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Showing posts with label Parks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Parks. Show all posts

Friday, August 10, 2018

Lotus Flowers, Bridges, and a Sculpture at a University Pond in Ganzhou

Recent posts (here and here) featured scenes from parks in Ganzhou, Jiangxi. To continue the theme, below are a few photos taken on a rather hot afternoon at Bajiao Pond (八角塘) at the Jiangxi University of Science and Technology campus on Hongqi Road in Ganzhou.

lotus flower at Bajiao Pond (八角塘)


lotuses and a bridge Bajiao Pond (八角塘)


lotus flower at Bajiao Pond (八角塘)


curving bridge, sculpture, and lotuses at Bajiao Pond (八角塘)

Thursday, August 9, 2018

Dancing, Cards, and a Liberation Monument at Ganzhou Park

A few scenes from Ganzhou Park in Ganzhou, Jiangxi, on a rather hot afternoon . . .

people dancing at Ganzhou Park
Dancing to music


people playing card games at Ganzhou Park (赣州公园)
Playing cards without music


10th Anniversary of Liberation Monument (解放十周年纪念碑)
The 10th Anniversary of Liberation Monument (解放十周年纪念碑)

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Brooding at Jiuxing Crag in Yunfu

In a footnote for a post about some views of and from Yunfu's Jiuxing Crag I mention I chose to use the term "crag" in the translated English name because that is what the neighboring city Zhaoqing did for a set of hills with a similar name in Chinese. Reader Nicki commented:
Oooh, Crag. It really makes the place sound dramatic and broody. Nice!
On that note, at its summit Jiuxing Crag has a small pavilion with seating.

pavilion at the top of Jiuxing Crag in Yunfu


There are also more uneven places to sit, though perhaps less comfortable.

rock outcrop at the top of Jiuxing Crag


Both locations could serve well for some elevated brooding.

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

A Climb Worth the Time: Views of and from Jiuxing Crag in Yunfu

As with Pingfeng Hill, according to a guide at Panlong Cave none of the hills most closely surrounding Panlong Lake in Yunfu have paths allowing a hike to their summits that doesn't require skilled mountaineering. The guide suggested if I wanted to hike up a hill to head to Nanshan Park (also called Nanshan Forest Park). It was a fine suggestion and somebody else recommended the park as well. But I would recommend Jiuxing Crag* (九星岩) first because of the views it offers located in the midst of the most central urban area of the city and its karst topography.

As an added bonus, it is closer to the Panlong Lake Scenic Area. Here is yet another photo taken there:

view at Panlong Lake including Jiuxing Crag


Jiuxing Crag is the hill behind some buildings on the left side.

Below are a set of photos taken from various heights on Jiuxing Hill during a hazy day. On the right side of the first photo is the hill which is to the right of Jiuxing Crag in the photo above. Pingfeng Hill is in the distance on the far left side of the second photo and far right side of the third photo. Unfortunately, the view of Panlong Lake is blocked unless you venture off the path into riskier areas. I refrained from venturing this time.

view from Jiuxing Crag (九星岩)  in Yunfu (云浮)


view from Jiuxing Crag (九星岩)  in Yunfu (云浮)


view from Jiuxing Crag (九星岩)  in Yunfu (云浮)


view from Jiuxing Crag (九星岩)  in Yunfu (云浮)





*I didn't find any official English translations of the hill's name. I went with "crag" since that follows the way neighboring Zhaoqing translates the names for a set of similar hills also identified in Chinese as "岩".

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Karst and Water: The Panlong Lake Scenic Area in Yunfu

The first thing that caught my eye as I arrived in Yunfu, Guangdong, was the incredible number of places selling various types of stone. The second thing was the karst topography in the midst of Yunfu's central urban area.

Soon I was photographing some it from my hotel room window. But the Panlong Lake Scenic Area which I had just passed is a more popular place to take in the karst views. It isn't as famous as similar sites in Guilin or neighboring Zhaoqing, but it has its own charms. And you can walk around the lake and hills for free.

I had planned to mention this scenic area earlier, but I ended up going down a rabbit hole trying to figure out what to call it English — more about that in a later post. The lake takes it name from Panlong Cave, which is in one of the hills surrounding the lake. More about the cave in another later post. A guide at the cave said it isn't possible to walk up any of the hills. But there is an accessible hill top not far away. More about that crag in yet another later post.

For this post, below are some photos taken on a cloudy and slightly hazy day as I walked around Panlong Lake in a clockwise direction. Yes, the sculpture in the last two photos is leaning to one side. And yes, there are ducks in the lake. But mostly, I share these to highlight more of the karst topography and some of the nearby urban areas in a city not familiar to most people outside of this region in China.



path at the Panlong Lake Scenic Area in Yunfu


View from Panlong Lake Scenic Area in Yunfu


path at Panlong Lake Scenic Area in Yunfu


bridge at Panlong Lake Scenic Area in Yunfu


Panlong Lake in Yunfu


people on boats at Panlong Lake


Panlong Lake Scenic Area in Yunfu


Longzhu Island (龙珠岛) at Panlong Lake Scenic Area in Yunfu


Yunfu's city center behind Panlong Lake


Panlong Lake Scenic Area in Yunfu


sculpture at Panlong Lake Scenic Area in Yunfu


sculpture at Panlong Lake Scenic Area in Yunfu

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Working, Not Working, Traffic, and Sales: A Few Labor Day Scenes in Zhaoqing, China

Today was Labor Day (May Day) in China. And today I was in Zhaoqing, a prefecture-level city which borders my previous locations — Yunfu and Jiangmen.

As I have seen during past Labor Days elsewhere in China, today . . .

Some people worked.

Paifang Plaza


Some people enjoyed their day off work or school.

yellow bridge at Paifang Park in Zhaoqing
Paifang Park


Some people sat in traffic.

heavy traffic on Duanzhou 4th Road in Zhaoqing
Duanzhou 4th Road


And some stores had holiday promotions.

Jessy Line's International Worker's Day sale sign


Zhaoqing is a popular tourist destination in the region, and the increased crowds (and hotel rates) were easy to spot during the three day holiday period. More about Zhaoqing later after I first return to posting about Yunfu. For more Labor Day photos, see past years' posts featuring scenes in Shenzhen and in Yinchuan

Monday, April 30, 2018

Pingfeng Hill Park in Yunfu

At Pingfeng Hill in Yunfu, there is a park. Unsurprisingly, it is named Pingfeng Hill Park. According to an informational sign there, the park opened last July. At the moment it consists of a single path which connects an entrance from a a road, unsurprisingly named Pingfeng Road, on the southeast side of the hill with an entrance on the south side of the hill.  According to a posted map, the current path will apparently be extended to another entrance and an alternate route will be created as well.

The park includes a small simple Chinese pavilion. And the path goes by several tombs.

Chinese-style tomb on Pingfeng Hill in Yunfu, Guangdong


The path doesn't reach very high — nowhere near the top of the hill. So the views are somewhat limited.



While this park may be appreciated by locals, it probably isn't one which would make the itinerary for a several-day visit to Yunfu. Another of Yunfu's hills which is also part of its karst topography, though, has a path all the way to its top that doesn't require advanced rock climbing skills. This one would likely appeal to somebody seeking views in central Yunfu from a height much higher than available at Pingfeng Hill Park or even the top of Qilin Hill. More about that hill later.

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

A Park, Memorial Hall, and Cemetery for Revolutionary Martyrs in Yunfu

Yunfu Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Hall (革命烈士纪念馆) in Martyrs Park
Yunfu Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Hall in Martyrs Park

Tucked away in the center of Yunfu's most urban district is the city's Martyrs Park (烈士公园). The park includes the city's Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Hall (革命烈士纪念馆), with a cemetery and monument on the hill behind it. I stumbled upon the park during a meandering walk after first arriving in Yunfu and passed through several times on following days. Below are some photos taken on two quiet days at the park, some of which also capture the urban environment surrounding it.

Park gate leading from Jiefang Road


Yunfu Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Hall (云浮革命烈士纪念馆)
Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Hall


sculpted bust of Deng Fa (邓发)
Deng Fa (邓发)


Revolutionary Martyr's Monument in Yunfu (云浮革命烈士纪念碑)
Revolutionary Martyrs Monument




Martyr's Cemetery (烈士陵园)
Martyrs Cemetery


Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Hall from above
Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Hall from above


Martyrs Park in Yunfu (云浮烈士公园)
Martyrs Park


Martyrs Park in Yunfu (云浮烈士公园)


Martyrs Park in Yunfu (云浮烈士公园)


Martyrs Park in Yunfu (云浮烈士公园)


Martyrs Park in Yunfu (云浮烈士公园)

Friday, March 23, 2018

Flowers and Rinds on a Park Bench in Jiangmen

Yesterday I saw red silk-cotton tree flowers and tangerine peels drying at two neighboring places. Today as I passed through a park I noticed the two items sitting out together.

Red silk-cotton (Bombax ceiba, kapot) flowers and tangerine peel on a park bench


Nearby, I noticed a couple more flowers on the ground.

Red silk-cotton (Bombax ceiba, kapot) flowers on a walkway


I picked one up and then saw something fall to the ground with a thud. I picked up this fresh red silk-cotton flower as well.

Shortly after that, I saw another flower off to the side.

Red silk-cotton (Bombax ceiba, kapot) flower on the ground


And now I had three hefty flowers in my hand.

A passing duck did not display any similar interest in the flowers as it swam by — not so surprising since ducks don't drink five flower tea.

duck swimming in a lake past Red silk-cotton (Bombax ceiba, kapot) flowers


Looking up, it was easy to spot the two trees that had produced the growing number of flowers I noticed on the ground.

flowers in a Red silk-cotton (Bombax ceiba, kapot) tree


As is often the case, I wouldn't have noticed the flowers high up in the otherwise barren trees if it hadn't been for the flowers on the ground, especially since the trees were intermixed with leafy trees of other types.

Although I was now the proud possessor of three fine flowers, I realized I probably wouldn't be able to put them to good use, such as five flower tea.

So soon there were three more flowers on the bench.

tangerine pee with more red silk-cotton (Bombax ceiba, kapot) flowers on a park bench