Wind Lions

I bought these souvenirs a few weeks ago when I went to Kinmen - some small Taiwanese islands only 2km off the coast of China.

Several hundred years ago all the trees were cut down, leaving no protection against the strong winds. Villagers erected Wind Lion statues at the entrances to their villages to ward off the damaging winds. You can still see a lot of these lions today; some old and weather-worn, some newer with a fresh lick of paint or a red cloak draped around their shoulders. [It reminded me a little of Cornwall in the UK, where there are lots of ancient stone crosses in villages and by the roadsides.]

The small lions fit perfectly on a pair of hooped earrings I have, making a nice kitschy addition to any outfit. Maybe that's a blip for the future.