Highly Amusing

Ooooooooo, a carnival at my age.  How much fun it can be.

A friend and I trained it to Geneva on a whim...as one spontaneously does when one attempts to be fabulous.  With no real plan or agenda, we found ourselves mesmerized by the out of the blue, ride-ridden carnival on the Rhone River banks of this international and supposedly high-brow city.  Now, when I think Geneva, I think Arabic fun fair.  Doesn't everyone?  In our attempts to be très chic we ended up quite cultured...and in a great way. 

Walking towards the water on a dusk evening upon first arriving, we curiously strode towards the heart-thumping rhythms of dance-inducing drum beats, tinging ouds and passionate vocals - aka, alluring and exciting music of the Middle East.  Then...eventually...we saw it:  the spaceship-like, neon contraption that was inevitably the thrilling, breathless, high above the city "Chair-O-Planes" that had to be ridden. 

All our euro cash later, we flew atop the city and Geneva became a child-like, Swiss Chuck E. Cheese of my dreams and not the shopping, chocolate mecca I thought it to be. 

So what to do on the 2nd day...why, tackle the spinning ferocity of the "Tagada", a no seat belt, no restraint, up and down hydraulic adventure.  Oh man.  With the hypnotic music thumping like a nightclub, we sat down, grabbed the back handlebars and latched on for dear life as this maniac round bowl of a ride whirled like an out of control washing machine.  I laughed, I screamed and, I'm sure, stopped breathing at some point.  Head Spin, Heart-Pumping.  Eyes Wide and Stomach Lurching.  Dizzying, Tizzying.  And at the end I caught my breath in pure exhilaration.  So what did we do.  We rode it again...and again. 

I don't know if this carnival is a permanent fixture in the city or present only temporarily for our impulsive pleasure.  Therefore, I can't recommend it for your structured itinerary.  But hopefully you'll be able to toss your plans and find yourself giddy with cotton candy and sugared apples at the world's greatest fair.