Day Trip: Ocean City Maryland, Sunday

[l1ttle_billy]

posted early due to afkness tomorrow

It was about a three hour drive to get from Alexandria to Ocean City. It was still early in the season, only partly sunny, and in the low 50's, so there weren't too many people there. Which is just how Billy liked it. Plenty of time for hellish crowds during the summer.

The big parking lot at the end of the boardwalk was nearly empty, making parking a hell of a lot easier than it could have been.

The boardwalk started almost immediately off the lot, with mostly closed shops, restuarants, and arcades lining it. The Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum was open, however the pier with it's thrill rides, water slides, and fishing spots was still gated and locked.

"And this," Billy said to Ami. "Is a boardwalk town in the off season."

[nfb due to distance, for Ami]

Comments

[slr-mercury.livejournal.com]

"Sounds cool. I looked this place up on teh net. It claims to have skeeball somewhere."

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure we can find an open arcade or two." Billy nodded. "Have you played skeeball before?"

[slr-mercury.livejournal.com]

"No but i have read about it."

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

"I played a bit back when I lived in Jersey. But I didn't get out much back then."

[slr-mercury.livejournal.com]

"I didn't realize you lived around here. Was it long ago?" Ami did not want to push him too hard about his past...

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

"Never lived around here he said. "But I knew this place was here and I looked it up online."

[slr-mercury.livejournal.com]

"Aw, you used the internet" Ami smiled. "So... what shall we do first?" She looked out at the ocean, wind whipping her hair around. It was very pretty in a cold sort of way.

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

"We had the internet when I left. It wasn't this advanced, but we had it." He paused for a moment, just admiring the view. She looked good with the wind in her hair. "Well, have you ever been in one of those Ripley's places?"

[slr-mercury.livejournal.com]

Ami shook her head. "No. Are they fun?" She didn't really have a clear idea of what they were and neither does the mun

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

"I've never been in one either." He pointed to the museum.

[slr-mercury.livejournal.com]

"My what a large fake shark. Well, lets give it a try?"

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

"Let's."

The Ripley's Believe it or Not Museums have several locations all over the world. I've been to a few. They mostly have common exhibits of the strange and unusual, things that Mr. Ripley encountered in his travels. There's some unique things in each one, I know the one in Ocean City has a thing about Pirates. One thing they all have is a station with a mirror in which to make faces, with pictures of people making weird faces. A little bit later on, you come to the other side of that one way mirror and get to laugh at the people making faces.

[slr-mercury.livejournal.com]

And so they did. And inside it was mostly empty due to a lack of tourists. "I think we may have the place almost to ourselves..."

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

"The advantages of the off season." he smiled, examining a model of a fake mermaid. "I wonder what Ripley would have made of Fandom."

[slr-mercury.livejournal.com]

"Turned everyone into an exhibit?" Ami asked as she peered at the mermaid and then at the two headed baby in a jar.because every place needs a two headed baby

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

"Probably." There was a video showing a man who could eat razor blades. "Or maybe even he would have trouble believing it."

[slr-mercury.livejournal.com]

"Possible... Fandom is a very special place. Mostly due to the very special people." she gave his hand a little squeeze.

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

He grinned and squeezed her hand as well. "This stuff is pretty biz...okay someone had too much time on their hands." he remarked of the replica of the sistine chapel ceiling made with toast.

[slr-mercury.livejournal.com]

Ami just giggled.

sleep now

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

That one went right along with the grains of rice with writing on them.

[slr-mercury.livejournal.com]

"Aw, this is adorable. How do they do the writing?"

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

"Not sure." he said, looking through the magnifying glass.

[slr-mercury.livejournal.com]

"Maybe it is done by very very tiny brushes." Ami looked around and spotted what looked like a pony-monkey hybrid. "Oh god, i hope they did that after the animals were dead."

[l1ttle-billy.livejournal.com]

"I'm pretty sure they did." Billy grimaced at the sight. "I think it's a taxidermy thing." They were nearing the pirate exhibit.

[slr-mercury.livejournal.com]

"Oooh, pirates", Ami exclaimed, and practically dragged Billy towards the exhibit.