During Golden Week I had some time to organize my photos. There were a lot which I had not seen in years and some from hard drives and disks that I had to rescue. Finding lost things is always good. Many of the shots posted above; I thought I had lost forever. Gladly They’ve been rediscovered. Herein the entry for tonight.
These were taken years ago during a cold winter day. As I recall it was late afternoon when I came to this children’s park. It was -20 C and steadily dropping as the sun was setting and the weather turning. This park was centrally located in Ulaan Baatar and at the time of these photos the place was closed for the season. I was the only person on site and had it to myself. I like places like these. It’s always interesting to visit somewhere long after the crowds leave. It’s the same feeling as an empty boardwalk on the beach after summer. All the stands and shops shut and the festive things frozen in time. There’s a spookiness here that charms in the gloom.
Although silent it’s not difficult to recall or imagine the sounds of crowds, music, laughter, screams, and mechanics. The Carousels, Ferris Wheels, Mini Roller Coasters, Boats, and other amusements were left out in the open as if their keepers just walked away after boarding up the ticket booths. The park had the rough simplicity that came from a bygone Soviet era. Nothing grand but very suitable for family outings and a child’s imagination.
It served well for many of the people that came here. Although it’s likely that people elsewhere have more sophisticated and glittery amusement parks; to a kid it’s all relative and this was likely a location of good childhood memories. I heard that a season or two after I shot these photos that the park was finally closed forever. I can understand why as it seemed to have had a very long and steady decline. There’s likely not many remnants of it left and most of attractions and venues are gone. Finding these lost photos brought me back here again and made my day.
Linh Vien Thai is Amerasian, born in Dalat, South Vietnam, where he continued to lived during the war. He left for the U.S. and is now an American living in Tokyo. He enjoys adventure traveling and doing what’s right to make the world a better place.
