Today is cool and the high is almost 70 degrees! It is overcast and perfect for the last day of the Food and Wine Festival. The band for tonight’s Eat to the Beat Concert is Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

As we arrive, we see it has just rained, and we are on the far end of our row for parking. That makes it good for finding our car later, and since we are at the very end of the row, we decide to walk. From where we are parked, the walk to the Epcot entrance is about the same as the walk down the row to catch the tram. Those are some really long parking rows! I enjoy our walk and we get to the gate in about 10 minutes.

We get our bags checked, scan our MagicBands, and I see all of the excited faces of first time visitors to Epcot. Their smiles are always amazing, it reminds me of our first days at Epcot! Everyone is full of excitement, ready to explore all that Epcot holds within its dreamy borders. I see a lady sitting in front of one of the Food and Wine signs; her husband is taking a picture, so I ask if he would like to be in the picture. She begins talking to him in another language, and soon he agrees, thanks me and sits by his beautiful wife. 1, 2, 3, smile! They laugh and thank us for their picture. I love getting to help.

Now, I am checking to see if the Friendship boat is at this port near Mexico at the World Showcase Plaza. Yes, it is! I ask if they are still boarding, the First Mate looks at us, chuckles, and says that they are! Do I look too happy and excited to get to cross the World Showcase Lagoon on the boat? We go aboard and it is mostly full. Soon we are off, crossing over to Germany. As we are docking the boat, I see that they are letting people in for seating at the American Gardens Theater for the concert. Oh, my, it is so very crowded as we cross through Italy. I love Italy!

People are still being seated as we walk to the back of the theater and wait for the ropes to drop. We sit fairly close and have a great view. We waited to see Big Bad Voodoo Daddy until tonight, the last night of the Food and Wine Festival, in hopes that the crowds would be less on a Monday. And, sure enough, the crowds are perfect at the concert.

The first song is finished, and the announcer comes on stage to honor our veterans. He calls for those who have served to stand and the audience explodes with cheers and clapping as we look around at so many people who have sacrificed and served our great country. Then, he announces that they are giving two military families their own mortgage-free homes. It is the coolest thing to see as the families come on stage and are given the homes from Building Homes for Heroes.

The concert was a blast and listening to the music is almost like stepping back in time!

After the concert, Twinkie and I get a Kaki Gori to eat on the way to France. Oh, it is getting really chilly and this shaved ice is so cold! But, they are so good that it is worth being extra cold on this chilly night!

We go to Guerlain and find they have a new perfume called French Kiss. It is so perfect, so soft, and so on my Christmas list! Our friend is working tonight; she is an amazing lady, always so positive and encouraging when we get to talk. She was asking how our move is going and how wonderful God is when he moves us into the right place. I love her friendship so much! We hug and say our goodbyes for now.

We make our way back through France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and to the front gates. The breeze is perfect and I am glad we brought our warm jackets as we walk to our car. What a fun, chilly evening!