The Ferris Wheel in Avignon

Ferris-wheel
Photos and Text by Corey Amaro

I love riding the Ferris Wheel especially in the evening.

French Husband took the picture (above) of me running towards it… Yes I am still a child at heart. He said, "I have never been on a Ferris Wheel, have you?"

But he has been on one, I remember we rode the Ferris Wheel in Marseilles, overlooking the sea and the city, when Chelsea was a baby. Shaking my head in disbelief I responded to that man of mine, "Sometimes I wonder if you know my name!"

"Corey, I know your name."

"What is my middle name?" He looked at me with that look that says 'I am not playing your game'.

"Ferris" I offered to his silence.

Ferris-Wheel-1900

The sign said:

Le Grand Roue 1900 – The Ferris Wheel 1900

50 meters high –

10,000 light bulbs or light bobs as that man of mine calls them.

36 nacelles – cars.

It takes 10 trucks to transport it.

Weighs 90 tons.

Ironwork-ferris-wheel

The Ferris Wheel over looked the city of Avignon. The Palais des Papes seem to bud and bloom as the Ferris Wheel took us up over the walled city. In the distance Pont d'Avignon, and the city's lights flickering. So romantic…. until that man of mine STOOD UP and rocked our Nacelle!

Two-tickets

The ride cost five euro a piece. I wanted to keep the plastic tokens.

Ferris-wheeels-seats

Years ago when I was eighteen I took my two cousins (I was their babysitter) to ride the Ferris Wheel.
The Ferris Wheel started to go around and after the second tour it sputtered, then jerked and eventually came to an abrupt halt, causing the cart to rock back and forth. As luck would have it we were stranded at the very top. Groovy. Cool. Hot Dog! I love Ferris Wheels so it should have been dreamy cozy stranded on top for nearly an hour. Except that my cousins were babies! Shara was 15 months old, and her sister Natasha was three.
Fun is not what I had.
Scared doesn't even begin to describe my feelings.
Talk about pulling tricks out of my hat, talk about singing songs constantly! Imagine trying to keep two little kids still while stranded on top of a Ferris Wheel… it is a wonder I still like the damn thing!

NOTES:

More about who created the Ferris Wheel.



Comments

21 responses to “The Ferris Wheel in Avignon”

  1. Beverly

    No no no no.. Ferris wheels bring a spell of dizziness to me..Even the innocent merry go rounds makes me blanche.. no thanks.
    You are one brave woman Corey! 🙂

  2. jend’isère

    Since “Pariserhjul” is the Swedish word for Ferris wheel, I assumed it was French. Literally “Paris Wheel”. I will now look at them differently now.

  3. i LOVE Ferris wheels 😀
    n i loved your sharing these little anecdotes with us
    i wish i was that brave!

  4. Too bad the wheel didn’t get stuck this time. I’m sure you could have found other ways to keep French husband occupied. Ferris wheels – what fun.

  5. I am terrified of heights! You are a daredevil just like FH!!

  6. Terrified of heights. No way, no how…

  7. Love them, but fear them too. I can’t imagine being there for an hour with two little ones. I would love this one in Avignon, I am sure.

  8. Love your post…but I loved the carousel in Avignon!!! I love how we can still be kids at heart!!

  9. Denise Solsrud

    oh how creepy! that had to be pretty tough with the children, you must have done a good job. Bestest,Denise

  10. your babysitting story scared the crap out of me.

  11. Dear Corey Ferris Amaro:
    I think you need to enlarge that photo of you running toward the ferris wheel, frame it and hang it on your wall. It is too priceless to not be used as artwork in your home.

  12. I like Ferris wheels, but an experience like yours would have put me off of them for good.
    I think you should make amusement park postcards or an amusement park coffee table book. I love the photo of you running toward the Ferris wheel, and one of my all time favorite Corey Ferris Amaro shots is the evening shot that was on your sidebar, silhouettes of people dangling from cables flying out into the ionosphere. Simply stunning!

  13. After what seems an age I am back in the fold.
    New website DONE
    New collaboration DONE
    and at last a post telling everyone who I have been collaborating with. If you have a nosey gene, as I have, then pop over and see.
    Hugs
    Di
    xo

  14. Oh that looks SO fun!!!!! 😀 ;D 😀 ;D

  15. Five Euros? That must be a really special ride. Ferris Wheels are great, except if it stops on top and some numbskull starts rocking the damn thing.

  16. the thought of getting to the top…and then coming down makes me hurl. I don’t care for ski lifts either. The last time I rode a ski lift, I buried my head in the crease of my husbands elbow, (he was holding on to the center pole), and cried like a baby. I was not happy!!! I was in my 50’s too.

  17. P.S. I am glad that you like to ride them. I can ride my own motorcycle and not be scared. Does that count???
    LOLOLOL

  18. The story gets bigger each time I hear it.
    The time of the brake down…….longer
    The age of the kids ………….younger
    The height of the wheel……….taller
    When your Annie’s age I hope I’m around to hear the story of the ferris wheel!
    _______________________________
    Dear Readers,
    Orama is: How does that song go…
    He ain’t heavy (or is he)
    he’s my thinks-he-is-funny-brother.
    At least he added his two cents and I love that.
    He got me back after I wrote about him on his b’day on the wrong day March 15….
    Corey Ferris

  19. Julie Ann Evins

    I can’t believe you still want to go up after that experience. I read today & yesterday together. I too would have been wanting to take those fly catchers home and hanging on to the ferris tokens. Here we are exactly the same. We have rare good weather here so making the most of it, jx

  20. Marie-Noëlle

    i do not like roller coasters, i do not like dodgems, i do not like ferris wheels, … and these are not the least ….
    i do not like the new “entertaining” machines either. I do not like fairs !!!
    I do love old wooden flying horses though… from outside !!!
    http://www.visitelyon.fr/photos-lyon/presqu-ile/place,de,la,republique/cheval,manege.jpg

  21. Joan Tankersley

    When my three daughters were young, I sat them down and taught them how to say NON like a French woman. They were required to tilt out one shoulder,pout their lips and scowl just a little.
    I am not French, but American women say No like they are kidding. A French woman means business and usually gets her way!

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