Merry-Go-Round

Mmm, it's been a few days since I last posted here. But it feels like it's been ages, for all the wrong reasons. Haha.

Anyway, to blow and scatter away the unpleasantness of the week (see the picture below for the image I have in mind), I'm thinking of Merry-Go-Rounds and looking at pictures of them.


The Merry-Go-Round. Carousel. The Galloper. Roundabout. Flying Horses.

Probably the most representative of all fairground rides.

It conjures up images of magic and whimsy.

I especially like them by night when more sparkles of magic and mystery are sprinkled on them by their fairy lights. Even higher scores on the magic-meter if they're by the sea. Like in one of those old-world seaside amusement parks.


The picture at the top of this post was taken by me when I was in Kobe, Japan, last year.
It was in a fairground complex by the sea, in an area of multiple shopping and entertainment developments. It was pretty late by the time I'd finished poking around the Sannomiya area in the north that I was staying in, but since it was the only night I was spending in Kobe, I was determined to make it down to the seafront and see the Ferris wheel and Merry-go-round illuminated by night.

How did I come to know of it, you ask?

Well. A few days before I left for Japan, I read a post on one of my favourite blogs to stalk, that of the Ayabie bassist, Intetsu, which had this picture:


His blog is a real visual feast, with many pretty pictures to accompany the posts. He blogs about places he's been, while on tour or in Tokyo, adorable cafes he's been to, delicious-looking food (mostly sweet. Haha) he had and dishes he made, nice-sounding tea he's had, cute cats he's stalked, and so on. He also posts selections from 'photo walks' he's taken with camera in hand.


When I saw that photo steeped in magic, I really wanted to see the place for myself. After getting directions from the hotel front desk (I kind of just went 'I want to go to the place by the sea with the Ferris wheel' haha), I hopped on the train and after a walk through the shopping complexes, I rounded a bend, and lo and behold, there was the Ferris wheel flashing its neon down on me! Crossing a few roads and climbing a flight of stairs or two finally unfolded the sight of the merry-go-round nestled at the foot of the Ferris wheel.

A moment of breath being taken in and camera shutter clicking.


I didn't ride on the merry-go-round. Don't think the idea properly entered my mind. Even if it did, I doubt I would have. Just a tad pathetic, don't you think, a girl hopping on a merry-go-round alone at 9pm? Haha.

Anyway. I can't clearly remember the last time I was on a merry-go-round, though. There is an enlarged and plastic-framed picture of six-year-old me riding the merry-go-round in Tokyo Disneyland at home, though. I've definitely been on a few since then. But somehow just can't recall my last ride.

But anyway, even though the thoughts of merry-go-rounds have been flickering onto and off centre-stage in my brain recently, mainly due to some pictures I found (more on these in a little bit!!), the impetus for sitting down and actually typing out a post is this picture that Intetsu (again!) posted up:



It's of the merry-go-round in the LaQua complex, the website of which states 'Spa Shopping Restaurant Attraction' in English. Another place I never heard of until I left Japan. It seems like a huge entertainment development by the sea, and has its own giant Ferris wheel and roller coaster as well, by the looks of it.

Seeing the picture made me think about the fantasy and magic of the merry-go-round again, and so I'm finally putting up these images of merry-go-rounds I found a while back.

First up, a wintry merry-go-round:


And then one with a Spring-like feel:


I love the colours in these two pictures for different reasons. And! I've just noticed that the merry-go-round depicted in the second picture is a Double Decker!! A term I've just picked up from skimming through wikipedia's article on merry-go-rounds/carousals. It's a fascinating article (did you know the earliest known depiction of a carousal dates from about 500 A.D. in a Byzantine bas-relief? Or that many carousal connoisseurs feel that the Golden Age of carousals was early 20th century America?), but I don't feel quite up for reading it all right now.


Anyway. When I think of merry-go-rounds, the first song that leaps into my head is Joni Mitchell's 'The Circle Game', in which she sings about "the carousal of life".


From there, it's a short leap away to 'The Merry-Go-Round of Life', by the genius composer, Joe Hisaishi. He often collaborates with the preeminent director and animator, Miyazaki Hayao, the man behind Studio Ghibli, and of 'Spirited Away' and 'My Neighbour Totoro' fame.
'The Merry-Go-Round of Life' is the main theme of the Ghibli film 'Howl's Moving Castle'. I personally thought both the film and the accompanying soundtrack were not the most brilliantly spectacular of both men's works, but I did find this amazing video of Joe Hisaishi playing the piano part and conducting 'The Merry-Go-Round of Life'.

Lovely.

Seeing Hisaishi live was one of the dreams I had before going to Japan, but one I didn't get to fulfill. But there's always 'wait' and 'hope', eh?
After watching this video, I now regret not buying the DVD of the concert commemorating 25 years of collaboration between Hisaishi and Miyazaki. It's still sitting in my Amazon wishlist! Hmmm.

And when I think of merry-go-round music, my mind goes to the compositions of Yann Tiersen. I suppose he's most well-known for the 'Amelie' soundtrack?
And wasn't there a carousal in the film as well? I can't really remember. Only saw it once many years ago. I have been meaning to see it again for the longset time ever, but have no idea where the DVD is now.

Here's one of the tunes in the soundtrack with a clip from the movie:

I really could do with more Yann Tiersen CDs! Think I only have 5? Hmm.


Oh, I also wanted to post this screen-shot up:


It's this silly online game I play, in which the player keeps a pet and can dress them up and decorate their rooms. I love my little merry-go-round of pixels. Whoo.


And it's about time I put an end to this post that has taken off in a few different directions around the central focal point of the merry-go-round.

Here's another picture of Intetsu's to bring things to a close. The LaQua merry-go-round again, but taken roughly a year ago, when they held the event commemorating the band going major there. I like this picture the best out of the three of his I've posted here.