At the Fair

Posted bySarahPosted inArt, PhotographyTags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

Last Sunday I went to the fair that always takes place around this time of year in Berlin.

When I was a kid I used to get very excited just at the mere thought to go there, but usually the fun was rather short – just a couple of rides on the various carousels and I had to run behind some trees or bushes and puke! Yeah, I was that kind of kid. 😉

My parents were actually quite happy about that, because the fair always used to be quite expensive. 😉

Nowadays I only go to the fair to take some pictures or have a ride on the Ferris wheel, which is about the only thing my stomach doesn’t complain about. 😉

As you can see in the first photo, it was a very cloudy day, but thankfully it didn’t rain.

 

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Ferris wheel (Berlin 2019)

 

After about six shots, my camera decided to die on me (even though the battery was freshly charged!), but living in a modern age does has its advantages at times, and so I simply used my phone instead. 🙂

 

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A kid’s carousel (Berlin 2019)

 

When I was a teen, auto scooter was about the coolest thing there was, and we used to hang out there for hours, either trying to catch the eye of some handsome boys or being shaken around all over the place by the scooters.

 

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Auto scooter (Berlin 2019)

 

Gingerbread hearts are traditional sweets at every fair – and usually taste like sawdust mixed with sugar! People normally don’t eat them but rather gift their sweethearts with them as a souvenir.

The icing usually says things like “I love you!” “I can only think of you!” “A 1000 kisses for you!” etc.

 

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Gingerbread hearts and other sweets for your sweet (Berlin 2019)

 

Also quite sweet but not for eat – Pikachu!! 🙂

 

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Vending machine and imprisoned Pikachu (Berlin 2019)

 

I really love the following photo, it was such fun watching the girl having a blast flying in a dragon and being chased by Micky Mouse!

 

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Little girl having fun (Berlin 2019)

 

This little girl had only eyes for the mass of balloons towering above her…

 

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Balloon-gazing (Berlin 2019)

 

At the “Temple of Luck” you can try yours and buy a dozen tickets or more in order to win one of those giant teddy bears.

 

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Teddy bears looking for a new home (Berlin 2019)

 

 

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A Mexican carousel (Berlin 2019)

 

And for those who don’t puke at the first chance they get 😉 – there’s always some nice food to buy, like corn on the cob – one of my favourite fair foods.

 

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Fair food (Berlin 2019)

 

And swarming among the trees are all kinds of creatures: dragons, …

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Dragon ride (Berlin 2019)

 

…people…

 

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Roller coaster (Berlin 2019)

 

…and elephants!

 

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And elephant trying to climb a tree (Berlin 2019)

 

And then there are those who need to be more active to have some fun, like this little boy who couldn’t get enough of jumping up and down the elastic ropes!

 

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Jumping boy (Berlin 2019)

 

And there are those who simply lean back and have their caricature portrait drawn – a real treat for the eyes in this selfie-obsessed age!

 

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A caricaturist and her customers (Berlin 2019)

 

Did you ever try your luck at one of these? I did, but I never ever won any of the prizes!

 

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More vending machines (Berlin 2019)

 

And before you go, why not have some more sweets? 😉

 

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A sweet-tooth’s paradise 😉 (Berlin 2019)

 

 

And how about you? Any fond memories of fairs in your childhood? Do you still go when there’s one in town? What kind of carousel or food do they have, and which are/were your favorites?

Let me know all about it in your comments!

 

 

 

 

 

Published by Sarah

Artist & Illustrator

61 thoughts on “At the Fair”

  1. haha I was that kid who couldn’t take more than a couple of rides too 😉 Love photos! haha that photo of a girl on a dragon chased by mickey is hilarious! And balloon gazing is such a sweet photo! And one of the elephant is great! Looks like a fun place 😀 ❤

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    1. Thanks a lot! So glad to know I’m not the only one with a queasy stomach! 😁 It was such a fun day! Already looking forward to the next fair. 😄❤

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    1. Thanks so much, Chris! I love that shot too! 😀 Oh, yes! You should definitely look out for a summer fair – it’s really fun taking pictures of all those happy and smiling people! 😀 Cheers!

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  4. I used to go to the fun fair and loved all the rides – rollercoaster, big wheel, dodgems (Auto scooter) but thesedays I don’t think my stomach would agree! I remember puking after going on the walzers and ever since I have shied away from things that go round and round.. I was at the fair with my sister and niece last week and it was fun to take photos of her and watch her laughing and enjoying herself. Your photos are awesome Sarah 🙂 Have a lovely weekend xxx

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    1. Thank you, Gill! And hooray to another one having problems going round and round in circles! 😉 I made those pictures pretty fast, afraid just looking at the ride would induce a memory bound spell of the puke. 😉
      Hope you made some pics from your fair – going to hop over to your blog now! Have a wonderful weekend too! xxx

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  5. Sarah, you have a great eye for capturing the heart of a fair. I especially love the little girl looking at the balloons – all the wonderment of childhood expressed in that photo. Certainly the most dramatic image is of the Ferris wheel cast against that dark and glowering sky. As for gingerbread – it’s the reason for going to the fair, isn’t it?

    Our local fair happens in July and we take our grands. Always a hot day and way too smoky from all the food vendors but we have such a great time. The kids love the bumper cars – what you call an auto scooter. Come visit and we’ll show you around.

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    1. Thank you very much, Shari! I too am in love with that picture of the little girl gazing longingly at all those balloons. 😀 I’m not sure if she got one though, I had to move pretty fast as people kept pressing in on me from behind – it was a busy day at the fair!

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  6. What, no funnel cakes?! No cotton candy? I enjoyed your photo essay about your local fair, particularly the contrast between the color photos and the black-and-white. To answer your question, I don’t have fond memories of fairs. Even as a child, I found them depressing. I wanted to like them, but somehow, I just couldn’t.

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    1. Thanks so much, Liz! I have to admit, I’ve never heard of funnel cake before. But cotton candy was a favorite of mine as well. Nowadays they sell it in those hideous plastic buckets instead of on a stick.
      I’m sorry to hear that you don’t associate any happy feelings with fairs in your childhood. I reacted similarly depressed to zoos in my childhood. Everybody seemed to have blast whereas I saw only caged in animals…

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  7. I like going to the fair once in a while and just like you it’s for taking pictures. I used to go more often with my daughter. She loves it -still does- and I add to ride all those roller coasters with her because my hubby gets sick in these. But I don’t like it, never did. My son does not like fair at all. Too noisy! Strangely, he loves going to the water amusement park and it is noisy too. By the way, your fair looks pretty much the same as ours but we don’t have the corn on the cob. Ooh I like them as well! Your pictures are beautiful Sarah. As always…

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    1. Thank you very much, Dominique! It’s funny that your son enjoys the water amusement park even though he doesn’t like the fair. I’ve been there once and was pretty fast soaked through! Luckily it was a very warm day or otherwise I would have caught a cold! 😂
      Poor you for having had to go on all the rides even if you didn’t care much for them. It was the same with my parents – my dad claimed to get sick too fast and my mum had to accompany me. But as I said in my post, it never took long for me to get sick as well, so she didn’t have to suffer long. 😉

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      1. Sorry for taking so long to reply to you. I caught a very bad cold that won’t go away. Yes, it’s funny that my son enjoys the water amusement despite all the noise. I believe the water has a calming effect on his hypersensitivity. You should see him when he is diving. He looks so calm and happy. All the rides I have done with my step daughter were worth it. We have a great bond and even if she is 23 years old now she remembers these fun moments. Priceless.

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      2. Never ever worry about replying late, Dominique!! And I’m so sorry to hear about that bad cold! I hope you’ll soon feel better, especially with Darren coming over – you need to be strong for all the activities I’m sure you’ve planned. 😉
        I can imagine the calming effects of diving, your son must love it! I would love to dive too, but thanks to my Asthma it’s not possible. I can snorkel though, that’s something. 🙂
        Or just lie on my back and listen to the gurgling sounds of the ocean, that’s also very calming.
        Have a lovely Sunday and get well soon!! xxx

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      3. I know, you are very kind and understanding but I always feel bad when I don’t reply within the 48 hours. Right now, I would gladly lie on my back and listen to the sounds of the ocean even if usually I hardly can stay still for more then 15 minutes. In regards to your last comment, know that I have follow your doctor’s orders. I slept almost all day yesterday. Still sick but feeling a lot better already. Hugs.

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      4. So glad you used your day wisely yesterday. 😉 Many people underestimate the positive effects of resting.
        And I know what you mean, sitting still can be tough. 😉 But once you’ve got used to it, it’s actually okay – also you could watch people whilst listening to the ocean sounds, that still counts as relaxing. 😉 Or, much better still – read a book! 😄

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      5. You are right, but it’s really hard for me to stay still unless: 1. I am sitting at a table with lots of delicious food OR 2. I am reading a good book. In which case I don’t hear ANYTHING. Lol. I am feeling much better today. Thanks Sarah. xoxo

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  8. What a fun fair! I loved your photos of it. We don’t go to fairs anymore (and the ones in the States aren’t nearly as nice as the one you photographed), but when I was young we had the county fair in our town each summer, and I loved that! Not only were there all those rides and food, but there were animals and various contests as well. One year we even went to the State fair, which was much larger and grander. I think I need to go to one again…your post made me nostalgic!

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    1. Thanks so much, Ann! And it would be so lovely if my post makes you want to visit a fair again! Most fairs I’ve visited only offer the carious rides and foods, no contests which I imagine would be also fun to watch. 😀
      I think fairs are sooner or later going to disappear around here, the tickets are quite pricey and if you have a big family it could ruin you pretty fast! 😂 It makes me sad to imagine that kids in, say 50 years, might not experience it anymore.

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      1. I know! There is an entrance fee to the State Fairs now, and the rides and food are also very expensive. What used to be a fun and cheap family outing is fast being priced out of most people’s budgets. And that is so sad!

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      2. Indeed it is! The same’s happening with cinemas around here – they’re overly expensive and most people decide to wait until the DVD is out. I admit, the last times I went was years ago.

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    1. Thank you, Lisa! And nothing like the smell of all that fair food, right? 😉 I only have to think about it to actually smell it. 😀
      Have a lovely and creative weekend! ❤

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  10. I love your photos Sarah 🙂

    When I was young the fair in my town was held only a short walk from home (I lived in a flat above the club my father managed). Sometimes I would walk up there but even then I found the noise and crowds a bit too much!

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    1. Thank you very much, Darren! 😍
      I have to admit that the loud music and general noise are not very much to my liking either, just like huge crowds of people. This is where the “suffering for your art” bit comes in I guess. 😉

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      2. I can imagine you would have been! How awful! In that case a fair really isn’t a nice place. I always had to be at home long before the troublemaker made an appearance.

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  11. My favourite ride was the Gravitron. It spun and then tilted. It used centrifugal force to stick the rider to its side. I was always felt quite sick after that, especially if I had eaten a dagwood dog (I think they call these corn dogs in the US).

    That trampoline looks fabulous. I would have loved that when I was a kid. Such fun photos, Sarah.

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    1. Thank you, Tracy! I think I would have loved the trampoline too when I was a kid. 😊 your Graviton sounds terrifying to me!! 😂
      There was a short time when I wanted to become an astronaut as a kid – then I learned about all the stomach upsetting training you have to do! Obviously I changed my mind. 😄

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  12. Oh, Sarah!!! You just brought back a wonderful/scary memory! I’m glad you went and I am also not a fan of rides though your photos make them look harmless enough. The last one I went to was with a friend of my mother’s (she was a mother’s helper then) took me with her boyfriend on the roller coaster and I almost fell out. I was almost 10, just before we left Germany the last time. They were hanging on to me for dear life. I don’t go on them ever. But the Lebkuchen hearts are an all time favorite. When they are imported at Christmas time here, I go nuts. They bring back so many memories. That and the pretzels. Yum! That makes me think of Mohrenkopf, another childhood favorite. I would take babysitting money to go downtown in Aschaffenburg to buy them at our bakery. I always had a sweet tooth and those hearts were a favorite. Thank you for sharing those photos. They made my heart sing.

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    1. Oh, Marlene! I’m so glad this brought back some nostalgic memories to you! And what a terrifying experience you had on the rollercoaster! I can completely understand why you never want to go on one of these rides again!! I nearly slipped out from one of the carriages of a thing called Twister and my mum took hold of my arm as hard as she could to keep me inside. I was way to small to have been allowed to ride it and the fair people should have known that. Another time I kind of twisted neck on a rollercoaster and that was that – I never went on one of the rides again. I’m not sure how I would handle it if I had kids of my own who’d want to go there.
      How lovely that they import the Lebkuchenherzen around Christmas! It must bring back so many lovely memories from your time in Germany. 😊 I really love the look of candied apples but only ever ate one once – nearly broke my tooth in half! 😂

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  13. Your photos are gorgeous! That sky behind the ferris wheel! And your phone pics are so lovely as well–the smile on that girl’s face riding her dragon! I remember the local fair that would come every summer. But I have stronger and happier memories of an arts festival every summer and the funnel cake there (is a donut with powdered sugar that looks like a plate of spaghetti). To me funnel cake = summer festivals. Man… now you got me hungry. (I havent had breakfast yet either :))

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    1. Thank you very much! 😄 I didn’t even have to look hard for smiling faces to take a picture from – they all were smiling and having a great time. 😄
      That cake you had on the arts festivals sounds right up my street! 😄 I was pretty much addicted to candy floss back then, although i somehow managed to put it everywhere except mouth – my hair, my face, my mum’s handbag! 😂 What a lovely time it was. 😊

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  14. It looks like you had a good time. I am sure those brought back many fond memories .I have not gone to any fairs for a long long time now. I don’t feel like going there anymore but I can feel how much fun that could be a long time back.

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    1. It was a lovely day indeed! 😊 But I can understand that you don’t go there anymore, it’s been the first time in years that I did. The loud music and noise are not really my thing anymore. 😄

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  15. I was also a puker, Sarah. Ha ha. I can’t even watch my grandson on a kid’s merry-go-round without getting dizzy. But the rest, all fun, and I have great memories of going to the fairs with my friends. It looks like you had a great time. 🙂

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    1. Hahaha! it’s so good to know I’m not alone with this, Diana! 😁 It was a lovely day, even if I didn’t go on any of the rides. All those smiling faces – you can’t help but smile back! 😄

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  17. I loved going to fairs when I was a kid and we always took our daughters and grandchildren to enjoy the magic. Here in Maine we have about six fairs each summer and one in the fall. Farm animals, produce and baked goods abound and there are prizes aplenty. My favorite rides are the ferris wheel and the tilt-a-whirl–not too hard on the tummy or bones… Lovely photos, Sarah! Thanks for sharing and bringing back fond memories of the fairs. ❤ xo

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    1. Thank you, Bette! I’m so glad this brought back some lovely memories to you. 😄 We used to have farm animals on the fairs as well, but it stopped over the years. Never any baked goods though which would be right up my way. Instead most people prefer eating barbecue, pop corn and candy floss. I used to put the last one everywhere on my face instead of putting it in my mouth! 😂 Ah, these were lovely times. 😊 Have a wonderful week! xoxo ❤🎡🎠

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  20. We used to call the Mexican carousel the waltzer and I think the carousel was the one with horses. I always used to watch to see which horse went highest and would pick that one. We ate candy floss on a sick. Pure spun pink sugar. I wouldn’t really want to eat it now, but still feel nostalgia for it.

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    1. That was very clever of you. 😉 I usually went for the horse that looked best. 😁 I also loved eating candy floss on a stick even though I managed to cover my whole face and my hair with the stuff. 😂 Glad this post brought back some nostalgic memories to you! 😄

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  21. Yep…I’d be right there in the bushes with you, Sarah. I’m deathly afraid of heights and my stomach doesn’t handle vertigo too well. 🙂 That Ferris wheel is huge! I could never get on that. Thanks for sharing your fantastic photos.

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    1. Haha! It’s good to have some nice company, Jill! 😄 And there’s also fun to have watching others enjoying themselves, the laughing children were really a joy and people were smiling all around. 😊
      The Ferris wheel isn’t that huge really – I tricked it into perspective. 😉

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