Calais, France
Here «lives» an almost real dragon – 10 meters tall, 25 meters long, with an enormous wingspan. It walks and moves. The brainchild of Les Machines de l’Ile in Nantes – is a mechanical marvel that, according to those who have seen it, is «too realistic to be called just an attraction».
Wales, Great Britain
In Great Britain there is a «proud land of dragons» – Wales. An ancient legend lives here, and not about one dragon, but about two: a white one and a red one, who once met in a deadly battle. Dragons here are sold in souvenir shops, sit by ancient castles, roam King Arthur's Labyrinth, and are even depicted on the national flag.
Hue, Vietnam
The imperial city of Hue in central Vietnam captivates with the variety of dragons that can be found in the vast Imperial Citadel. Dragons here are depicted on literally every corner of the walls, more than six miles long, surrounding the historic sites. There are statues and drawings here on the roofs, by the doors, on incense burners, on temples – and each one seems unlike the others. This place – is a paradise for dragon lovers.
Not just Loch Ness: 7 lakes in the world where monsters live Hong Kong and China
In China and Hong Kong, dragons feature in all legends, myths, and superstitions. Dragons on mahjong tiles, dragon boats, dragons – signs of the Chinese zodiac... Even the weather here, according to belief, is ruled by dragons.
Mythology holds that a carp that leaped over the Dragon Gate at the top of a waterfall turned into one of the dragon creatures. Despite the fact that this is a tall tale, many believe that the Jiulong waterfall – is this very dragon.
Oslo, Norway
If you delve into the history of the Norwegian Vikings and Scandinavian mythology, you will discover that dragons are mentioned everywhere. True, in the myths they are, as a rule, not so cute. Nevertheless, in Norway they are honored, and they are everywhere here – from the intricate figure in the Viking Ship Museum to jewelry and bas-reliefs on buildings.
Bhutan
In this Himalayan country the mythical Druk, or Thunder Dragon, is a national symbol and appears everywhere. It is even mentioned in the national anthem.
Despite its fearsome name, Druk is in fact rather cute. And legend has it that the thunder echoing through the mountains is in fact its voice.
Komodo Island, Indonesia
There is a place in the world where real dragons still exist. In Komodo National Park, a UNESCO-listed site on Komodo Island, one of Indonesia's 17,500 islands, you can personally meet the world's largest lizard, the Komodo dragon, on a guided tour.
