Santa's Village

My friend, that girl, wrote a post about this great place. After reading it, I wanted to share my memories. However, I didn't want to take up all of her comment space. So, I'm posting here.

Many summer, and winter, days were spent at Santa's Village. Some were happy, some were sad, and many were just memorable.

As you walked into the park on the right was the snowball ride. It was like the teacup ride at Disney. I remember taking one trip to "the village" where we never got past this ride! All my sisters and cousins kept riding it over and over and over and over--until everyone was throwing up. We left then.

In the middle of the park was the Polar Dome--a place where you could go ice skating in the winter. When I was about 5, my mom took me and some friends to go skating. All I remember from this trip was this TALL, BALD man who tripped me as I was skating. I swear I have a permanent bump on the back of my skull from this--my mom says I don't.

There was a pond down near the cross roads where they had a ferris wheel and paddle boats. One time my mom and I were going to ride the ferris wheel when I freaked out. All I remember was screaming at the top of my lungs to get off. My mom didn't have to work too hard to convince the high school kid to stop the ride and let me off. To this day, I do NOT like ferris wheels. This part of the park offered up another memory as well. My mom and I were watching the people in the paddle boats one day when these two...hmmmmm, how do I put this???...rather solid women decided to paddle while their rather tiny kids rode in the front. We watched from shore as they paddled out to the middle of the pond. We continued to watch as they started to sink into the pond. The entire back end of the boat was going down while the front was going up. I know it isn't funny, but it is funny. Thankfully no one was injured.

However, we were at "the village" for two events that were far from funny. I remember the August day when I was riding the antique cars--you pretended to drive them, but they were on a track--when my mother returned from a concession stand with the news that Elvis Presley had died. Shortly after finding out, we left--with my cousin J in near hysterics. The other event happened as we rode the train around the grounds. A young girl was on the bumper car ride and didn't listen to the instructions. She stepped out of the car before being told to do so and was electrocuted. The train came around the bend by this ride just as the paramedics were showing up. Isn't it amazing that we remember such things?

I also remember the good times-riding all the crazy rides, getting my picture drawn wearing a sailor hat, rubbing my hands on the "North Pole"--which to my surprise no one really licked, sitting on Santa's lap in his house, riding the ski-lift type ride and the roller coasters, walking through the game booths, and eating cotton candy.

Thanks, that girl, for reminding me of a fun part of my childhood--bad times and all! (Mom--I'm expecting a comment here!!!!!!)