Europe: 10. ‘Tower’ing Adieu

    We were still lost in the lingering memories of Disneyland, which had rejuvenated one and all. The memories will stay with everyone for a very long time. It was not only a tour of childhood, but a beautiful experience, reviving our minds which had gone a bit dull in the hustle and bustle of professional and personal commitments. Our revitalised looks were apparent as we boarded our coach for a city tour of Paris. The traffic was moving slowly. The number of visitors seemed more, like the previous day. The traffic was diverted in many places as Paris was preparing itself for the Olympics. Some locations were barricaded, and we had to be satisfied by only glimpses. The stairs leading to the front gallery of the National Assembly were decked with colourful dummies of athletes. Makeshift stadiums were being erected in suitable open areas. The entire city was getting a festive look for the grand sporting event. The Arc de Triomphe posed elegantly. It looked as splendid during the day, as it looked in the sober shimmer during the night. The streets which we saw at night looked equally beautiful in the bright sun. We could see the iconic tower from a distance as the coach moved towards Champ de Mars park. We got down from the coach in the parking and walked towards the Pont Alexandre bridge. A lady on the bridge was taking pictures of various tourists and printing them on a dummy front page of a retro newspaper. She did not charge any price for that and told us we could pay any amount we wished to. Many of us got our pictures in black & white and paid happily. It was fun and a lovely souvenir. We walked down the bridge and crossed the Place de la Concorde square. The amazing giant won our hearts right at the introductory glimpse. The Eiffel Tower stood grand and greeted us graciously. The Eiffel Tower is a wrought-iron structure in the Champ de Mars park area. It is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower in 1889. It is a freestanding vertical framework tower. It’s a construction technique which is widely used in making electric transmission towers, radio towers or observation towers. The technique helps in building a stronger structure, at a much lower weight, with more wind resistance than that of a tower of solid construction. It is nicknamed ‘La dame de Fer’ (French: Iron Lady). It was constructed as the centrepiece of the 1889 World’s Fair, and to crown the centennial anniversary of the French Revolution. The tower is 330 meters tall, as high as an 81-storey building, and is the tallest structure in Paris. The tower has three levels for visitors, with restaurants and amenities on the first and second levels. The top level is the highest observation deck accessible to the community in the European Union. Although there is a staircase, most visitors use a lift to reach various levels. The top level has a radio broadcasting aerial and an apartment built for Gustave Eiffel’s private use.

    There was a deluge of visitors. The queue was very long and tested our patience. It started raining, and we faced strong and chilly winds, making us feel the wait even longer. But the long wait gave me a chance to study the tower. The design was majestic, and the resources seemed to be of very high standards. Be it a hand-railing of a staircase or a large bolt of a beam of the tower, each component was of a very high caliber. In this tour so far, I observed that there was no compromise anywhere in terms of quality, standards or safety. All the structures and the edifices appeared technically sound, irrespective of the era in which they were built. The zeal, the passion and the hard work were noticeable and commendable. The tower was an engineering marvel, born out of a genius’s mind. A gush of cool wind welcomed us as we stepped out of the lift and reached the gallery on the first level. The queue for the lift to reach the second level was long again. I decided to stay at the first level and enjoy the sights of gorgeous Paris. The neatness was obvious, and the green cover appeared ample. The makeshift stadium which we saw from the coach looked graceful. The Trocadero platform looked calm, from where we had viewed the glittering Eiffel two nights ago. The panoramic view of Paris was simply majestic and spoke volumes about the prosperity of the place. The level had all the amenities, with uninterrupted wi-fi and the cleanliness was extraordinary. The Eiffel Tower faced controversy during the initial period. It was criticised by some of France’s leading artists and intellectuals for its design, who did not believe it was feasible and objected on artistic grounds. However, it soon became a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognisable structures in the world. The Eiffel Tower is the most visited monument with an entrance fee in the world and receives visitors in huge numbers every year.

    Post lunch, we boarded a cruise on the river Seine for an orientation tour of Paris. The cruise glided under the bridges of Paris and gave a breathtaking view of a succession of beautiful monuments along the waterway as we listened to commentary about Paris. The lady commentator spoke in English, Spanish and French, providing live commentary about Paris and its history, monuments, and architecture.

    The cruise ride marked the end of our tour. We were going to board a flight to our home country the next morning. As we bid adieu to Europe, all of us had mixed feelings. On one hand, we were immersed in the exquisiteness of Europe, but on the other, we felt sad about departing with the group members, who had become almost a family. Europe has gifted us lovely memories which will stay with us for life. While I enjoyed viewing magnificent places, I also felt a striking absence of many virtues in my home country, which were predominant in Europe almost like a culture. Every city we visited showed the highest regard for human life and a deep concern for children. The neatness was palpable everywhere, and the traffic was exceptionally disciplined. The cleanliness was praiseworthy. The infrastructure was of an outstanding technical grade and was user-friendly too. There were no banners, placards, posters or any kind of audiovisual display exhibiting religious, political or social matters. Billboards were almost non-existent. We did not see pushing and shoving anywhere. Even the most packed places showed quietness and tranquillity. Many prominent edifices were beautified, but did not pose gaudy. There was no lack of glitter, yet it never appeared ostentatious. I believe the progress, the prosperity and the serenity Europe or similar places demonstrate can only be attained by following a path of honesty, hard work and commitment. I wish to see more of Europe in the future.

Adios Europe, until we meet again!

(Roissy-en-France- 02 May, 2024)

*****

Europe: 9. Disneyland - A tour of childhood

    The excitement was easily read on our faces. In spite of staying up quite late the previous night, we forgot about the exhaustion. Even before reaching the actual place, the magic of Disneyland had already taken charge of our minds. So much so, that we forgot to enjoy the surroundings, and got busy making plans of the rides we would go for and the shows we would try not to miss. Located about 30 kilometers from Paris city, Disneyland Paris is an entertainment resort. It has a golf course, two parks, two convention centres, hotels, restaurants, shops, departmental stores and dining centres spread over more than 5000 acres of land. The resort is operated by a division of The Walt Disney Company. Disneyland Paris is Europe’s most-visited tourist destination and the largest single-site employer in France with nearly 17,000 employees. Disneyland Park opened with the resort in 1992 and is based on a scale larger than the original Disneyland in California and the Magic Kingdom in Florida.

    Right from the entry gate, every setting was such as to attract the attention of the children unmistakably. Each signpost, each hoarding was colourful and striking, bearing charming pictures of popular Disney characters. As soon as we entered the resort, a beautiful garden welcomed us, which was full of a variety of lovely flowers. The tulips were familiar, but other flowers were new to us. The fountains were refreshing. As the tiny tots began to gather, the music of their chit-chat filled the atmosphere with glee. It was a great delight to see so many children in colourful attires and fancy headgear, who were all engrossed in the existing moment. Our first ride was ‘It’s a Small World’. We were specifically urged not to miss the ride. It is an old mill boat ride and is a part of the ‘Fantasyland’ area in the park. The ride features over 300 dolls, which operate through a robotic animation technique. The dolls in traditional costumes from cultures around the world perform in a spirit of international unity. I was completely immersed in the delightful show. The mesmerising ride made no mistake in taking me back to my childhood days. At one point in time, I also thought of making a loud cheer as the surrounding children did. The tiny tots watching the fascinating show were so fortunate to enjoy things at the right age. The entire show seemed like the outcome of a brilliant mind, an in-depth study of children’s psychology, and revealed an amazing sense of art. A complex theme of international solidarity was explained to tender minds in a beautiful and entertaining manner. The title track which played in the background was ‘It's a Small World’, a popular song by the Sherman Brothers, and had a theme of global peace. ‘It's a Small World’ is perhaps the most publicly performed song of all time.

    Being a holiday, the park had a lot of visitors. School children could be seen in their sports uniforms who had come to the park on a vacation. We had to wait for an exceptionally long time to get entry to any ride. We missed ‘The Lion King’ show as we were still in the queue when the show began. We switched rides, but could not avoid long queues. We finally managed to watch the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ ride. It was again a kind of mill boat ride. All the sets in the series were beautifully created. The characters looked so factual. I wished I could shake hands with them. The scenes were exactly recreated along with the background score. It was almost like watching a 4-D movie. The scary scenes seemed impressively real, so much so that children could be heard screaming. On a couple of occasions, the speed of the boat increased unexpectedly and gave the feel of an adventure ride. It was sheer joy to watch Johnny Depp, mischievously waving at us, enjoying his wine, sitting atop the looted treasure which was seen spread all around him. Believe it or not, but, Johnny Depp looked so actual. Kudos to the artists and the technique!

    Due to the long queues, we decided to watch the road shows, a kind of parade which operates continuously on the streets inside the park. The shows take guests on a journey through time to discover the stories of Disney Animation and Pixar - from timeless classics to the most recent hits. We saw two such delightful shows featuring Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Timon, Joy, Mirabel, Miguel and a host of Disney and Pixar characters. Over 50 characters, wearing lovely costumes, singing, dancing and bursting with popular songs and stories, perform on the streets and entertain the audience. The characters mingled with the children around and played with them. The children were undoubtedly happy as anticipated. However, the happiness and the contentment of the parents were also conspicuous. Children were eager to have a glimpse of the popular characters who were waiting at various locations. They were actually artists, dressed like the characters. There were long queues of girls to click a photograph posing with the popular fairy-tale characters. The cute little girls waiting for their turn were also dressed in fairy-tale costumes or beautiful frocks and robes. The boys were busy clicking photographs, posing with Aladdin characters. Many of us tried adventure rides and were thrilled. Indiana Jones was one such ride, scaring the hell out of everyone. The screams said it all.

    The clock was ticking slowly to the moment everyone was waiting for - Disney Stars on Parade. We reached Main Street a bit early to secure a suitable place to sit and view the parade. But people had already begun to gather at the location. Soon both sides of the road were packed with the audience. Children were given the front rows to have an unobstructed view. Unaware of the parade, some tiny tots were playing on the street. The volunteers were busy insisting the parents take care of the children and clearing the way. We could feebly hear the music and the beats. The parade had begun. The cheering got louder as the music got clearer. The magic filled the air as the parade reached our location and the floats made their enchanting appearance. Various Disney characters wearing dazzling costumes were seen on their colourful floats against a backdrop of enthralling music. It was all about the thrill, fun, joy and amusement. The excitement in the atmosphere was palpable. The delight on everyone’s faces clearly exhibited the bliss and the exhilaration. The show reminded me of my school days when I watched the Mickey and Donald shows on the television on Sundays. I have not seen all the Disney movies. I was not familiar with many characters either. However, the show enthralled me with its charm and enthused the child hidden within me. The ecstasy on the faces of children was unique and could not be described. One has to actually be there to experience the magic.

    I had only read and heard about the thrill of Disneyland till I visited there. After reading about it, I figured out Disneyland to be merely a children’s amusement park. However, I was overwhelmed when I visited the place myself. There were no such parks or rides during my childhood. I have visited some such amusement parks in India and watched many animations made for children too, but none could engage me so much. Every little setting was planned from the children’s point of view. The design of the park was entirely dedicated to entertaining children. Even the pizza we had for lunch was Mickey-shaped. It was a pleasure to see a massive setup exclusively created for children. The efforts made solely for the children were praiseworthy. It clearly showed the commitment towards bringing up the new generation in a healthy way.

    Every one of us was thrilled and contented. Almost all of us relived our childhood for a day. The highlights of the day began to gather in my mind. A moment once gone never returns. The arms of the timepiece cannot turn rearward. Nonetheless, I can urge the clock to keep reminding me of the reminiscences of my childhood. I sincerely wish the fond memories to stay with me and keep the child within me dynamic.

Sing a cradle song, tranquil,

Fill me with sweetness soothing,

Stroke my locks with fondness,

Like a morning breeze of spring,

Feel the tap of my tiny toes,

While I roll on the lawn, hopping,

Help me make each moment of my childhood,

Joyous and fulfilling.

(Roissy-en-France- 01 May, 2024)

(cont.)

*****