Television viewers marvelled on Friday at the world’s tallest living man, Bao Xishun from China, on a brief visit to Sweden.
Earlier this week, Bao visited Norway where Oslo daily Dagbladet headlined its article ”Is he for real?”.
At 2,36m, the 55-year-old from Inner Mongolia has been recognised as the world’s tallest by the Guinness World Records book, and his visit coincided with the recent publication of the latest Swedish- and Norwegian-language editions of the book.
Dagbladet reported how people who spotted Bao in a hotel lobby grabbed their cellphones with built-in cameras to snap a photo.
Bao told Swedish television station TV4 he is used to such attention. During the television interview, Bao stood erect, supporting himself on a cane.
Speaking via an interpreter, he explained he is the tallest member of his family and has five normal-sized brothers and sisters.
One advantage of being so tall is that he did not have to raise his arms when he used to help build houses, he said.
His size means he cannot buy regular shoes or clothes, Bao said.
He told Dagbladet that his record growth started at age 15, and continued until age 23 when he reached his current stature. As he grew taller he was eventually forced to quit work as a herdsman.
He lives in his own house ”with plenty of space and a high ceiling. I like to drink tea, watch television and play cards”, he told Dagbladet, adding researchers often approach him to try to figure out why he is so tall.
From Sweden, Bao is slated to travel to Brazil. — Sapa-dpa