Stop Five - Merlion Park.

Merlion Park

At the statue of the Merlion

First built as an eight metre tall sculpture in 1972, the Merlion was located at the mouth of the Singapore River. In 1996, this prominent icon of Singapore was reproduced on a much larger scale, on Sentosa island. The Merlion, a half-fish, half-lion beast, is a fitting symbol of Singapore. The "Singa" or lion represents the animal that a Sumatran prince saw which resembled a lion, and the fish is a tribute to Singapore's history as "Temasek", the ancient sea town. Having such a mythical icon thus recognizes the fact that Singapore has a unique identity and also reinforces Singapore’s strength, vitality and resilience as a nation.

Having a world-class performance centre does not necessarily equate to having a cultured society as the centre could be just a money-spinning tool used to boost the economy. Rather, the cultivation of artistic talents would be a wiser choice as Singapore could then be promoted as an arts hub comprising of a myriad of creative talents. Learning to appreciate the arts and its related expression should be nurtured from young instead of force-feeding such appreciation of fine arts. By doing so, Singapore could then in time, become a multi-cultural, affluent and educated nation.