'Miguelin' model coming to Shanghai

• Source: Global Times
• [10:06 May 06 2010]
• Comments

By Ni Dandan

A dancer performs at the Spain Pavilion, Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Expo visitors have been able to see the now famous 6.5-meter-tall giant baby, dubbed Miguelin, in the Spain Pavilion, and the real baby, the model for the titan toddler, may be coming to Shanghai to be part of the gala.

"The baby's parents are still planning the trip. They kind of want to come in the summer," Spain Pavilion spokesperson Yang Yue told the Global Times Wednesday.

She added that the baby was chosen out of 200 plus candidates at the age of eight months. "Now he's 18-month-old," said Yang.

The giant baby keeps regular hours. Every day when the pavilion closes, he goes to sleep and begins to dream. "The contents of his dreams are the messages we're trying to convey. He actually has dreams for cities with cleaner air, gender equality, better education and health care for all," said Yang. Visitors can read the information through animated shorts screened in the hall.

The Spain Pavilion has been an extremely popular visit for Expo-goers. For tennis fans, Rafael Nadal may be on his way to the Spain Pavilion. Maria Tena, the pavilion's commissioner general, did not rule out the possibility that the King of Clay would be in attendance.

"For sure, he's very busy. Detailed arrangements have not yet been made," Maria Tena told the Global Times Wednesday.

Still, local tennis fans hold high hopes for Nadal coming to town. "Nadal was here in October last year for the Shanghai ATP Masters 1000. I think he'll also show up again this year. It would be great if he were to come to the Expo," said Yang Anqi, a local resident in her 20s.