Olympus OM-D, ISO 200, f8, 1/1600 sec.
If you are a Malaysian aged 30 years and older, you probably wondered about the only theme park that existed in its time. Now closed for more than 20 years, the park is in a decrepit and sad state. A sign on the zinc door says Welcome, No Entry, Danger.
The then popular Mimaland was famous for its giant dinosaur and prehistoric figures, all conceived before Crichton’s Jurassic Park book was even written. Besotted with all kinds of problems ranging from deaths on the water rides to landslides, it was eventually shut down by the authorities. What lies now behind the locked gate?
Olympus OM-D, ISO 800, f11, 1/1000 sec.
I shook the gate and two silent dogs raced towards me. They look like Orang Asli (aboriginal people’s) hunting dogs. Lean and mean. The sight of Mimaland’s entrance archway sucked me in like a time tunnel.
All of a sudden, I recall the big waterslides, paddle boats on the lake, people frolicking on the shady lawn, the crazy maze, the chalets and the dinosaurs. A strange guy looking like Norman Bates from the movie Pyscho appeared out of nowhere. He claimed to be the caretaker. According to him; vandals, thrill-seekers and ghost-hunters trespassed over the years, damaging the place further. It is now mostly overgrown with tall lalang (blade) grass.
He said he can’t let me in. I told him I’ll be back with a court order and search warrant for the dinosaurs. Haha. Just kidding. That was a line I borrowed from the movie Holes. Since he mentioned the current land owner, I’ll try to obtain permission to explore the place. Google’s satellite map shows the large pool area drained and the boating lake all muddy.
