Theme Park in Shenzhen: Window of the World

Two years ago, I went to Shenzhen, and in one day was able to catch glimpses of the entire world. A popular theme park located in this bustling Chinese port city is Window of the World, which, as per its name, offers its visitors a window into the world via miniature replications of some of the biggest international tourist attractions. According to Wiki, there are about 130 reproductions packed into 118 acres of city turf. The largest, most attention-grabbing structure in the park is the replica of France's Eiffel Tower – notably with the park's name attached to the front and center.

When I visited I have to say that the entrance to the theme park was by far my favorite view; it was certainly the most memorable for me. Because the park is located in the midst of a city, I wasn't expecting anything the scale of Disneyworld, but surprisingly, the incorporation of so many structures from so many geographically different parts of the world made Window of the World seem pretty vast. As soon as you enter you're greeted by this amazing stretch of landscape with the mini Eiffel Tower standing erect in the middle of it all. Representative of the park's theme, a giant chromatic globe sits before the Tower, hiding within its walls a performance stage, in front of which my friend and I would later sit to watch a multi-cultural performance. Although the replicas throughout the rest of the park do not stand up to the reality of the attractions they represent, visiting Window of the World is still an enjoyable, light-hearted experience!

The best part of our day was the fireworks show held after the multi-cultural performance. I've always been a fan of fireworks, which is ironic because I'm known to have a fear of loud noises (read: popping latex balloons). Maybe because I've also always had a fascination with fire, fireworks appeal to me. They exploded in a multitude of colors, providing a vivid contrast against a dark night sky. In front of the fireworks the mini Eiffel Tower was lit brightly, its colors shifting gradually to accompany the rainbow of fiery blossoms across the sky. Everyone was in high spirits upon watching the display, and the feeling was certainly contagious.

In the end, I left the park not necessarily remembering every attraction I saw, nor even remembering every installment to the multi-cultural performance. What I do remember, however, is the feeling of satisfaction when my friend and I returned to where we were staying – it'd been a good, full day polished off with a beautiful display of light and colors that brought my friend and I closer together in that moment.