China picturous mountains : Danxiashan geological park

Danxiashan is situated in the northern part of Guangdong province in South China.  Danxia landscape is formed by red conglomerate that settled over hundreds million years.  Shan means mountain in Chinese.  Danxiashan has beautiful red rock hills, stone walls and stone pillars with rivers flowing between them.   Danxiashan geological park has an area of 280 hectares.  Due to its unique landscapes, it was declared as a world geopark by UNESCO.

When you arrive at Danxiashan, you will be impressed by the rock hills which suddenly appear in the land horizon.  At a closer look, these rock hills are red in colour.  The green vegetation in the hill tops is reflected in the river down below.  You can enjoy such beautiful picture in a slow moving boat ride.




(Looking at Danxiashan from a distance)



(Danxiashan covered by moist and cloud)

In the middle of the red rock hill, there is an old monastery.  It is an ideal location for monastery - quiet environment and close to nature.  You need to have strong legs if you want to stay in the monastery.  

(Waterfall from hill top flying pass the monastery)

Danxiashan also have rock pillars of interesting shapes.  You need to make your imagination to work.




(A monk?)




(What does this look like?)

 With the opening of high-speed train service from Guangzhou, large number of tourists are drawn to Danxiashan.  It takes about an hour train ride from Guangzhou and then another hour bus ride, you can reach Danxiashan.  In the past, this will take a day's travel.




(China high-speed train)



China picturous mountains : Zhangjiajie national forest park

Zhangjiajie is located in the northwest of Hunan province in China.  It is China's first national forest park which covers an area of 4800 hectares. 

Zhangjiajie mountain is not too high. Its height is about 1000 meters.  However, it acts as the divide line between warm coastal climate in the South and continental climate in the North.  As the meeting place between cold and warm fronts, Zhangjiajie has moist subtropical weather and dense foliage.

After million years of erosion, the landscape of Zhangjiajie is filled with tall free standing pillars and land platforms.  If you have seen the movie Avatar, you will remember those floating mountains in the sky.  When you visit Zhangjiajie after rain, you will see clouds floating in between the land platforms and pillars.  This forms a beautiful picture.



(Pillars of different shapes)



(Does it look like an old man?)

(Avatar's Hallelujah mountain?)

(Hanging arch)

Zhangjiajie is the homeland of few ethnic groups, including Tujia and Miao people.  During the Ming Dynasty in the sixteenth century, there was serious fighting between Ming Han and local ethnic groups.  

(Local farmers at work - making oil from flower seeds)

Zhangjiajie also has large limestone caves in Wanglongdong (Yellow Dragon Hole).  So far, I have visited over ten limestone caves at different countries.  This is the largest one.  We followed the tour guide and walked through the caves in over an hour.  

(Limestone caves in Wanglongdong)

China picturous mountains : Huang Shan

China has many beautiful mountains that people love to hike.  Some of these mountains are not too high.  However, the shapes of their rock formations, water flows and combination of different vegetation form beautiful pictures.  Recently, we have visited Huang Shan, Zhangjiajang, Danxia Shan.  We like to share with you pictures of these beautiful mountains in the following posts.

Huang Shan (Yellow Mountain) is located in Southeast of China and South of the Yangtze River.  It has long been one of the most popular tourist locations in China.  People are attracted by its picturous pine trees and granite rocks.  It also offers great locations to watch sunrise and sunset.  Its height is only about 1000 meters.  There are snow falls in the winter and vegetation change colours during different seasons.

Climbing up the Huang Shan requires strong legs.  In order to enjoy the scenery in leisure, you should plan to stay in the mountain top hotels for two to three nights.  Experienced hikers like to walk through the mountain from south to north or from north to south in two days.

When you come up to Huang Shan, you will find that there are many pink trees of different shapes.  Many of them grow from the high cliff.  These pine trees grow slowly because of limited soil and cold climate.  Many of them are older than 100 years. 

(Pine trees and hugh granite rocks)



(Pine tree in hanging cliff)

(Watch out for falling rock)

(Hostel in the mountain)

You can see beautiful sunrise in Huang Shan.  However, you need to get up before 4 a.m. and walk up the mountain for good locations.  After you see the sunrise, you will forget you hard work.  Do you miss the chance when you are in Huang Shan.  If you are luck, you can see the cloud see as well.

(Beautiful sunrise)

In order to protect Huang Shan from fires, the park management has non-smoking rule within the park areas.  Smokers should aware and follow the rule.  Another rule that traveller has to remember is conservation of food and water.  Everything has to be carried up the mountain by labours. 




(Local farmer carrying heavy load of rice uphill)

 Chinese painters and poets have devoted significant efforts in appraising pine trees for their straightness and ability to bear cold weather.  Huang Shan is very popular for Chinese paintings and modern photography.  After you visit Huang Shan, you can understand why.

New Zealand : birds

New Zealand is a good place for bird watching.  Its islands, natural forests and grasslands provide natural habitat to many sea and land birds.  During our trip to New Zealand, we saw more than a dozen spices of birds.  Some of them are native birds and some are introduced by settlers.

Kiwi
Kiwi is a native bird of New Zealand.  It does not fly.  It is only found in New Zealand. Kiwi becomes a symbol of New Zealand besides its golden fern. After European settlers arrived in New Zealand, dogs and sheep farming had significantly reduced its number.   

(Kiwi)

Kea
Kea is another New Zealand native bird.  It lives in the Southern Alps in the South Island.  It also does not fly.  It survives in the harsh natural environment.  When sheep farming expanded into its natural habitat areas, there were reports of kea attaching sheep. We met this kea in the Fiordland National Park.

(Kea)

Penguin
Penguins are found only in the South.  New Zealand is home to many species of penguins.  We saw the small blue penguin in the Oamaru harbour near Dunedin.

(Blue penguin inside the artificial nesting box)

(Warning sign for penguins crossing)

White and Black Swan
Black swan is less commonly seen than white swan.  We saw both white and black swan in the Rotorua Lake.

(Black swan)

(White swan)

Red-billed Gull
Large number of gulls live along the coasts and harbours.  We took a picture of this red-billed bull also in the Rotorua Lake.

(Red-billed gull)

Paradise Duck
Paradise duck has colourful feathers.  This paradise duck was enjoying its sun bath in the Hagley Park, Christchurch.

(Paradise duck next to a fountain)

Mallard Duck
These two lovely mallard duck duckings rested in the grassland near the Avon River inside the Christchurch Botanic Gardens.

(Ducklings surrounded by beautiful daisies)

Goldfinch
Goldfinch was introduced to New Zealand in the 1860s by the European settlers.  It has gold bars in its black wings.  Male goldfinch has brilliant red face.



(A male Goldfinch on top of the pine tree)

 Matata
Matata is a fernbird.  Local Maori calls it matata.  We saw this matata in the bush near the Hagley Park.

(Matata)

New Zealand : natural beauty

The relative isolation of New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean has helped preserved its natural beauty.  Its incredible landscapes, pleasant climate and friendly people make it a great place to visit. 

Fifteen years ago, I took a ferry from Wellington to Picton in the South Island.  I spent the weekend in a small farm near the Tasman Bay.  When I woke up in the morning, sheep gathered around the farm house to welcome me.  After walking the silver sand beach, I had freshly picked apple for breakfast. Such life experience was memorable. 

Last year, my wife and I revisited this lovely country again.  We took many photos during the trip.  Here are few for sharing.

You can drive from Auckland and reach Rotorua about two hours.  Rotorua is famous for its geysers, hot springs and its lovely Rotorua Lake. When you are there, you should drop by the Rotorua Museum. 

(Do not get too close to the geyser - it is dangerous)

(Clear blue sky above the Rotorua Museum)

The Fiordland National Park in the South Island is the dream home for those who love the nature.  The glacial activities over thousands of years created spectacular landscapes of rivers, lakes and waterfalls.  Natural forests and fiords cover the southwest of the island.  These landscapes remind me of the north coast of Norway.

(Sightseeing boat in Milford Sound)

(Waterfall in the hanging cliff)

(Sea lions enjoying sunbath)

Driving north from the Fiordland National Park, you can reach the Mount Cook National Park.  It is particularly beautiful in spring when the wild flowers are blossoming. 

(Lupins in the shore of Lake Takapo)



(Mount Cook)

 There is a small church called Church of the Good Shepherd near the shore of the Lake Takapo.  Instead of building a rose window in the church, it simply has a large glass window in the altar.   




Christchurch, New Zealand : a garden city

We are extremely saddened by the recent news of earthquake in Christchurch and its devasted damages in life and properties to the City.   

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand.  It has one of the world's most beautiful botanic gardens.  The gardens cover about one third of the city area.  There is limited high rise buildings in the city.  The city government and residents make best effort to maintain their city environment as a city within the gardens.

My wife and I had opportunity to visit this lovely city before the earthquake.  We were able to take some pictures of the city and the botanic gardens. 

(Tower of the Christchurch Cathedral - now damaged by the earthquake)

(Status of John Robert Codley, founder of Canterbury - now damaged)

The Christchurch botanic gardens were first found in the 1860s.  The gardens are next to the loop of Avon River and the Hagley Park.  You can take a boat ride along the Avon River to see the city in leisure.

(Boat ride along the river)

(Century old tress welcome visitors to the gardens)

(Water fountain at the entrance of the Botanic Gardens)

The botanic gardens provide plenty of space for visitors, birds and ducks to enjoy the beautiful gardens and clear sky.  There are great collections of plants and flowers from other countries in the gardens.  The rose garden is particularly impressive with over two hundred different varieties.

(Ducks swimming along the river)

(Rose garden with glass house behind)

Inside the botanic gardens, there is a large iron bell donated by Japan.  The bell is to commorate for world peace.

(World peace bell donated by Japan)

Chinese Hakka : guest people

Hakka in Chinese means guest people.  They are part of the Han ethnic group.  Their ancestors came from Central China and migrated to the South over the past centuries.  Many of them had further migrated to other regions in Southwest China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and other overseas countries.   At present, there are still many Hakka villages in Guangdong and Southwest Fujian.

Hakka people have strong sense of clanship.  They keep their dialect and custom.  Many of them maintain their agrarian living and stay together in the Hakka communities. 

During our trip to Fujian, we saw interesting Hakka buildings known as tulou (which means mud houses in Chinese). 

(Circular and square shaped Tulou buildings in the hillside)

(Over sixty families living in the four storey Tulou building)

(Tulou architecture for defense purpose: high external mud wall with small windows at the top) 

These tulou buildings are built in the hillside close to their farmland.  The tulou architecture shows the social characters of the Hakka community.  Over sixty families live together in the same communal house.  The community supports each other in the agrarian society. Tulou is also designed for protection against external attacks, such as local bandits. 

Irrigation is critical to the agrarian society.  Hakka people are good at building and maintain their irrigation systems.  Without modern equipment, they build these systems with their hands and stones from the river.

(Water mill in the river)

Temple for ancestors is an important part of Hakka village.  During Chinese New Year and festival dates of the village, the whole community will gather in the temple and pray for their ancestors.  It is also a venue to resolve community issues.