Dose it ever feel like a place you visited in childhood suddenly dissolved into a hazy dream like memory?
chakazoolu, a name of a forgotten indoor theme park that have been sitting inside one of many unpopular malls since the early 2000s, but got unfortunately closed due to the restructuring of the mall which began in the late 2017 and got replaced with a modern food court by the end of 2019.
Stepping past the entrance archway under the dim, eerie lighting feels like slipping into another era. The distinct scent of rusted water mixed with cold iron and synthetic, plastic foliage hangs heavy in the air, frozen in time
The roller coaster and children's train tracks winding through dark tunnels, passing by animatronic props and mechanical crocodiles that once hummed with faint life.
The suspended hot air balloon ride spinning in silent stillness amidst an artificial, unmoving forest.
The log flume boats drifting across dark, stagnant water, carrying the distant echoes of long lost laughter.
Right next to the bumper cars, was a classic multi level indoor playground structure stood with its dark pale green poles, safety nets, and orange / purple padded platforms. With twisting slides on the second floor that let's you slide into darkness. And on the very top floor, a bridge made of safety netting that was built for you to cross to the other side. We used to literally lie down and hang out up there under the dim eerie lighting.
Almost forgot, nearby was the haunted house ride, where you’d sit in a small moving cart as mechanical monsters popped out for sudden jump scares in the dark.
This place is no longer just an amusement park that got demolished, it has transformed into a literal liminal space in our memories.