Frolicking at Funfairs in France #BlogchatterA2Z

This post has been written for the theme “26 Places, 26 Memories” for the #AtoZChallenge.

F FOR FRANCE:

This European country is a world leader in art, culture, beautiful aesthetics and fashion. It produces the best wines, cheeses and sophisticated cuisine. Paris, it’s capital, attracts tourists for its museums and romantic ethos. The mesmerising palace of Versailles, is a crowd-puller, for its bloody history. The lyrical language of this country, has always fascinated me, prompting me to learn it at a young age.

My family and I visited France in the year 2000, on the same trip where we drove through the Lakeside District of England. We ticked all major tourist attractions of our list, including ‘Mona Lisa’ in the Louvre, the Jardin des Tuileries, and Versailles; but of everything we did, this is the memory that really stands out.

FROLICKING AT FUNFAIRS IN FRANCE:

France is the home of the only Disney themed amusement park in Europe. Disneyland Paris or Euro Disney as it is better known, is located just outside Paris. For two children aged 9 and 12, it was the highlight of an already action-packed trip.

At the time, my hometown of Delhi only had one theme park. ‘Appu Ghar’, though iconic, had very few, mostly staid rides. Euro Disney was my first introduction to roller-coasters. My brother and I could barely contain our excitement. Maps of the amusement park had been thoroughly studied, and our visit planned to the last detail. Even the height restrictions for rides had become a serious topic of discussion. The 45-minute wait in line further built up the anticipation and excitement.

My mother was accompanying us, afraid to let her young children attempt their first ride alone. We began with the ‘Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain’. I shut my eyes tight and yelled a mix of joy and terror through its many loops and twirls in a simulated space environment. We walked out, slightly shaken but deliriously happy. My mother, however, was a different story. Coming to terms with what she thought was an earth-shattering experience, my mother proclaimed, “it feels like I’ve been reborn”. It had been her first roller-coaster ride too!

My brother and I promptly got in line for the next one, “Indiana Jones et le Temple du Peril”, but my mother refused to accompany us. She no longer doubted the ability of her children to take care of themselves on a roller-coaster 😉

Come back tomorrow for the letter G and another story!

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A for Amritsar, B for Bhopal, C for Cambodia, D for Delhi,  E for England