There are plenty of small-scale theme parks out there that are begging for an environmental inspection. There’s Grutas Park, also fondly known as Stalin World in Lithuania (because what says fun like a Soviet prison camp complete with barbed wire fences and a mini-zoo) or how about the Holy Land in Florida with their educational play-by-play of the bloody beating and crucifixion of Jesus twice a day? And of course, Banksy’s Dismaland.
When you think of party planners a collective who might be fairly low on your list are extremist group ISIS. But that hasn't stopped them opening some theme parks. Welcome to "Ride City", a place that doesn’t look like the most exhilarating theme park in the world. There are reportedly two sites with the same name – one in Raqqa, Syria and another in Fallujah, Iraq.
The parks were reportedly opened to celebrate Eid, but the ferris wheel looks sad and the climbing frames are rusty. Expect to mostly be segregated by sex, as is standard in many aspects of life under ISIS rule.
The terror group released the images of the theme park as it emerged that militants have destroyed a nearly 2,000 year arch in the ancient city of Palmyra, the most recent site to be lost in their campaign to destroy historic sites across the territory it controls.
Growing numbers of Syrian refugees are returning to their wartorn country as they fail to find refuge elsewhere in Europe. No jobs, constant danger and political instability are everywhere but at least they’ve got “Ride City” now.
