Adventueland... land of mystery.... of wonders.... and details galore!!!

One of the many repositories of geeky goodness is the Zanzibar Trading Company – “Importers of Exotic Gifts from Across the Globe.” Just like the real Zanzibar that is located on an island off the coast of East Africa, it is a trading port of call, where one can find unusual gifts from across the globe, as well as safari-themed character merchandise.

Much like we will see as we explore the rest of Adventureland, this small shop is filled with treasures, which you can not only purchase, but others that you must seek out to find. For example, look up on some of the high shelves, where you will find decorative items such as an urn with a slightly charred tag that is ready to be shipped to a man by the name of "Sirius Burns, at the Ashes to Ashes Mortuary, on the Colony of Ruru Penthe."

Ruru Penthe? Now why does that sounds familiar? Well, if you are a Star Trek fan (Lou raises his hand), you might remember Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy being stranded on the desolate Klingon prison colony of the same name in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. BUT... I don't think that's what the Imagineers were going for here (trust me on this one). 

You may not remember (see what you get for reading the Cliff's Notes in High School?) that the Star Trek reference actually came from a 1954 Disney film adaptation of a book that you were supposed to have read by Jules Verne. You know - 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea? That's right. Ruru (sp?) Penthe was the name of the slave labor camp that spawned Captain Nemo's rage against society. Referred to in the fim as "the white man's grave," it was thought to have been abolished, but profiteers used the labor to carry nitrates and phosphates to create ammunition. Nemo himself was once imprisoned here, but he escaped, along with others who became the crew of the Nautilus - the ship they helped build on the remote island of Vulcania. 

And if you remember the film... you'll understand why the tag is charred.