Legends on Legs
When Mao-Tse Tung was melting saucepans in the Cultural Revolution, the Victorian gold-town of Bendigo asked Mr Lo On of Hong Kong to put 90,000 mirrors and 6000 silk scales into the longest (and possibly last) imperial dragon called Sun Loong.
(Imperial - in the dragon sense - means blessed by the Emperor, which accounts for Sun Loong’s the regal quota of five talons per limb.)
At 100 metres, the beast encircles you in the Golden Dragon Museum. He ventures out at Easter only – not Chinese new year – in a goodwill bid begun by Chinese diggers in 1892. Next-door is Loong, his shopworn ancestor, the oldest imperial dragon in the world, who’s shrunk 5 metres since his birth. [5-9 Bridge Street. Open daily, 9.30-5. Phone 03-5441-5044.]
And by the way - happy [Occidental] New Year to all Cassowary drop-ins. I’m looking to give the blog more a verbal/puzzle twist in the new year, with the occasional travel tinge. Post your preferences. Be good to gauge your own appetites.