Har Par Wow

I cannot even describe the awesomeness of Haw Par Villa.  It's surreal, a little run down, and chock full of photo opportunities -- all the things you want in a tourist attraction.  :)  (Also, it's free.)  It's a theme park built by the founder of Tiger Balm ("a larger than life figure who loved money, women, and himself", according to the information sign), and it's basically sculptures illustrating different (mostly Chinese) stories and mythology.

I went there thinking that it wouldn't be a good place for the kids (there's a section called the 10 Gates of Hell which is definitely not for kids, what with the graphic illustrations of various punishments), but given that it's filled with tigers and some dragons, I think we'll have to bring the boys.  :)

Even beyond the Courts of Hell exhibit, the "virtues and vices" section does not pull any punches -- those who aren't virtuous often meet bad ends (for example, the boy who abandoned his friend when they encounter a bear in the woods ends up getting eaten himself -- and the sculptures show his getting his leg chewed off!)  One of the reviews said something about it giving generations of Singaporean children nightmares after they went there on school trips, and it's possible they weren't joking.  :)  If we do make it back, we might not spend much time in that section.

Note on the signs that they take cheating on examinations pretty seriously in the Chinese version of Hell!