You don’t really get a sense of scale from the pictures — nor do you get an impression of just how colourful and vibrant it is. Designed by a man called Brock, it has an extraordinary blend of fun and presence all with leviathan proportions.
It sits on an empty lot and this morning I got my first look at what we hope will be the world’s largest Piñata. It’s 65 feet tall and with a belly load of candy weighs eight tons. It needed a structural engineer to confirm it was safe and judging but how exuberant the fans were at the Philadelphia CheeseSteaks winning the Universal Baseball thingy………….I am surprised it didn’t have it’s head ripped off and we found fifty drunk Philly fans living in it.
But it survived and there it sits……………..hold on……………….I have to give it a name……………….so……….is a Pinjada and he or a she…………..mmmmm………..well, it’s colourful and doesn’t look very intelligent and everyone wants a piece of her and she is happy to comply………………so therefore please welcome…………Paris the Piñata.
Word has spread already that we are doing something very special and there were already crowds of onlookers peering through the fencing. On the other side of the fence was Noam the Director, the production crew and hundreds of paid film extras all filming the beginnings of what will be a very special commercial. On the other side of the road a huge marquee has been set up…………we are calling it the Fun Village. It will contain 5000 square feet of Carnival style fun including a live band, DJ, a put-put golf thingy, the Fun Booth which enables visitors to send Karaoke e-mails, complimentary hot dogs and ice cream, caricturists….characturists……..characterteris…………people who sketch your face in 3 minutes and of course a chance to win 5 cruises on the Carnival Pride. We have also brought along Cruise Director Malcolm “WooHoo” Burn, Assistant CD Josh “Big Sexy” and two beautiful Carnival Dancers.
They will be holding dances and fun and games before Paris gets the good news with a huge wrecking ball, which will smash open her belly showering everyone in candy.
I don’t like tents and I hate camping. Now camping is fine if you are seven years old, or if you are stuck on a mountain and your fingers are falling off, but I view it in the same way that I view barbecues. What’s the point? Why eat food covered in ash when you have a cooker? Why sleep on the floor and poo in a hole if you have a house, with running water and a bed? Because you want to get close to nature? Fine. Go to a zoo for a few hours. What makes me angry about tents most of all is that all tenting equipment is obviously designed specifically to piss you off. Let us take the zip as a perfect case in point. For 43 years I have raised and lowered the flies in my trousers without getting it caught in the fabric once…………except once…………..still, it was no big thing……………. yet, in the world of tenting, every single zip gets stuck all the time. So there you are, outside in the freezing cold, moving the thing an inch at a time backwards and forwards, knowing that with each tug, and each muttered “Bugger”, more and more of the tent is being swallowed by the fastener.
This tent though is very, very different. It’s the Bentley of tents with astro turf floors, and flushing loos, and heating and lots of thingies designed to make you feel like you are on a luxurious safari in Africa.
They started erecting the tent this morning and here is a photo of how it looked 24 hours before the event begins.
Philadelphia is already in a great mood following their big sports win………..they thought they had seen everything………………….well, they ain’t seen nothing yet……………….wait until they see Paris the Piñata and experience the Carnival style fun village.
You will be able to experience it as well of course as Jordan, Tom, Tony, Walter and of course Stephanie bring you live hot and steaming video tomorrow including videos of all the bloogers who are coming to see me and Paris.
See you tomorrow
Goodnight
Your Friend
John
Look, friends — there are a few things you should remember before you comment. The space below is for you to post your comments about the post I've just written above. If it is something that's unrelated, please use the Ask John tab above. Now, while I may not be able to reply to your comment below, I do sit in my underpants almost every morning and read everything that is here. So feel free to comment on the comments and then if someone wants to comment on the comment to the comment then go ahead as well. Please be courteous unless the poster is French...........then you can say whatever you want.
A crane….OMG….poor Paris!
A wrecking ball? Ouch, that is going to hurt!!! I wish I could be there to watch. The 8 tons of candy sounds yummy.
John, Stephanie and all the brilliant folks:
We look forward to tomorrow!!
Linda (Mom of your friend DJ)
Hi John!
That tent is great. You made me think of my worst camping nightmare which is setting up the tent. Getting all the poles in the ground correctly and whatnot is my version of hell.
Good luck with the Paris tomorrow. I would say that based on sheer size and volume, it will be quite the sight.
Have you gotten a chance to get a cheesesteak? Thoughts?
Hope everything else is going ok and Heidi/Thingy are doing well.
Take care!
David
Wow, Paris is really big!!! Watch out for the falling candy–that much candy has to be heavy!
I’m with you on the camping thing–my idea of roughing it is to be in a hotel without a phone in the bathroom.
Goodnight to you, Heidi and Thingy
Hi John that Pinjata looks great wish I was there to enjoy the fun.
John about a week ago you mentioned that there might be another bloggers cruise for 2009 on the Dream, either Caribbean or else the transatlantic.
I had not been considering another cruise for ’09 as I had the Western European cruise booked for September. Now that this has been cancelled I wanted to know if you have decided which dates you were thinking for the second cruise so that I can start my planning process. I don’t know if you have already written about this in the blog but I might have missed it. Please let us know when you get a minute. Thanks.
Eva
Having to ketchup on the blog after being away on the Ecstasy for the past week. Had a great time and got to see the Fantasy as she docked along side of us in Progresso and Cozumel. The upgrade looks great from what we could see from our ship.
Sorry to hear of the loss of another great American Marine hero. The world would not be as safe and freedom so wide spread if not for these hero’s. Having raised a active duty Marine I know all to well the sacrifices that the military families have to endure. I take my screen name from my nephew CPL Joe K. USMC currently of NOLA.
Sleep well America, my Marine has your back.
JOHN!!! That TENT!! We had a kinda pup tent thingy with flaps that hid you, Stephanie and all the other important folks and Philly gets a tent fit for the King of Persia!!! Wow… I’m impressed!!!
Would you please save me a Mounds bar?
Thanks!!!
Host Mach
By the way, I’ll be online with all the thousands of others watching the grand event tomorrow!!!
Hi, Stephanie!!!
John Please Respond
With the Carnival Pride based out of Baltimore year round, is there any chance that a Carnival ship will be based out of New York year round? I am not a big fan of flying and I live in New York. It would be great to take a winter cruise instead of being limited to the summer. I enjoy reading your blog everyday.
Take Care,
Joe
Good boy! Always take calls from your Mum!
Enjoy smacking Paris tomorrow. Wish I could be there to see that.
Duchess Sandy in GA
Geez, you will be right in my home town and I can’t come tomorrow. First off, no one is available to go with me and second we are having a house full of people for the Eagles game. I live about 1 1/2 hour drive away now. I will definitely be watching on the blog. Just know that Margienj from NJ is there with you in spirit. I would love to be able to win a cruise but I’m not there so no chance. Enjoy your stay in the city of Brotherly Love and home of the World Series champion Phillies.
Well John, I hope we’re able to make to this event without getting trampled on. Thank goodness we can get there early or should we get there even earlier…After hearing about the potential number of people, not to mention the advertisement on one of my favorite Philly radio stations WOGL (when are they going to do a Carnival cruise with a caribbean itinerary????), this could be as big as the Phillies parade! Hope I get a chance to meet you and I hope we have the stamina to make it through to cruise drawing!
John
OMG are we going to have a fun time tomorrow,,see ya in da morning
wooohooooooooooo 2 tons of sugar woooooohoooooooo major sugar buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
see ya in the morning
Bill
YAY!!! I’m so excited. My kids are even more excited to hear that Josh will be there since we just cruised on the Miracle in September!
Hi John,
Wow is that Pinata BIG!!! I hope it has some sugar free jelly beans in it so you can enjoy some of it!!!
I’ll be here watching on line tomorrow…. but maybe next year you can do a comercial in Wisconsin so I can get to it! LOL
How about giving away a cruise to the bloggers on line????
Hello to Heidi and the Thingy!
Hugs!
Princess Barb
WOW! Can’t wait till tomorrow to see you and Big Ed together again, and on video this time! That is one BIG Pinata! Don’t forget to turn your clock back tonight John! Hope you got your phillies cheesesteak sandwich! I know what you mean about camping and tents! I hate any type of bugs and would not sleep outside in a tent for anybody. My grandson went camping last weekend with his scout troop and the first time they put the 5 person tent up the zipper broke! UGH! So they had to safety pin it shut. My daughter and son in law said they saw raccoons outside the tent area, I would have freaked and ran home!!!!!!!!!! Linda
John–wish I could be there–thought about taking the train from NYC, but I have a family party to attend…..I think I’d rather be with you!
Are there sugar free jelly beans in there that you will catch with your mouth open as they spray down? Too bad Thingy is still in the womb and cannot have candy yet; you could send some home.
And…welcome to the great world of an American Sports win celebration–although it should have been the New York Yankees!
Looking forward to seeing the event through the streaming video here. Have a great time tomorrow!
I have a picture in my mind of a mob of people running for candy. Be safe out there! Wish I could be there.
I saw the pinata yesterday, it is amazing. Am planning on bringing my son up today to watch the festivities. On one news channel I heard it was happening at 10:00 a.m., now I’m reading 12:00 p.m. We obviously don’t want to miss it, but are not sure what time to arrive? Can someone enlighten me?
I saw the pinata yesterday, it is amazing. I’m bringing my son today to the festivities. However, I’m confused because I heard on one of the local news stations that the pinata will be broken at 10:00 a.m., however, I’m now reading it will be 1:30 p.m. Can someone please enlighten me with the correct time?
Getting ready to meet you. See you in about an hour and a half!!! Thank goodness the Eagles are out of town today (Sunday)!!! Please do a Dream cruise!!!!!!!!!
Host Mach,
It’s probably so cold in Philly they had to put as much as they could in a tent with heaters!
Hi, John!
Don’t stand under Paris as the candy is falling. You know that would feel like hail hitting you in the head!!! Unless it’s all veeeerrrrryyyy soft candy.
So when will these commercials begin airing?
Got to get busy…hugs to Heidi and Thingy!
Your Pal, Myra
One more thing – what were you guys thinking?!?