Tibidabo Roller Coaster Thrill, Barcelona, Spain

Not that it is a big roller coaster but watching the whole city of Barcelona while being up there, taking a scary look at the valley at your feet and raising your hands to enhance the thrilling experience is definitely a different way of approaching our city. Take some time to visit Tibidabo. If you have kids it is really a must-see. Barcelona Photoblog has published many pictures about this park but I will only suggest a very similar shot: Amusement Parks - Roller Coaster Panic.

barcelona barcelona+photoblog barcelona+photos barcelona+pictures barcelona+photography barcelona+images nikon+d70s

Tibidabo Amusement Park Barcelona: Log Splash Attraction

Although the picture today is about the log splash attraction in Tibidabo amusement park, you don't really get to see the log much here nor you see the slide. In fact I didn't want the log to appear since it is not specially attractive. This time I wanted to concentrate on the big waves spreading like imaginary wings over the water.

barcelona barcelona+photoblog barcelona+photos barcelona+pictures barcelona+photography barcelona+images nikon+d70s

Polinesian Ship Attraction in Port Aventura, Tarragona, Spain

And here's another attraction at Port Aventura amusement park in Tarragona. The ship is located in the Polinesia area. I am not very fond of this one. I get sick with the ups and downs. This time I stood in the shade and calmly composed my picture. Don't forget to click on the image for a better view!

barcelona barcelona+photoblog barcelona+photos barcelona+pictures barcelona+photography barcelona+images nikon+d70s

A Day at the Races

If you've visited a local fair maybe you are familiar with the usual horse race to fight for a wonderful teddy bear. We went to Port Aventura and I prayed for my daughter not to win the first price. She had never played before so the odds were little. Bulls***, she won an enormous banana, taller than me and we had to hold it all along the park so imagine how funny it should be.

barcelona barcelona+photoblog barcelona+photos barcelona+pictures barcelona+photography barcelona+images nikon+d70s

Port Aventura Amusement Park: Dragon Khan Attraction, Salou, Tarragona

The eight-inversion-ride roller coaster called Dragon Khan designed by Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) is Port Aventura Amusement Park's major attraction. Although the Furious Baco, a recent addition, is following closely, the impressive mountain of steel and its red silhouette visible from miles away still draws thousands of visitors. When you talk about amusement parks in Spain (I don't know in Europe) it is common stuff to boast about how many times you rode on Dragon Khan as if that was some sort exploit, you know. My personal record, is three times. Of course I am getting too old for this. My stomach was OK this weekend when I last tried the famous attraction, but my cervical bones ached all along. Not because of the initial 148 ft lift hill or the following 118 ft tall vertical loop but because of the roller coaster elements coming next: the diving loop, zero-G roll, cobra roll, etc. I posted this image so you had an idea although you may find it repeated hundred of times on the web since it is the classic spot you stop to point and shoot. About the other attraction, Furious Bako, I have to say, it is not fit for cardiacs. The speed is so huge that your head shakes and you look like having an epilepsy spell. In this case you don't need any height to fall and gain acceleration, you are literally fired at an almost unbearable speed: Top speed: 84 mph in just 3.5 seconds, G-Force: 4.7 G's.

barcelona barcelona+photoblog barcelona+photos barcelona+pictures barcelona+photography barcelona+images nikon+d70s

Tibidabo Amusement Park: Hurricane Thrill

I will be out of Barcelona city for the weekend cause we are going to visit Port Aventura amusement park in Tarragona. I hope I bring many pictures of the park although heavy rains were forecast. In the meantime to introduce the topic, I leave you with one of the most thrilling attractions in Tibidabo: Huracan (Hurricane). The ride is short but as you see they turn you upside down for a while and then move you down towards a fountain that sprinkles some water on your face. The block of seats spins around its axis, swinging dizzily every time the big arms go up and down.

barcelona barcelona+photoblog barcelona+photos barcelona+pictures barcelona+photography barcelona+images nikon+d70s

Amusement Parks: Swinging Ship Attraction at Tibidabo, Barcelona

There are thrilling and exciting amusement park attractions and thrilling and queasing amusement park attractions. Take this swinging ship at Tibidabo for example. So beautiful a vessel can only inspire confidence in the rider-to-be! You might think "What the heck, I'll get on this one!, at least I don't go upside down or fall like a corpse with a concrete block tied to the feet". But alas! Upon the fourth or fifth swing, those friendly guys sitting upfront start grasping the security lever and they don't look that tough anymore. The beautiful lady right on the matching row on the other side was not that cute, in fact she could make it in the cast for The Exorcist V. The usual screaming suddenly sounds like desperate calls for help and little by little, swinging up, swinging down, you remember that you got that hotdog with fries, and the memories turn so vivid!...Well folks, I hope you are not having lunch or dinner when you read this and that you visit Tibidabo Amusement Park...on an empty stomach of course.

barcelona barcelona+photoblog barcelona+photos barcelona+pictures barcelona+photography barcelona+images tibidabo nikon+d70s

Classic Marionettes at Tibidabo Amusement Park: Clown

Since one picture wasn't enough here is a second marionette: the Clown. In fact at Tibidabo they have a workshop where experts make new marionettes for the park and preserve the old ones which are part of Herta Frankel's collection. Herta was a famous Austrian puppeteer that came to Barcelona in 1942 and became very well known for her TV series for children. Tibidabo's show only lasts about half an hour but you are going to see authentic collectionist antiques there. The place is called Marionetarium.

barcelona barcelona+photoblog barcelona+photos barcelona+pictures barcelona+photography barcelona+images tibidabo marionette nikon+d70s

Classic Marionettes at Tibidabo: Trapezist

These are classic marionettes you can admire inside Tibidabo Amusement Park. The trapezists were hanging from the ceiling on our way to the small room where the marionette show was about to start. I am sorry if the picture appears to be upside down. There are many flaws because the image was snatched in a hurry. It was totally forbidden to take pictures of the marionettes.

barcelona barcelona+photoblog barcelona+photos barcelona+pictures barcelona+photography barcelona+images marionette tibidabo nikon+d70s

Mayday, Mayday! Stop sending tourists up here!

Mayday, Mayday! Stop sending tourists up here! - might as well say this funny artist during his short performance at Tibidabo Amusement Park. Of course he didn't say that since he was a mime. Tibidabo is always full of visitors on weekends and during summer holidays it is packed with locals and tourists alike as the rest of Barcelona is. He was there jumping, dancing, stretching on the floor and tiptoeing after people to dust them or make them look towards an imaginary plane in the skies. I am not an expert on costumes so I can only guess that he was disguised in an American army's pilot uniform.

barcelona barcelona+photoblog barcelona+photos barcelona+pictures barcelona+photography barcelona+images tibidabo people funny artists swicki nikon+d70s