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page 3 . . . Haw Par Villa grounds

I don't know how to properly describe this. But this is one of the many erm...sculptures? It's basically a large monument displaying scenes from Chinese folklore. And these things are _large_. If you notice this one, they'd designed it so that you can walk under part of it after admiring the scene outside.

Er...lemme try to recall what Lyndia's brother had said cos the tablet had said nothing much. This is a story about the er..White Snake Maiden, I think. She was a deity who fell in love with a human. And then I think her husband or lover was kidnapped? So she went to fight to get him back. Either that or the other deities went to war with her over her er...blasphemous act, I suppose. This scene is the battle scene.

There's the lady on the left with her sword.

A lot of innocent people were killed in the fight... I can't recall if the lady had a happy ending...

Closeup of the lil guys helpless in the water.

I would assume people (humans) and the er...water people were fighting each other. Maybe the humans were on the lady's side? O_o

A better pic of the lady. Though I wonder if people back then really applied so much makeup.. O_o As it is, she almost looks like one of those Chinese opera performers.

I dunno... I'm not that entranced with Chinese mythology. One of the reasons, could be that I've never found the water folk in these stories interesting to look at or particularly alluring. Water folk = half-fish/crab/turtle half-people who populate the waters. I mean, they've always looked bizarre in the chinese dramas--just check out that halfwoman, half fish... O_o

So anyways, after looking and taking pics of the large scene, we walked into the enclave on its right; and it was like entering a real cave. *_* This is what you saw on the right of the cave. This isn't a very good perspective, but the steps leading up? They are about Ferrahn's size, and they are supposed to give you the impression the steps keep climbing up till you reach the top, which is an opening where the light streams in.

Another view. The whole thing is definitely a lot taller than I am. ^_^;

Other than that, the cave is pretty pleasantly dim.

Whee! Walking out! And lookie, there's a sign above for another big sculptured scene.

Again, I'm afraid I didn't pay much attention to the story, nor did I stare at the scene that long.

Yeah, that large structure was above our heads when we were in the cave. Cool, huh?

Just a closeup. There's a cockle-lady, turtle-man and crab-man...

Check out this squidman! He's squirting ink as his weapon! *grin* Looks like it's seapeople against humans again.

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Dec Trip album