to depart at 8:05 PM (with delays, it turned out more like 9:00 PM). I was tempted to find something to do in Tampa Bay proper, but I didn't want to be stressed for time, and certainly didn't want to go through TSA. So instead, I became intimately acquainted with "Airside C" of Tampa Bay International Airport.

As an introvert, I found it delightful toward sunset and later, when it was less crowded. Mid-day on my flight back, it was spacious enough that it didn't feel crowded...but I still liked it when it was empty.



Most of the pictures I got were lower-quality cell phone pictures...I didn't feel comfortable taking too many pictures with my regular camera.



The whole terminal has a lot of glass and just feels very airy. It's like a giant building with mini-buildings and walled-off areas inside.



I'm really not sure why they call it an "airside" but I guess they think there's just one terminal?



I personally ate at Quizno's.



The sandwich prices were very steep. The salad prices were less steep--not that much more than a salad you'd get outside the airport, though they didn't come with any flatbread.



It was really good, though I doubt "healthy" would describe it.

Other restaurants include a standalone Nathans/Samuel Adams and a Home Team, whatever that is.



Home Team was kind of a sit-down-ish place (and a sports-bar type place), though they did have a to-go window. Due to time constraints, I ate at Nathan's on the way back...the hot dog was OK but there was a great chip selection (I got popcorn!).





And there's a Chili's Too. I feel weird eating at a sit-down place alone.


Looking back toward the security checkpoint:


The outdoor smoking areas are little screened-in concrete areas. Not too friendly but I suppose they'll do if you need nicotine.




There is a newsstand and another store with overpriced food:


And spiffy art above it.



Don't worry about what to do with your purse when you use the restroom. They have Purse Wrap!


Things to do in the airport during a 4.5 hour layover:

Scrounge around for a newspaper. Who knew Prince Valiant was still around?


Visit the play area:


Wave at the giant aviator statue:


Tuck yourself away into a workstation...


...including free Wi-Fi (at least in March 2011)!:


Get some Tampa Bay Info to Go:


Make sure your luggage and personal item will fit on your plane. (Or commandeer a wheelchair!)


Take a picture of your plane:


Take a picture of your luggage:


I saw someone taking a nap on the floor by the window. No pic but he looked very comfortable!

Relax in one of the luxurious leatherette chairs:


Or just snap and finally start taking pictures of your cute tiny Duffy Bear.




Safe travels, everyone!