Night has fallen as Dear & I stroll through San Francisco/Amity & New York here inside Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, USA………then we meet Costumed Characters & Stilt Walkers so strikingly stunning & beautiful……….

Ahahah, that’s the Universal Studios Mardi Gras Festival 2009 alright!! Well, Festival Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday & it’s one of the most famous Carnival Celebrations in the World, which starts before & through Fat Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday), during the Catholic Season of Lent, which is in Christian tradition, the period of the Christian year (or Liturgical year) leading up to Easter.

The Festival of Mardi Gras dates back 5000 years ago, but it was only in 1699 when it came to Louisiana in America with French Settlers - thus the Louisiana New Orleans Mardi Gras!

And tonight’s Universal Studios Mardi Gras Festival is also themed after the New Orleans Mardi Gras - & YES YES Dear & I chose to visit Universal Studios Florida today on a Saturday cos there’s an extended 2 hours till 8pm tonight, with a Mardi Gras themed “Wonderful World of Literature” Parade which includes Mardi Gras traditional Floats that come directly from New Orleans - featuring iconic Characters & Settings from the most popular & beloved Books of Wild West, Mythology, Horror, Fantasy, Children’s Toys, & Adventure!

Let us now look at snapshots of Dear & I together with the goregeously colored Costumed Characters & Stilt Walkers inside Universal Studios Florida :

Haha tonight’s Valentine’s Night - Dear & My last Night here in Orlando, Florida USA before we fly back home to Singapore tomorrrow…………..& it’s really so fun & exciting down here in Universal Studios Mardi Gras Festival with Live music playing in the background as we see Street Performers, & more & more Costumed Characters & Stilt Walkers so charmingly roaming the Streets here as they mingle & pose for pics with guests……….

And suddenly by now, there’re crowds of guests filling up almost every corner of Universal Studios - sitting down, walking, standing, chatting, snaping pics, laughing, playing, having fun……….well, everyones’s all gathering & waiting around for the Mardi Gras Floats Parade to start at 7pm!!

Let’s see more snapshots of Stilt Walkers :

Hey that’s the Live Concert Stage guarded here by Universal Studios staffs - Well, there’ll be a LIVE Concert by KC & The Sunshine Band, as well as The Big Red & The Zydeco PlayMakers - 2 of the World’s hottest Musical Performers, right here after the Universal Studios Mardi Gras Floats Parade!

The followings are a Visitor Guide on Universal Studios Mardi Gras Festival 2009, as well as a Visitor Guide on the Mardi Gras After Party at selected Universal CityWalk Clubs featuring Live Entertainment, Food & Drinks Specials - & all these end only at 2am later tonight!

WOW sounds so great & so happening this Valentine’s Night here in Orlando huh!??! But too bad Dear & I have just decided to end our own party here at Universal Studios before the Mardi Gras Floats Parade kicks off………

Yea Yea, it’s very disappointing……& it’s sososso Silly of us to quit right here……..but Dear & I are already extremely exhausted & tired to go on the long night here……….We’ve been out very early this morning & had been walking throughout the whole day at Islands of Adventure as well as Universal Studios Florida - hopping between these 2 Theme Parks here at Universal Orlando Resort………

And not forgetting that we were out the entire past 2 long days & nights……..& we’re apparently completely worn-out!!

As much as we’d actually planned & wanted to stay on since we’d chosen to visit here today cos of the extended hours for the Mardi Gras Floats Parade, the Theme Park area where Dear & I are right now is filled with more & more crowds of people (guess they’ve all come from Islands of Adventure too since it closed at 6pm tonight!!)……..

And the whole place is becoming very conjested with heavy human traffic making Dear & I tough to go on walking & enjoy ourselves (not to mention we could absorb at all!!) since we’re already so dead tired now!!

Plus, our flight back home to Singapore tomorrow leaves at 8.10am, meaning we’ve to be at the airport before 6am, & Dear & I have still yet to finish packing all our travelling Luggages hahah!!

Also not forgetting that it’s Valentine’s Night tonight (& our last night here in Orlando!), so Dear & I wana have a good Dinner together before going back to our Hotel……….

So you see, for all the reasons, Dear & I just made a real difficult choice to miss out on the Mardi Gras Floats Parade here at Universal Studios Florida (Sobbb!!)

And now, we’re walking towards the exit of the Theme Park, & Dear’s here posing with his buddy Moo Moo Cows in one really interesting Souvenir Shop as we stop to see if we can grab more last-minute Souvenirs :

The followings are snapshots taken on our way out :

Well, still remember there’re often the Theme Park’s Photographer who’d help take pics of guests during the Theme Park’s characters meeting sessions!?? Well, here below are Dear & My Photo Claim Tickets - collected during our time here in Universal Studios Florida since this morning :

So before we leave Universal Studios, Dear & I make a stop at the On Location Photography Center to check out our Photos :

Once inside On Location Photography Center, Dear & I get to view our Photos on a computer screen with the help of an Universal Studios staff who also assists us in beautifying our Photos by adding charactered Cartoons - selected from the following Cartoon page :

At the same time, our Photos can also be framed in different styles, as shown (below) by the Universal Studios Staff who’s most friendly, helpful & patient with Dear & I :

We’re also told that we could view & purchase our Photos online at myuniversalphotos.com should we change our mind about not buying all our photos, or wana buy more prints etc, which is really cool huh!!

Well, here’re more choices of Dear & My Universal Studios Florida photos, which can be printed on Calenders, Jumpers & Jig Saw Puzzles etc, that we can select to view & purchase online :

Dear’s now paying for our Photo inside On Location Photography Center :

And here’s the Universal Studios Florida Portrait (dated February 14, 2009) of Dear & Me holding Gingy (Gingerbread Man from Shrek 4-D Adventure) :

Heheh pretty cute right!

Well, Dear likes this special & unique pose of ours (as directed by the Theme Park Photographer!), & we’ve to pick a Cartoon to hold in our hands - & we chose Gingy as Dear remembers that I love Gingerbreads!! NOPE, not that I like to eat Gingerbreads, but rather cos I find Gingerbreads really amusing & so cute!!

Let me show introduce to you my Gingerbread friends from back home in Singapore :

Heheh that makes them “GINGERBREAD!!” alright!!

Haha don you think the Red & Green buttons on Ginger’s dress look like M&M’s Chocolates??! Ahahh our naughty Baby Cutie always wana pick on & eat off these M&Ms!!!

And well, here’re my Girl Boy Gingerbread Souvenir Magnets which I got during one of my Travelling Trips back to my former uni state of Geelong (Australia) with Dear :

And I’ve also got these below Christmas Boy Girl Gingerbread Souvenir Magnets decorated with red white Creams & chocolates - Mmm……..they sure look so yummilicous huh!!!

Now, here’re all my Gingerbread buddies - hahah seems that Christmas’s already round the corner huh heheh!!

Okie Okie let’s get back here in Orlando………

Well, Dear & I have now exited Universal Studios Florida, where we stay around for a couple more pics of ourselves by the Lagoon, infront of the giant Universal Studios Revolving Globe, & Hard Rock Cafe Orlando etc :

Then we stroll through Universal CityWalk hand in hand, feeling much romance & sweetness & love in the air………….trying to find a nice Restaurant for a good Valentine’s Night dinner, but all the Restaurants are fully packed, & lined with super long queues outside too!!

Even my favourite Bubba Gump Shrimp Restaurant is fully packed with a super long waiting list of guests!! And we’ve to wait up to an hour & half for our turn!!

So silly us forgetting that tonight’s a very special night cos it’s Valentine’s Night & it’s also the kick-off day for the Universal Studios Mardi Gras Festival 2009!! Besides, this whole place seems to get even more rowdy as the night gets older!!

Hahah unbelivable!! No wonder Universal CityWalk does not close till 2am!! And no wonder too that our Hotel (Quality Inn International) has got complimentary Shuttle service returning from Universal CityWallk at 2am too!!

So there goes again for our chance to have my Shrimps or our Lobsters or dinning in any GOOD Restaurant here in Orlando…………

But still, I feel happiest that I get to spend this most special Valentine’s Night here in Orlando with Dear, & fanciful or luxurious dinner or not, I’m contented enough just being here with my beloved Dear Dear heheh!!

Anyway, Dear & I soon bid Universal Orlando Resort goodbye before taking a Lynx Bus out to International Drive where we wait for another Transfer Bus back to our Hotel - here’re our Lynx Bus Transfer Tickets :

Wow, there’s a huge Traffic jam right here at International Drive as Dear & I wait for our Lynx Bus - must be cos it’s a Saturday night plus it’s Valentine’s Night alright!!!

Finally our Lynx Bus arrives & Dear & I are now on our way back to Quality Inn International - here below’s a snapshot of a Space Shuttle Gift Shop along International Drive……….

Heheh I’ve been eyeing this particular Shop for many days now while travelling on I-Ride Trolley or Lynx Bus, cos I like its GIANT Space Shuttle!! And since I’ve not had the chance to visit this Shop, I’ve always wanted to take a pic of it & finally on my last Night here in Orlando, I did it ahahaha!!

Our journey all the way from Universal Orlando Resort back to I-Ride Trolley Stop 15 (where Quality Inn International is) is a long one (almost an hour plus waiting time though the distance’s actually pretty near!!) cos of the huge Traffic jam……….

Haahaha Dear still innitially wanted us to take a Taxi from Universal Orlando Resort cos he saw me so tired & sleepy  - but luckily our Lynx Bus arrived on time to save us Big bucks!! Cos travelling by Taxi in this huge long Traffic jam would definitely cost us a BOMB!!

Anyway, many a times Dear & I have wanted to get off & dine at certain Restaurants along International Drive, especially at “Red Lobster” (Yea we still never forget our Lobsters!!) since we’d missed it last night cos of wanting to visit Walmart!!

But we change our mind upon seeing long queues outside the Restaurant, plus we’re already very tired, so again we’re now back inside the World’s Largest Mcdonald’s right here outside Quality Inn International, at International Drive.

Well, it’s alright since there’s also a Gourmet menu here at Mcdonald’s :

Let’s see its American Gourmet Cuisines on display here inside the World’s Largest Mcdonald’s :

WHOA!! Too many varities to choose from!!

Dear & I have quite a little tough time deciding on what we wan cos remember it’s our last night here in Orlando so it’s our last chance of trying real American Cuisines!! And it’s also Valentine’s Night, plus we’d been so tired the entire day, plus we LOVE food!! So we deserve to have a FEAST at least hahah!!

Nevertheless by now, Dear has made our orders & we’re just waiting for them to be packed away for us to bring back to our Hotel………….

Here’s the Fast Food Corner :

And here’s the Bistro Gourmet Cuisines Corner

Heheh see that’s our Pizza being freshly baked in the Open-concept Kitchen :

Hahah the time now is almost 9.45pm when Dear & I are finally back inside our Hotel Room here at Quality Inn International - spreading out our Mcdonald’s American Gourmet Cuisines - Mmm……mmm……….we can’t wait to tuck into our very own Valentine’s Night FEAST on our very last Valentine’s Night here in Orlando, Florida USA!!!

Heheh I even like this most lovely very good quality Pizza BOX that I ask Dear if I can bring it back home with us ahahah!! (to store my Souvenirs home!!) - but of course NOT cos it’s already dirty & stained with the Pizza sauce etc………

Well, let us now look at our Family-size Meat Pizza filled with chunks of zesty Pepperoni, crumbled Tuscan Sausages, Ground Beef & Bacons with Mozzarella Cheese & Marinara Sauce - hahah this PIZZA is so HUGE!!!

Best of all, it’s Sossossoo GOOD tasting so fresh, & there’re so much Meat in there (ahhaha cos Dear & I are MEAT lovers!!), & the Mozzarella Cheese is so plentiful & so lovingly superb!!!

Cheese Ravioli with Marinara Sauce served with 2 slices of freshly Toasted Garlic Breads :

Hahah the crispy on-the-outside Garlic Breads are so good & the Square-shaped Cheese Ravioli taste so fantastic!! So Warm, beautiful & so delicious!!

And here’s our last American Cuisine - Beef Taco Salad filled with Ground Beef (lots of them!!), Lettuce, Tomatoes & Carrots (all so fresh!!), with Salsa & Sour Cream all served in a Crispy Flour Tortilla Shell.

This whole Beef Salad combination tastes so great together especially when eaten with the Salsa & Sour Cream!! Plus the large Tortilla Shell is so well made & so crispy & so yummy yummy!!

Dear & I eat & eat non-stop & Hahah!! we can’t stop laughing over how GREEDY we both are for ordering so much food for just the 2 of us cos we simply can’t finish everything!!

The Pizza is so BIG (we only eat half or less!!), the Cheese Ravioli is TOO Much too!! And the Beef Taco Salad is so GIGANTIC too (you should see the side of the Crispy Tortilla Shell cos it’s so tall!!), & we couldn’t even finish half of that, plus all the HUGE fillings itside it!! Hahahahah!!!

By now Dear & I have become so full so full after eating so much so much………then we begin packing our Luggages for our Trip back home to Singapore tomorrow…………

Here’s the Box that used to contain Dear’s Mickey Mouse Crisped Rice Birthday Cake from Walt Disney World Magic kingdom - now being used to hold our Souvenir Chocolates from Orlando :

And here’s Dear’s Shoes Box (from Prime Outlets International Shopping!) now being used to hold more Chocolates & my many Souvenir Magnets :

Here’s my Leopard-Prints Protector Bag (which I always carry with me during my Travelling!) filled with more Souvenir Magnets heheh :

Hahah see my World Souvenir Magnets Collection gathered from Japan, Minnesota, Orlando, Florida & Merritt Island during this entire American Trip with Dear - OOPS!! Not forgetting that we’ve still got one more day left tomorrow meaning more Magnets heheh!!

Well, there’re in total close to 140 Souvenir Magnets in here - INCREDIBLE ahahahh!!!

And of course how can I leave behind these following Regular Suite Systems In Room Coffee packs from here inside our Room at Quality Inn International!?!

Dear & I don drink Coffee at all, but these shall be brought back home to Singapore for Mom & Dad who’re Coffee lovers - cos I just opened a pack & WHOALA!! it smells so good with a rich beautiful aromatic fragrance!!

Yea yea…….I’m begining to miss Orlando already as I pack…………

And I’m so tired tired & sleepy now as I fall asleep with Dear still packing away for both of us………..Happy Valentine’s Night my Dear Dear………love you luv u……………