Saturday, January 9, 2010

Off to see the wizard...

I'm stepping back a bit from the New Year with this post to show you an amazing gift that I recieved for Christmas.  I know my sister loves me and I know this because she bought me The Wizard of Oz Ultimate Collector's Limited Edition!!!  I have number 180,427 out of  243,000.  I love love love it!




There is a place not far from where I live called Emerald Mountain in Beech Mountain North Carolina.  And on Emerald Mountain there was an amusement park called the Land of Oz during the 70's and the early 80's.  The park has been closed for many years now, but the yellow brick road and other parts of the park are still there.  They open the park one weekend a year in early October and the public is welcome to come and visit.  It's so much fun!!!  My friend Adita and I visited in 2007.  I would love to go back one year and work as one of the volunteers.  Could you see me as Dorothy?!

Pic 1:  Jessie, The Wicked Witch of the West, A Winkie Guard, and Adita
We ran into these two characters while waiting in line at the bottom of the moutain.  You can take a hay ride pulled by a tractor or a bus to the top.  Or if you're crazy enough you could walk up.



Part of the land where the amusement park was located is now I guess what you would call a subdivision with really nice fany houses - they also have houses available for rent with nightly and weekly rates.  The rest is now a ski resort and here you can see the emtpy chair lift.  Are you beginning to understand why I wouldn't want to walk to the top...?




And this is one of the breathtaking views from the top of the mountain.  Just to reiterate - I would not want to walk to the top!!!




One of  the first places that you see is Auntie Em and Uncle Henry's house.  This is one of the houses that can be rented for parties, vacations, etc.




All of the rooms inside are lovely.  On the shelf to the right you can see a collection of Oz memorabilia.



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