Posted on

Contest #585 – La Grande Roue d’Alger, Algers, Algeria

The tallest Ferris wheel on the African continent, La Grande Roue d’Alger opened in 2017.

With a great view of the coast, the wheel has 27 cabins, including a “VIP” cabin that includes a snack and drink and apparently has a TV.

Those who found this included:

  • Walter_V_R
  • Phil Ower
  • hhgygy
  • Paul Voestermans
  • Garfield
  • AVE.C@ES.AR
  • Eloy Cano
  • Martin de Bock
  • Lighthouse
  • Rodrigo Jurado
  • Yakubi Dergahi

and after the hint:

  • CalebD
Posted on

Contest #584 – E-DA World Theme Park Ferris Wheel, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

According to E-DA World’s website: “This international vacation hotspot is the one and only location in Taiwan that combines five-star restaurant dining, extensive shopping, and theme park attractions. All of these features are made convenient and available to all of our visitors. At E-DA World you can experience the comfort, and convenience of Taiwan while enjoying the excitement of an international atmosphere.”

The Ferris wheel in the picture is, oddly enough, not attached to the Greek-themed amusement park, but rather the outlet mall.

Those who found it included:

  • Martin de Bock
  • Paul Voestermans
  • Walter_V_R
  • hhgygy
  • Eloy Cano
  • Ashwini Agrawal
  • Garfield
  • Phil Ower
  • Lighthouse
  • Jesus Rodriguez
  • AVE.C@ES.AR
  • Hilde Lambeir
  • Elrober
  • David Kozina

All before the hint.

Posted on

Contest #583: Wheeler Park Ferris Wheel, Oklahoma City, USA

People play on an OKC sculpture in front of the Wheeler Ferris Wheel in Oklahoma City, Thursday, June 30, 2016. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

You humble co-editor of this contest lives about 10 KM from this location, in fact, I drive by it every day on my way to work. Even with that fact, I was unaware of the history of this wheel.

This Ferris wheel started life as the center point of the Santa Monica Pier. It is seen in many commercials and not just a few movies –“The Net” with Sandra Bullock comes to mind first. Here’s clip from another movie it was in (starting around 1:42).

When the Pier replaced their wheel, they sold the old one on Ebay for $134,000 to a man from Oklahoma City. He had the wheel shipped to Kansas and refurbished it, replacing all of the lighting with state-of-the-art LED and controllers. After 8 years on the ground, it was finally installed in an area being rehabilitated from an old downtown airport in 2016.

Those who joined me on my way to work included:

  • Martin de Bock
  • Eloy Cano
  • Rob de Wolff
  • Paul Voestermans
  • Garfield
  • Phil Ower
  • Lighthouse
  • hhgygy
  • AVE.C@ES.AR
  • David Kozina

and those late to work, but getting a point anyway included:

  • Ashwini Agrawal
  • Gillian B
  • Jesus Rodriguez
  • Walter_V_R
  • gscrp
  • Hilde Lambeir