Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Bamboo-Lined Path at Yunqi

After homeschooling was finished, we took the boys and ventured outside of Hangzhou to a local bamboo forest preserve.  The bamboo was lush and thick, and we enjoyed getting outside after staying in from the rain yesterday.

The taxi driver drove us about 1/2 hour out of the city and I was concerned about getting back in time to get Sophie.  There are NO taxis out this far, but there is a bus line we were unsure of.  We offered the taxi driver 50 yuan to stay while we explored which she was more than happy with (and so were we!)  Since we had transportation back to the city arranged we were able to relax and enjoy this serene place.
Hangzhou 031

(Left): Sue and Peter enjoying their walk.  (Right): Peter reflected in a pond - but which one is the real Peter?  (He loves these illusions... )

Hangzhou 002   Hangzhou 012
Hangzhou 043
In amongst the giant bamboo timbers...Hangzhou 020

Hangzhou 021

Sue and Peter found a little time to break out into a little spontaneous badminton game.  This is a very Chinese thing to do!
Hangzhou 029

Jack had no INTENTION of being captured on film today, so this was the best I could do.  He didn't even want me to point the camera his way...  Except for the foliage, this picture reminds me of some Bigfoot pictures I have seen from the Cascades :)  If only Bigfoot would wear an orange sweatshirt!
Hangzhou 025

Small springs erupted from the forest.  The sounds of the wind moving through the bamboo and the springs babbling through the forest were so soothing...
Hangzhou 036

Hangzhou 038

Peter enjoyed getting this suspension bridge swinging...
Hangzhou 047

More bamboo...
Hangzhou 050

... and even MORE bamboo...  Ever seen the movie Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon?
Hangzhou 053


Peter and Sue enjoying a rest in the forest...
 Hangzhou 063

The boys were aching for some Dairy Queen so we got in the cab and headed for Hefang Street where there was some kind of festival going on.  Throngs of people!  What a contrast to the deserted bamboo forest!
Hangzhou 074

Hangzhou 076

Sue sitting inside DQ waiting  for the kids to get their Blizzards.  Aah, the small comforts of life!
 Hangzhou 078

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

A LITTLE TASTE OF DQ ALWAYS MAKES MY DAY!