We went to see the wizard! Last weekend, my friends Kelly and Jessica joined me on a wonderful trip to Oz...also known as Wamego, Kansas. On Saturday morning we climbed into my car armed with mix cds and the Wicked soundtrack to set off to see the wizard!The drive was a little over two hours but it was great. We gossiped about our lives, sang along to the music and saw some very interesting road signs in little towns, such as the auto shop offering "Brain Surgery while you Wait." Finally we arrived in the wonderful land of oz...I mean, Wamego.
The museum was absolutely lovely! You walk through different rooms based on different characters. The first introduction is Dorothy, of course. Along with a manaquin dressed in her classic sundress were commemorative ruby slippers and all sorts of memorabilia, including a swatch of cloth taken from the original costumes hem. There are rooms commemorating all the favorite characters - the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, the Wicked Witch of the West (I still think she's just misunderstood), and Glenda the Good Witch.
For those fans of the movie, there are several television sets showing the classic film staring Judy Garland as well as the originial silent film of Wizard of Oz, although it was a terrible failure both critically and in the theaters. For those fans of the original books, you can see original printings and learn amazing things about the author L. Frank Baum. (Fun Fact: Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked, derived the Wicked Witch of the West's name "Elphaba" from the initials of L. Frank Baum).
My friends and I went through the museum oohing and ahhing over everything we saw. Only after we left did we realize we should have stayed just to watch the movie again and again and again. But there was still more to see in Wamego, Kansas.
Click here to see more photos!
Total Trip Time: 27 hours
Distance Traveled: 245 miles
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Hiya Kris, sounds like a wonderful trip you had. I don't know why, but I've always enjoyed being the passenger in a car - not driving, just siting in the back talking and watching.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to think which Oz character i would be... I think either The Tinman or Dorothy! ;)
Take care, work as little as possible and i'll be back soon, Shane.