Well, this is a very special Road Trip / Pilgrimage... because this time, it'll happen in USA and not as I use to do in Europe... A premiere for me.
Of course I've already drove cars in US, but not for a such Road Trip... or "Arcade Pilgrimage"
So the starting point will be the heart of New York
Because it's gonna be a huge trip, I wanted to leave as soon as possible, but the car rental agency of hiring opens only at 7 a.m.
Afters the 'papers' to sign... here we are, ready to go ... 7:30 am ... Navigation car system ready... because because of the buildings, it's a pain to localize us... It's gonna be rock'n'roll to drive in the heart of the 'Big Apple'
:
Arrival time estimated at : 12:39 ...gloups
Fortunately for us... because yes... Darth Nunette is with me (
) ... it's early ... no to much traffic around... but we have to be careful
...I cannot compete with the cab drivers here
It was not easy... but ... a least ... we are now out of New York (after maybe 40 or 50 minutes If I remember well) :
Arg! I forgot to take this photograph at the beginning of the trip
I'll have to check on the car rental contract in order to calculate the length of this RT
On the road... food everywhere ... even more food than gas station
...driving into ...Connecticut ... Massachusetts...sounds pretty cool huh
...
Wow
... Boston very close ... the native town from the 'Kids Of Boston' ... EXTREME!!! (Nuno Bettencourt
)
I'm driving since few hours now... time for a break! Oh, here's our car :
Yes... I know
not very 'American style'
In order to do like most of my road trip, let's go into...
...yes... Burger King...
... don't blame me ... It's just to compare US Burger King vs UK ones (We don't have BK in Belgium
) :
Did you notice? Close to the BK, there is a BK 'FUN ROOM', full of arcade games.....and ... ARGH! No picture
A great thing inside most of fast food restaurant ... the 'FREE REFILL' ... So like Forest Gump, I can drink as much Dr Pepper as I want
...still on the way ... Nashua town? ... I've already read something interesting to see here
... I will check that on the way back
I'm a poor lonesome cowboy
I'm a long long way from home...approaching the final destination ... Laconia
I am very excited now
... but it is necessary for me to remain careful. The sheriff is not too far
...
Well, the road will end soon... water ... coast ... we should arrive in a couple of minutes
...and...
...here we are ...
...It's 1:43PM
... I cannot believe I'm here ...
OK this point, I presume you all know this place : FUNSPOT / Amercia Classic Arcade Museum"
Funspot Family Fun Center From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Funspot Family Fun Center (or simply known as Funspot) is a video arcade and self-declared "classic gaming museum" founded in 1952 by Bob Lawton, and located in the village of Weirs Beach in Laconia, New Hampshire, USA. It includes over 500 games, an indoor golf center, a 20-lane ten-pin and candlepin bowling center, cash bingo, mini-golf, a restaurant, and a tavern. Funspot was officially named the "Largest Arcade in the World" by Guinness World Records at the 10th Annual International Classic Video Game and Pinball Tournament, held from May 29 through June 1, 2008.
Integrated within Funspot is the American Classic Arcade Museum, which is the first 501(c) non-profit organization dedicated to restoring and displaying vintage coin-operated amusements. The museum celebrates the origins of the arcade industry with popular games from the past. Asteroids, Pac-Man, Centipede and a Gorgar pinball machine are just a few of the many games in the classic arcade museum. The museum also contains static displays of game history, and the walls feature many posters of vintage arcade games.
Points of interest
* Billy Mitchell played his perfect game of Pac-Man on July 3, 1999 at this location.
* Steve Wiebe set the high score for Donkey Kong in public at this location.
* The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters was filmed in portions at this location.
* The high score for BurgerTime, 9,000,000 points, was set here by Brian Wagner.
* Funspot one of only two arcades (the other being Richie Knucklez in New Jersey)[citation needed] to officially display Donkey Kong 2: Return of Jumpman, the hack of Donkey Kong, complete with Nintendo trademark on the game cabinet.
Sounds good huh?
OK, at the entrance... the classic game wall of game :
You cannot miss THE grandmother of the video game
Ok, let's start my furious walk into this place...no logic, just a pure random ride ... like a cat who are entering a new house for the first time...
PS : Once again... sorry for the poor quality picture (
) ... just let's say it's good old fashion 80's pictures style
Wow... I don't know how to visit this place... it's so HUGE
I'm in heaven here...
