http://www.metafilter.com/tags/balm Posts tagged with 'balm' at MetaFilter. Mon, 20 Jun 2011 19:14:21 -0800 Mon, 20 Jun 2011 19:14:21 -0800 en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 http://www.metafilter.com/104747/Haw%2DPar%2DVilla <a href="http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/haw-par-villa-the-most-disturbing-theme-park-in-singapore.html">Haw Par Villa</a>, also known as <a href="http://www.spi.com.sg/spi_files/haw_par/main.htm">Tiger Balm Gardens</a>, was quite possibly the <a href="http://www.pics-site.com/wp-content/uploads/Haw-Par-Villa-Park-Singapore-46.jpg">weirdest</a> theme park on the planet. The first park was built in Hong Kong in the 30s, soon followed by another in Singapore. Built by brothers Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par, who made their fortunes selling <a href="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=tiger+balm&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1270&bih=749&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi">Tiger Balm</a>, the park was really a sculpture garden devoted to all aspects of <a href="http://www.pics-site.com/2010/07/13/haw-par-villa-park-singapore/">Chinese mythology</a>. Weirdest and most surreal of all was the section of the park which depicted the the <a href="http://jazno.net/recentwork/2008/12/22/the-ten-courts-of-hell-at-haw-par-villa-what-if-heironymus-bosch-built-a-putt-putt-course/">10 levels</a> of <a href="http://www.spi.com.sg/spi_files/haw_par/main02.htm">Buddhist hell</a>, featuring demons <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/roodee/3327826807/">dismembering</a> sinners, and is best described as "if Heironymus Bosch built a putt putt course." tag:metafilter.com,2011:site.104747 Mon, 20 Jun 2011 19:14:21 -0800 balm chinese gardens Haw hong kong mythology Par sculpture singapore surreal tiger Villa puny human