Epcot and a Herman's Hermits Concert - Mother's Day Weekend in Florida

When you visit a theme park you know there will be crowds and that it will be expensive, but I recently found that there also will be things to learn and some surprises along the way. And it will be a feast for the senses!

One of those surprises, as we were strolling through Epcot May 12, on Mother's Day, was happening upon a live Herman's Hermits concert. Peter Noone is now 65 and prancing around stage and singing the old hits just like he did when I attended a concert in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in the 60's. Apparently he has recently put himself on a successful diet and he looked great from a distance. He was my first and favorite, a few years before the other big British invasion band hit our shores--The Beatles.

What was more surprising is that both of my 30-something girls knew all the words to the old hits! It was a feast for the ears that brought me way back in time.

Not so much a feast for the eyes was all the grey hair in the audience, aging hippies with pony tails and this totally Disney dude:

My girls know how to navigate a park and we got our fast passes in a timely fashion. The simulated ride over California was pretty cool, with breezes, and even a whiff of orange as we passed over an orange grove, a little surprise for the nose.

Another highlight was the guided tour "Behind the Seeds." Our guide was from Iowa:

The guide shared a taste of the gardens with us - freshly sliced cucumbers.

Winter Melon

One "Cinderella" pumpkin required a hammock

Bananas!

Erica snapped this photo with her phone.

Every plant was productive and every leaf was perfect. It is a controlled environment where thousands of lady bugs are released strategically to control some of the undesirables.

Look at this perfect lettuce:

The lettuce was planted in a bi-color Mickey-ears pattern:

Erica took this photo on the ride--our guide for the seeds tour is in the back.

Even this hose was wound perfectly by a Disney staffer:

Next: The food (including feasting in France) and a few adult beverages along the way.