Anna Across America - Cruising The Atlantic Ocean

After experiencing the frigid temperatures of the Arctic Circle, it is time for the Triple A tour to thaw out and relax.   What better way to do that than on one of the Carnival Cruise Lines "fun ships".   The Carnival Sensation, at left, embarks from Port Canveral, Florida on regular three and four-day cruise intineraries to the Bahamas.  While Dr Pepper may not be served on board you can bring your own can.  By the numbers, the Carnival Sensation has a capacity of 2,056 passengers, serviced by 920 crew members, on a ship that is 855 feet long and promises 24-hours of fun each day.

Editor's Note:  The Dr Pepperazzi welcomes Jackie Pierson as its newest contributor.

Anna "Beyond" America - Oslo, Norway

The Arctic adventure for Kathy, Karen and the Anna/Dr Pepper Can comes to a successful conclusion in the beautiful city of Oslo, Norway.   Founded in the second century A.D., Oslo is the economic and governmental center of Norway.   It is also one of the fastest growing cities in Europe.   Pictured at left is Karl Johans gate, the main street in Oslo and a charming thoroughfare filled with shops and tourist attractions.   Oslo is currently bidding to host the 2022 Winter Olympics....its much smaller Norwegian neighbor to the north, Lillehammer, hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics.

The Parliament Building in Oslo, the capital of Norway.

Oslo City Hall is the site of the Nobel Peace Prize awards ceremony
at the same time as the Stockholm (Sweden) City Hall hosts the
awarding of the Nobel prizes in a variety of other disciplines.

The Grand Hotel is the most prestigious hotel in Oslo and the
site of the Nobel Peace Prize award dinner.

The New Dr Pepper Slogan?

"I Scream, you Scream, we all Scream for the great taste of Dr Pepper"!


Artistic teasing aside, the painting at left is one of four versions of the famous work by Edvard Munch - three of which are on display in Oslo.  Two of the paintings have been the target of high profile thefts in recent years but in both cases were later recovered. Perhaps the perps couldn't handle the Scream.

Anna "Beyond" America - Inside The Arctic Circle

Braving bitter cold temperatures 121 miles inside the Arctic Circle, the Anna Can makes its way to the village of Abisko and the national park of the same name in the far reaches of northern Sweden. 

A view of the Gateway to Lappland and the distinctive shape
of Lapporten, a u-shaped valley in the region.

The Arctic regions of Sweden are prime areas for seeing the mysterious
and colorful formation of aurora borealis, the northern lights.

After a day of exploring the Arctic, nothing is better than warming
up by the fire and sipping hot Dr Pepper (see December 15th entry
for recipe) at the Abisko Turiststation, which houses adventurers
such as the Sisters Cabe.

Anna "Beyond" America - Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm, Sweden, built on 14 islands and connected by 57 bridges, is one of the most beautiful capital cities in the world.  A city steeped in more than 750 years of history, Stockholm is not only a tourist destination, but a major financial center in Europe.  Let's join the Cabe sisters -- Anna's mother Kathy and her Auntie Karen -- as they visit some of the attractions of this charming Swedish capital while saluting Anna and Dr Pepper.

Stockholm City Hall, one of Sweden's major tourist attractions, is best known as the venue for the Nobel Prize banquet.   Nobel prizes are usually awarded each year on or around December 10th, the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel, who established the prizes in 1895 for such disciplines as Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature, and Peace.   All Nobel Prizes are awarded and celebrated in Sweden with the exception of the Peace Prize which is awarded in Oslo, Norway - a future stop in our tour.

One Man's Sentiment:  Had there been a Nobel Prize back in 1885, it is the opinion of this writer that our favorite pharmacist Charles Alderton would have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for creating the great taste of Dr Pepper at Morrison's Old Corner Drug Store in Waco, Texas.

The Blue Hall is the site of the banquet honoring the
Nobel Prize winners.  It is hosted by the King and
Queen of Sweden with all 1,300 in attendance being
served dinner, its annual menu one of the best kept
secrets in the world.  More than 220 waiters attend
to the diners who gained one of the coveted invites
to the gala.  Despite the high brow attendees, about
100 gold-plated coffee spoons are snagged each year.

Above the Blue Hall is the Golden Hall, so named for
the 18 million gold mosaic tiles that adorn the room.

The Stockholm Palace, also called the Royal Palace houses the
offices of the King of Sweden and other member of the Royal
Court.   Above a member of the Hogvakten (a royal guard from
the Swedish Armed Forces) stands guard along with Anna outside
the palace.

In the Crown Room of the Swedish Royal Palace, Kathy
and Karen found that being a part of the Dr Pepperazzi is
not without risks.  When the Sister Act started brandishing
the Dr Pepper can, a security guard quickly swooped down
on the pair to investigate (and presumably to ensure that
the sisters were not going to hurl a beer can at the crown!).

At the Stockholm train station.  Next Stop: The Arctic Circle!

Anna "Beyond" America - Northern Europe Edition

Anna's mother Kathy and her sister Karen -- known as Auntie Karen to Anna -- recently embarked on an adventure to the most northern reaches of the planet, the Arctic Circle.   Along the way, the Sister Act enjoyed the sites of Sweden and Norway and they were joined throughout the journey by the Anna/Dr Pepper Can, which served as a defacto emissary for the most original soft drink ever.

Join us over the next few days as we journey with Kathy, Karen and "Anna" to Northern Europe in a special transatlantic version of the Anna tribute tour.  The first stop on the journey is Amsterdam Airport Schipol en route.

Arriving passengers and Dr Pepper cans alike are welcomed to Amsterdam's
airport with the sights and scents of tulips, the much loved flower of the Dutch.
Holland is often affectionately dubbed the "flower shop of the world" as tulips
are cultivated in large tracts and are celebrated with festivals in the spring.

Although the Dutch traded their wooden shoes in for Kate Spades and
Air Jordans long ago, the clogs are still sometimes worn by rural workers
and tourists from America who spend their first Euros on the colorful
footwear which leads to an even more colorful blister.

Merry Christmas, America . . . and the World!

To all of the Anna Fans across America, we wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas.   Also,  our holiday cheer extends to fans of Anna Trundle and Dr Pepper far beyond the States.   In her starring role with Dr Pepper, Anna has captured the attention and hearts of readers from around the world.

So in the spirit of the season we offer members of our growing worldwide audience a Merry Christmas in their native language . . .

Malaysia - Selamat Hari Krismas!
Germany - Frohliche Weihnacten!
South Korea - Sung Tan Chuk Ha!
Serbia - Srecan Bozic!
Australia - Happy Christmas!
Ukraine - Veseloho Vam Rizdva!
China (Mandarin) - Kung His Hsin Nien Bing Chu Shen Tan!
Turkey - Mutlu Noeller!
Finland - Hyvaa Joulua!

Closer to home we have regular followers in the East Tennessee outpost of Maryville.   In our best Blount County brogue, we say,

MurChristmas!

Anna Across America - On Santa's Knee

       Ho, Ho, Ho!

 
 

   Merry Christmas,

 

            Anna

               &

        Dr Pepper!

Anna Across America - Dollywood

Hooray for Dollywood!  Co-owned and inspired by music legend Dolly Parton who grew up nearby in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, Dollywood is a music and thrill ride theme park frequented by Anna and her family through the years.   Prior to Dollywood opening in 1986, smaller parks on the site dating back to the early 1960s were known as Rebel Railroad, Goldrush Junction, and Silver Dollar City.   Dolly and Company have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the property, showcasing critically acclaimed roller coasters and shows that feature music from the mountains that inspired Parton during her impoverished childhood.  With Dolly's  hands-on commitment in making the park a first class attraction along with frequent visits from the larger than life singer, it is little wonder that Dollywood is the top ticketed attraction in the state of Tennessee with more than 2.5 million visitors each year.

Four generations of Anna's family have been aboard Klondike Katie, a steam locomotive that ferries 5,000 visitors a day on a 2.9 mile roundtrip up a mountain at Dollywood.  Formerly a workhorse locomotive that traversed the arduous Yukon White Pass railroad in Alaska, the Dollywood Express, featuring Klondike Katie and her sister locomotive Cinderella, has been the signature ride at all incarnations of the theme park since its opening in 1961, the year that Anna's mother and father were born.

Blitzen and his fellow reindeer prefer the 23 flavors and
42 mg of caffeine contained in every can of Dr Pepper for
those long winter nights leading Santa's sleigh.

Anna Across America - Washington, D.C.

We are honored to join the Anna Across America tour in perhaps its most historic stop, Washington, D.C.   Our nation's capital was founded in 1791 from land donated primarily by the state of Maryland and named for George Washington....although the modest father of our country always referred to it as the Federal City.   The new capital was designed by Pierre L'Enfant with broad streets, radiating in numerous directions in a somewhat confusing pattern of grids that has created rush hour traffic snarls from the 1800s, but yet serves as a deterrent to those pesky British who might try to burn down the White House again.  Nevertheless, L'Enfant's grand vision has stood the test of time and his design, along with strict building codes, have allowed the District to become a picturesque city of parks, monuments, and the center of government for the greatest nation on the planet.   Almost 20 percent of Washington, D.C. is park land, which is one reason why Washington, D.C. is annually one of the "fittest" cities in the nation (that and all of those 9-5 jobs and government holidays).

DP / DC Fun Fact:  The mere mention of Washington, D.C. can often conjure up passionate emotions of a political nature -- especially when accompanied by lightning-rod words Democrat and Republican.   Whether left or right, both sides of the aisle have a bipartisan appreciation for the great taste of the most original soft drink ever - Dr Pepper.   To wit, a pair of politically polar opposites Hillary Clinton (D) and Sarah Palin (R) are avowed Diet Dr Pepper drinkers.

The U.S. Capitol is perhaps the most recognizable symbol of the United States of America.  First completed in the early 1800s, the distinctive, cast-iron dome was added in the mid 1800s.   Within the Capitol's 175,000 square feet of space are both chambers of Congress, grand halls, numerous offices, and a $600 million Visitors Center, a massive underground complex which opened in 2008.  Built on Jenkins Hill, the Capitol overlooks numerous government office buildings below (enjoy your own metaphor here).

Anna visits the South Lawn of the world's most famous address, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  Built between 1792 and 1800, the White House has been home to every U.S. president since John Adams.  The White House has 55,000 square feet of floor space, 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms . . . and an Oval Office.   The White House has been restored numerous times over its 200-year history.  Richard Nixon famously put in a bowling alley during his term.

The White House is where Forrest Gump, in the movie of the same name, claimed that "I must have drank me about 15 Dr Peppers..."  Let's join Forrest in this memorable moment, featuring our favorite soft drink, from the Oscar-winning classic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSEdBNslGOk

Dr Pepper scholars get access to high places in D.C.

Anna Across America(s) - Bahamas

The "Anna Can" makes her first trip outside the U.S. in a pre-Christmas getaway to the Bahamas . . . a time for her to relax beachside, sure, but still holding on to the scholarship check which bears her name through the generosity of Dr Pepper.   The Bahamas are a chain of 700 islands of varying size located southeast of Florida.   It was on one of these islands where Christopher Columbus discovered the New World, later known as the Americas.  Columbus named the island San Salvador, which means "Holy Saviour."

                                                    Photo Credit:  BeachScapes by Stafford & Coleman