Efteling - My Happy Place
Time to read: 3 minutes, 22 seconds
There are many ways to escape reality. Usually it is just doing something you normally would not do or do something people might think is strange. For me it is something odd that crossed my path. I am not a real thrill seeker or a real theme park lover. But this happened because someone crossed my path who had a dream of being in a Theme park every day! So my gift would be a year subscription and as I was dating her mom. I arranged a subscription for the whole family. You might think this ends up everyone being extreemly happy. It didn't. It turned out her mother was struggling accepting all the nice things that changed their life. She was driving my car as her's broke down, I was buying her food and we planned doing things every weekend. In a way the changes went too fast, and I noticed too late it was making her uncomfortable. It didn't last long, we broke up after a first real disagreement. As if she was waiting for this, and fully embraced the opportunity to let lose all her anger almost over nothing, just to break free from this discomfort. So it ended up in something we both did not deserve.
Anyways, it's long past and this is not really about how I got this Theme Park subscription. And no matter how painful the memory. It turned out to be my salvation and a beautiful escape of reality. I would never came up with it if I did not date this woman. So in a way, unfortunate events might just bring surprising turn of events.
The theme park I am talking about is the "Efteling" only about 40 km from my home, give or take. And it happens to be older than Disney World itself. But it is well taken care off. It frequently renews rides, shows and has a classic fairytale forest. In a way it never gets old! As many Theme Parks it also has a dark side (oh, and also a dark ride.. WHEE! ). So recently the park lost a permit to expand and as a counter messure it fired almost half the staff of the park. Neighbouring citizens hold a petition to stop the park from expanding as they fear visitors might jam the routes even more. Also as in every hospitality venture, staff always need to be friendly, polite and young as possible. Many might dream to work there, but forget it's really hard work for a little salary, and they only accept the best of the best. Still, as a visitor, when you enter the park, it is a real treat especially for children. It's the details that intrige me: Choosen plants, flowers and props around the park and music to bring you in a good mood. It's really a place worth visiting atleast once a year.
Then I have this subscription and be able to visit it every day! Still people warned me it would become boring to go so often. But does it bore to frequently visit a forest or city park? There is no pressure when something is already payed for or free to enter. And to be honest, I would rather enjoy flowers in a park that is well taken care of than a city park in decline. On my last visit, I suddenly notice even more details when enjoying the park without any pressure. I was Koi carps in the ponds, Little squirrels running around the park and local birds like the European Robin that got so used to all the visitors of the park. One literally come sit next to me on a bench without feeling remotely spooked. It might be like a feel good movie. When letting go of all the need to do things in life and just enjoy the day off in this very beautiful park.
That is why I call this Park my Happy place.
- Efteling : My photos of Theme Park "Efteling" - Kaatshuivel, The Netherlands.
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