July 25 is Merry-Go-Round Day

Sadly, not many merry-go-rounds are running during the plague year of 2020 due to efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Three of my favorite Merry Go Rounds are in California. The King Arthur Carousel in Disneyland. Closer to home in Silicon Valley, I enjoy the Grand Carousel at California Great America and the Looff Carousel at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.  The horse I most remember riding is Jingles (Mary Poppins' horse from the "Mary Poppins" movie) at the King Arthur Carousel in Disneyland. The Looff Carousel at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk still possesses the classic old-fashioned "grab the brass ring" feature. Once a rider is lucky enough to grab a brass ring, the rider must successfully toss it into the mouth of the clown to win another ride on the carousel. See a video of it here at https://vimeo.com/164449148. Over the years, so many riders have preferred to keep the brass rings as keepsakes due to their rarity, which has necessitated ordering replacements. Much closer to home is the Grand Carousel at California Great America. I love the variety of animals from the dragon to the rabbit to the seahorse to the dolphin. And that when one of us is too physically challenged to clamber up on a creature, there are always the stationary sleds to simply rest upon to enjoy the ride. Thanks for reading "July 25 is Merry Go Round Day".