(Image credit: Google Maps)
The enduring image of the story Gulliver’s Travels is Gulliver tied down while tiny Lilliputians walk over his body. The scene is recreated well at Gulliver’s Park in Valencia, Spain. An enormous likeness of Gulliver serves as a playground for children, who climb over him just like in the book (or movie).
The Gulliver Park is probably the most inspired playground I’ve ever seen. Valencia’s Fallas artists have created a giant replica of Jonathan Swift’s hero in the Turia Riverbed, sprawled out on the ground and bound by ropes. The body is cleverly designed, with Gulliver’s hair and jacket serving as slides, folds in his sleeves and pants becoming stairs, and the ropes which trap him knotted for climbing.
(Image credit: Mike Powell and Juergen Horn)
Mike Powell and Juergen Horn got to see the park up close, and have plenty of photographs so you can get up close to this magnificent sculpture and see how much fun it is for kids.