Enter -- the Dragon, or There be dragons
Welcome to the dragon! The scary voice was a chilling invitation to ride the rollercoaster at the PNE. This kid size ride has been defunct since 2003.
When my daughter was little, I don't know how many times I rode the rattletrap thing at her side. We used to enjoy the voice -- an invitation to thrills and chills -- in my case, more than the ride. (I did find courage to ride the big roller coaster once -- but that's another story.)
I have been thinking of dragons recently -- they are mythical animals, and yet they exist in so many cultures, and are intertwined with a variety of stories and symbolic meanings.
In Vancouver, one tends to think first of the Chinese dragon in all its variety. Symbolizing the emperor, this mythical animal is featured in the Chinese Zodiac. Here in Vancouver it can be seen in the annual Chinese New Year parade, during the Dragon Boat Festival, and of course, on the backs of silk kimonos in the shops of Chinatown.
From the British Isles, we hear of the English patron St. George killing a dragon, and from Ireland, we know of the Celtic dragon, as painted on the boat of Michael D'Alton, which is the office of the School of Bio-energy Healing.
Dragons can also be found in the mythology of Greece, Iran, India and various European countries. A very small lizard found in Indonesia bears a strong resemblance to a dragon. Dragons are also found in Japan, and I'm sure this listing of dragon culture is not exhaustive.
What are dragons really. and where do they come from? Perhaps they refer to some collective memories we have of the dinosaur age -- as those are the animals they most resemble.