We took this photo during a recent visit to Sentosa Island Resort.  The merlion ( the statue in the background) is one of the symbols of Singapore.  It is a mythical creature: half lion, half fish.  This particular statue is on Sentosa island, a resort island just off the southern coast of Singapore.  You may not be able to see it from the photo, but it is so big, that people climb up inside it like the statue of liberty, and you can look out the statue's mouth, and go onto an observation deck on the lion's head.  At night, it is the focus of a laser light show, with myriad rainbow-colored lights and lasers radiating from the merlion's eyes, really quite something to see.

Singapore got its name a very long time ago, when Prince Sang Nila Utama saw the white sandy beaches of Singapore island and decided to land on its beautiful shores.  While exploring, he saw a fearsome creature he couldn't identify.  One old man among his party suggested that the creature might be a lion, and the name Singapore was born.

Actually, it was originally Singapura, or singa (lion) and pura (city).

Today, Singapore lives up to its name in many ways.  It is a leader in shipping, trade, and business in Asia.  Its standard of cleanliness sets the bar for other nations.  Its beauty as the Garden City of Asia is unparallelled.  And the people's fierce sense of self-preservation and work ethic are truly admirable.

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