Paris wheel

look at what I've found - Paris also has a big rickety wheel (click this link for large pic on un jour à Paris)

BUT ... Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe is taking legal action to get the city's largest Ferris wheel removed from its prime location on the Place de la Concorde.
The owner of the wheel, Marcel Campion, and Mr Delanoe are locked in battle over the future site of the big wheel, originally erected for the city's millennium celebrations in 1999.

BBC: 8 January 2002

A dispute over the future of Paris' millennium wheel appears to be deadlocked after a park refused to become the final venue for the attraction.
The owner of La Grande Roue has defied a court ruling ordering him to move the 60-metre (195-foot) high structure and is seeking to keep it where it is.

BBC: 16 January 2002

I don't remember seeing it when I was there in October last year and March this year (I think I would have noticed) - so presumably they have come to some sort of agreement to erect it over the christmas period.

... a young child's excitement

This weekend we have our young grandson staying and so we didn't waste the opportunity to take him to see the polar bear. Actually he saw the neighbouring window first, which houses a large snowman, and his little face was an absolute picture - he was just enchanted by the polar bear, the snowman and father christmas. Next on the agenda was (shock, horror!) - the big rickety wheel and you should have seen how excited he was. His little head was turned at right angles to his body as he stared up at the big wheel but most surprising of all was just how patient he was waiting in the queue to board the wheel. His excitement didn't diminish one bit once we boarded the pod and rose above the city hall and looked down Belfast Lough and over the surrounding hills.

I have to admit to butterflies in the stomache (just a little bit) when our pod reached the top of the wheel - I'm not scared of heights but perhaps the fact that I was looking out of a large window with no visible means of support 100 odd feet above the ground may have just affected my judgement slightly. Well anyway I calmed my fears very quickly but when we next rose to the top the sudden rainstorm and accompanying strong winds did nothing to allay them whatsoever. Extreme sport it isn't but it did get the adrenalin pumping just a little.

I must say that the admission fee may be a little high but it was well worth paying just to see the excitement on our grandson's face.