Vidam Park

(Budapest, Hungary)

Date: January, 2000
Weather: Cold and in the low-teens
Reason I went: It caught my eye

[Author's Note:  I found out the factual information about the park after visiting but decided to weave it in here to make my journey more interesting for enthusiasts.]

          Snow crunched under my feet as I walked around Budapest.  The sun was out, but the wind howled and cut through my several layers of clothing.  Of course, I had just come from Moscow and St. Petersburg so the weather was relatively warm compared to the fierceness I had experienced within the Russian winter.  That thought did little for me as I walked up one of Budapest's main streets.  Where was I walking- that really was the question.  The other day our group had driven past what looked to be an amusement park with an old roller coaster.  I generally remembered where it was but since it was my third day in the city I was still having a little trouble deciphering the city.  My German came in somewhat handy, but I definitely felt like an American.

          Around one corner I saw a large public square from the day before and to the left was the zoo along Andrassy Boulevard.  Biding my time I entered the zoo (I later learned the entire area of the amusement park, zoo and restaurants was called Central Park) and enjoyed the sites of animals in winter.  Having a hard time containing the enthusiast within me, I walked down the street.  There a Huss Condor called Ikarus loomed over the fence.  A high concrete wall surrounded the park so I walked quite a ways around it.  A major street and train line ran perpendicular to the coaster so I walked precariously on the side and was finally able to get a good view of the ride.  I was quite startled when I looked at the bottom of the lift hill and saw something I thought only existed within Cartmell's photo collection- a metal cable for the lift mechanism.  I was very excited to see this and snapped a few more pictures of the coaster. 

          I walked around the park again and, passing the main gate, something caught my eye.  It appeared that a service gate next to the front one was open.  Hmmm.  On the one hand I have constantly railed against people who trespass at amusement parks to get pictures, but on the other, I wondered if I would ever be back here and since there were already a few people inside I decided I was not committing a cardinal sin.  One father and daughter had just entered the park to have a look, so I figured it was not  taboo.  Looking around once I stepped into the park, I hoped that I was not setting myself up for arrest and time in a local prison (since the park is owned by the city).  I pulled out my camera, walked around the park and after about five minutes someone tapped me on the shoulder.

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Adam Sandy, Copyright 2001.