Europa Park

Europa Park

Picked up at 7.45am to arrive at the park half an hour after it opened at 9am. The drive, an hour and forty five minutes.

The park is split into countries that feature their landmarks, buildings and things associated. Like a Moulin Rouge windmill for France, Red Double-decker buses for England and a Venetian waterway for Italy. All created with proper construction materials giving them a permanence, other mock places lack. Nothing I rapped with my knuckles sounded hollow.

If any of you have read my memoirs, theme parks like Alton Towers, Disney and Magic Mountain feature, alongside vomit in every one. I’m quite the expert when it comes to knowing which rides and roads, for I still get travel sick, induces the puke. So when I saw the first ride, I knew it wasn’t for me. I even said NO! but after three “Go ons” the weak-willed me capitulated. The ride was a mixture of two of my nemeses. The Pirate Ship, which rocks back and forth, and the Tea Cups which spin.

“Open your eyes, Paul! Open your eyes.” I could hear throughout the experience. I did peek, a few times, it did nothing but make things worse. I got off the ride white as a sheet, shaking with weak legs and with full body sweats. This seemed to amuse my friends…Friends!? Frenemies more like. Took a while and a few sips of coke, I said sips, to bring me back from the verge of death. After that I was much more adamant about which attractions I would go on, and my friends, stopped badgering me, accepting my first no without complaint.

Funny thing is, every ride I went on I was accompanied by a four year old girl, who braved them and wanted more. She looked upon me with much more care and sympathy that the adults.

So after that I rode the scenic trains and boats that gently meandered around… Though I did later venture on to a rollercoaster, called Arthur, hated every moment. Luckily it was short and those don’t seem to make me sick, just scared.

For lunch we hate burger and chips, in Ireland. Not had a burger in years. What made my smile was, that despite my grey hairs and wrinkles the waiter, give me a colouring page and crayons at the table. He also gave one to my four year old companion too but not the others. Evidently my inner child had made an appearance.

We saw the end of day parade, pirates with long swords and the park’s Ed & Eddy mascots, there were wafts of bubbles that released wisps of smoke when burst. Oh and being autumn and close to halloween, there were pumpkins of all shapes and sizes strewn about the place. We stayed until it closed at seven, was dark by then, overhead dazzling lights took us to the exit.

Was a great day, one I will surely repeat, only next time I’ll take the dog. I saw so many there and was so sad I left mine at home. Oh, and the husband too… I suppose.