Family reunion

A few weeks back we trundled off to the Dells (Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin is what all the t-shirts say, perhaps to differentiate it from say, Wisconsin Dells, Florida?) to meet up with 32 members of my extended family. I admit my enthusiasm was a bit low. We were to stay at one of the places that has several waterparks, plus a dozen other 'attractions'. I was not attracted. I don't like crowds, busy places, nor being wet but not really in water. But then we got there, we dropped our stuff into our lovely room and then were whisked down the hall for dinner with all of my long lost cousins. And guess what? They are great people. Before we finished eating it felt like I had been hanging out with the cousins for ages, when in truth I had only seen them briefly four years ago, and before that we figured the last meet up was probably when I was about 12 (that trip involved biking 200 miles through the Canadian rockies -sans helmets- and sliding down glaciers in trash bags- a trip to be remembered). After eating we were ushered to our first waterpark. One ride involved going head first down a tube on a foam mat and did necessitate a later visit to my chiropractor, but in all, I enjoyed it. We spent the next 3 days moving from meal to waterpark, to relaxing (with a little oogling of world cup soccer players tossed in), and I thoroughly enjoyed all of it. I know now why the shirts say Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. It's because there might be places out there trying to pose as the next Dells. Our friend Wally is thinking that their might be a Wisconsin Dells, Dubai, in the works. Like the ski hill in a dome out there in the dessert. Imagine the Dells domed in Dubai. For reality sake, in the summer it would be nice under the dome, but then they could simulate winter- have it all cold and gray outside of the hotels, the outside waterparks crusted over in fake ice- people scurrying from rented minivans to the hotels where they stay inside, moving through skyways to the indoor waterparks like gerbils in a cage.... I think I might become an early investor in this idea. Wisconsin Dells, Dubai. It has a nice ring to it.