8.

I'm tempted to once again write about tiredness. Because this is by far the sleepiest entry I've written so far. But let's not go there. Instead, let's discuss the Efteling. By the way, obligatory apologies to myself for missing another writing yesterday. I'm a terrible promise-keeper. I'm really trying, just bad at making habits. Anyways, the Efteling, for those who don't know, is the bestest theme park in the universe, and it happens to be about 20 minutes from my home town. It's an entire park with attractions, playgrounds and whatnot, all themed according to fairytales. It has existed since the 50's (mostly as a playground), and has escalated into a monstrous, beautiful theme park since then. It has a bunch of great rollercoasters, but what's really special is the theming throughout the park. Everything looks beautiful. There's music everywhere. It's like I imagine Disneyland to be, just without the soul-crushing corporatism that is Disney (I've never been to Disneyland though, so don't be offended if you love it). Some attractions are from the 80's, and they still look great. Of course they've been upgraded in the meantime, but the basic idea and effects still stand, and they're still immersive and beautiful. So apart from the rollercoasters, there's a couple of darkrides, which have themes like the East, dreams, and carnival. Some of the rollercoasters are also extensively themed, like Vogel Rok, which is about a terrifying bird. These dark rides used to really scare me as a kid, because you never know what's going to happen. You can't even see the ride from the outside, so you'll have no clue what it looks like. Now, as a supposed adult, I got over my fears. I'm no longer afraid of the dark or of the unknown (although in a bigger sense, I might still be afraid of the latter). Also, the music in the park and the attractions is great. Just listen to the music for Villa Volta and tell me that isn't immersive as hell. The attraction itself is even better; a haunted house that spins around in impossible ways. I've seen it a hundred times and I know exactly how the illusion works, but I'm still caught by the experience every single time. The Efteling is a blast, and I wish everyone the opportunity to go there at least once. Check it out, see where it is, book tickets, get a train there, and experience it!

/my Efteling commercial