A fairy tale in reality: 7 places where you can see mermaids in real life

For centuries, mermaids have captured the imagination of both sailors and ordinary people, fascinated by the idea of the existence of fish people hidden under the waves. Nevertheless, ideas about the nature of these underwater inhabitants have changed quite a lot over the years.

Even though the fantastic creatures are clearly fiction, there are still places around the world where you can pay a visit to mermaids in one form or another, regardless of whether they are Barnum fakes, frolicking manatees who first inspired the creation of the myth, or even South Korean deep—sea divers who are called mermaids…

If you believe the legends surrounding this disgusting little goblin located in the Tensho-Kyosho Temple in Japan, it may be the oldest mermaid. As the story goes, this creature is 1400 years old. One day it appeared in front of a local prince, claiming that it was once an ordinary fisherman who was cursed after fishing in protected waters.

The mermaid is said to have asked the prince to build a temple as a reminder of his mistake and to put his cursed corpse on public display. However, this is most likely just a disgusting scarecrow. After all, in Japan for a long time there has been a cult of mermaids "ningyo" and "mermaid mummies" are especially appreciated.

Perhaps one of the most unexpected places where you can see the so—called mermaids is the waste water pool of the Florida power plant. It is widely believed that the myths about mermaids appeared as a result of observations of manatees, as convex, fleshy sea cows gracefully swam below the level of the waves.

A large group of animals continues to do this today near the Florida Power Plant, as hot sewage creates comfortable conditions for creatures that, from a certain point of view, are certainly a kind of unattractive mermaids. Contact with animals is prohibited here, even the sign weighs, but this does not stop anyone.

This classic Fijian mermaid, housed in a bizarre Vermont Nature Museum, has become, by all accounts, a massive hoax. The terrible monster has all the signs of a hybrid of F. M. Barnum. In fact, it is the tail of a fish sewn together, a dried human body, mixed with unknown parts of animal bodies.

Although the "human" half is most likely a monkey. Unlike many Fijian mermaids, this specimen has a mustache, although it is difficult to say whether facial hair is a gender indicator in the physiology of a fake mermaid. It should be noted that this exhibit is in storage in the basement of the museum, but from time to time it is taken out.

Unlike the other creatures on this list, these South Korean "mermaids" of Jeju are actually ordinary women who got the nickname because of their abilities.

In accordance with local traditions, women from Jeju-si Island have always been engaged in underwater fishing. Unfortunately, the traditional practice is close to extinction due to the fact that the younger generation leaves the island to work in large cities. As a result, all this "mermaid" is over 50 and this is even more surprising.

Although it is considered to be water, looking at it, you are unlikely to agree with this. This water is very similar in type to the Fijian mermaid. This mermaid merman is located in a Canadian store and it is known about him that he was either purchased or, most likely, created by the owner of the store, Norman Luxton. The monster with the creepy grimace is quite far from the legend of the beautiful mermaid, but they love him no less.

Florida's "City of Mermaids" probably corresponds most to the idealized Western version of sea maidens in the flesh. Since 1947, a tiny town with a single digit population has become the birthplace of a live mermaid show, where women with shiny tails swim in a giant aquarium that feeds from a natural source. The mayor of the small town is also a former participant of the show, which makes Vicky Vachi, perhaps the only city in the world that is ruled by a mermaid.

This, of course, is the quintessence of a mermaid, by which most people judge all other mermaids. To create a famous statue in In Copenhagen, the author was inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tale about a pretty mermaid who fell in love with the surface world. The statue reflects the image of a mermaid, as Western society knows them. A beautiful young girl on the surface, and a silent fish in her native underwater element. Classic.

But few people know that the Danish Little Mermaid, created in the image of the young ballerina Helen Price, is the most long—suffering monument in history. It is constantly subjected to acts of vandalism, despite all the efforts of the authorities.