The Opposite of Fun

Having posted my own childhood memories from the amusement park Liseberg in Gothenburg for "Sepia Saturday" this weekend, it felt extremely weird yesterday (Monday) to hear the news of a devastating fire having broken out there - in their new 'water world' called Oceana, still under construction... The photo below snapped from my TV screen today; the English text below copied from www.mynewsdesk.com

Press release - 12 February 2024 18:19
Update regarding the fire at Liseberg Oceana Water World in Gothenburg, Sweden

A fire broke out on Monday morning at Liseberg Oceana Water World in Gothenburg, Sweden, resulting in total destruction of the building. The fire, which started on the outside of the southern part of the building, quickly spread to parts of the pool hall.

One person contracted by Liseberg is still missing, and the police have filed a report of a missing person. A total of sixteen  22  individuals have sought medical care for minor injuries ---

- We are deeply saddened by the devastating event. Our primary task now is to assist the police in the search for the missing person and to support everyone affected, said Liseberg CEO Andreas Andersen.

The main focus throughout the day has been to prevent further injuries and to avoid the fire from spreading to adjacent structures and nearby buildings.

Liseberg Grand Curiosa Hotel and Liseberg's nearby office buildings have been evacuated. ---
Liseberg has established continuous communication with the fire department, police, the local hospitals, and the construction contractor NCC to coordinate efforts.

Sepia Saturday Fun

Normally I participate in Sepia Saturday from my family history blog Greetings from the Past (see link in my sidebar). But the SS prompt picture this week made me think of my own childhood rather than going further back in history - and nothing to do with my grandparents. So I decided to put this post here instead. 

 

I have actually never been all that fond of amusement parks - or even simpler playgrounds - as I've always preferred my surroundings to stay still rather than going round and round, or up and down. Carousels make my head spin, boats make me sea-sick, and even riding in the back seat of a car tends to make me car-sick... So I'd never volountarily even try a contraption like the one in the Sepia prompt picture above. It was never my idea of "fun"!

Children are supposed to enjoy amusement parks, though. So when I was six years old (in 1961), my parents brought me to the well-known amusement park Liseberg in Gothenburg (Sweden's second largest city, on the west coast); and evidently got me to at least try a slow carousel and the bumper cars:

 

Me on the right; temporary friend on the left.

I also visited Liseberg on a few more occasions: with the family once or twice when my brother was little, and it was also the goal of a school outing or two. I know I once did go up in the Ferris wheel (with a good view over the city), but even that was an experience I've never really wished to repeat. (I'm no good with heights either.) My preferred "rides" were on the Ghost Train (in a dark tunnel with scary things jumping out at you and screaming - which on the whole I preferred to getting motion sick); and one that took you through some kind of fairy tale landscape. My memories of that very vague, but it was my favourite because it was slow and totally non-scary... 

Linking to Sepia Saturday 710