THE WHEEL

[AMARETTO-old]

The wheel from Paris is now in Bangkok untill ?????

http://upload4.postimage.org/224163/thewheel02.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/224163/photo_hosting.html)

I have just finished reading a delicious book about a true mass murderer who operated during the great Chicago World Fair of 1895 where the wonderful Ferris Wheel was first introduced to the world by it's inventor George W. Ferris and thus trumped the great Eiffel Tower and put Chicago on the world map.

My point is that this wheel may be in Bangkok but you won't catch me on for a million dollars as I was once stuck at the top of one at the Battersea Fun Fair for 30 minutes and screamed at the top of my lungs until a small crowd gathered to discover who the screeching banshee was when he finally was brought to earth. :geek:

Don't let me put anyone else off though.

....you won't catch me on for a million dollars as I was once stuck at the top of one at the Battersea Fun Fair for 30 minutes and screamed at the top of my lungs

Now, now, Pearl; tell the whole story: What you you screamed (Look at me!) and what you were being stuck with at the top that wheel. By the way, they have improved since your whor...harrowing experience...in 1902.

[wowpow]

The Ferris wheel in Bangkok is in Suan Lum Nightmarket - lumphini subway - and all white - with lots of twinkling lightbulbs - a bit like Duangthawee Plaza. Just oppposite the rather odd new building Q House Lumphini which has a splendid gleaming coronet onto at night. At both places you have get a good ride. Shocking Moi!?

"trumped the great Eiffel Tower " It was probably Donald Trump who said that but nobody could possible believe it.

This is more a good sized wheel
www.londoneye.com/about/facts.asp?section=about&secondnav=facts (http://www.londoneye.com/about/facts.asp?section=about&secondnav=facts)
Note how the pods are proud of the wheel to give a superior view!

It may be bigger and in London, but it is still a triomphe of FRENCH engineering. It was supposed to be taken down in 2003 but it seems to have become part of London's branding.

[wowpow]

"in London, but it is still a triomphe of FRENCH engineering"
Northstar - You seem to be confusing The London Eye with the Eye Full Tower

"Despite an occasionally lukewarm attitude of the British to mainland Europe, a cornucopia of engineers from the Continent built bespoke parts for the Eye, led by the UK design team. The wheel itself was developed and constructed in The Netherlands. The parts in cast-iron were made in the Skoda factory2 in the Czech Republic. The pods (or capsules) were manufactured by cable-car specialists in the French Alps. The double-curved laminated glass for the pods was made in Venice." BBC The Story of the London Eye

Like the Eiffel Tower which was built for the International Exhibition of Paris of 1889 as a temporary structure, the London Eye has now become one of the many icons of London. It was built so that it could be easily moved but that looks very unlikely now.

London, Manchester, Birmingham... and now York!


http://upload4.postimage.org/224141/126552448_ee71b5d7af.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/224141/photo_hosting.html)

http://upload4.postimage.org/224162/wheel1.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/224162/photo_hosting.html)

So the "design team" was British, and which bit was made in Britain? I suppose you could say Madame Tussaud's, the operators, are British as they've been here since the French Revolution - appropriately enough. A few people think it's an eysore, but I have to admit, one gets used to it.

[cottmann]

I have just finished reading a delicious book about a true mass murderer who operated during the great Chicago World Fair of 1895 where the wonderful Ferris Wheel was first introduced to the world by it's inventor George W. Ferris and thus trumped the great Eiffel Tower and put Chicago on the world map.

Is that "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson? If so, it is indeed a delicious book.

[Bob]

but it is still a triomphe of FRENCH engineering.


Would that be like the Maginot Line? lol I think it took about 3 weeks for Germany to take France (and I suppose the Germans should have been scolded for taking that long!) :clown:



Ad in local newspaper: 3,000,000 French rifles for sale. Never been fired, only been dropped once.