Merlions
(SIP, Rainbo Walk, Suzhou: Rosie standing next to the Merlion outside ‘Wee World’)
There are so many funny aspects to this photograph. Firstly, I’d like to touch upon the bizarre habit in Asia of naming places with Western titles with words that merge. An example is that where I’m standing is a part of Rainbo Walk. Not Rainbow Walk, but Rainbo Walk. I think there are similar places in Singapore too, like Velo City (if you know any, please list them here!). I believe it was Singapore who built this complex, hence the Merlion I’m standing with. The Merlion (half fish, half lion) is the national mascot of Singapore and appears everywhere here! Wherever Singapore has built homes or a high rise, there’s Merlions stamped all over. One day I’ll visit Singapore and experience the Merlion shooting lasers from it’s eyes.
We staged the photo in front of ‘Wee World’ because it made us laugh. There’s something odd about traveling across the globe to find a shop that could have been in Glasgow with the word ‘wee’ in the title. I can almost see it on Buchanan street. After dark at around 7pm, the walk lives up to the Rainbo title – an overhead canopy covers much of the walk and it is loaded with fibre optics that sweep myriad colours the length of it. Power must be inexpensive here because lights are essential on every building; I reckon as long as it can be lit in a diverting manner, one could gain planning permission for anything.
ha, merlion is the symbol of singapore, i thought it should only stay in singapore?