I just got back from my vacation last week. It’s the first time in quite a while that I have gone very far afield so I decided to share a few photos here.
I arrived in Beijing but just stayed long enough to enjoy one evening in a busy hutong and then meet some friends the next morning as they were finishing their China trip before I headed off by train to Zhengzhou.
Zhengzhou is not my favourite place in China. It is a useful travel hub with lot of high speed trains coming and going to various destinations. However even this less than lovely city manages to have a large and leafy park serving as much needed lungs for the populace. It was very well used anytime I visited it from very early morning to late evening.
From Zhengzhou it is a short bus ride to Shaolin Temple – famous both for kung fu and for being the site where Buddhism entered China. Although crawling with tourists even more than when I was there 15 years ago, one can still get glimpses back in time… blinkers required!
If you’re in the mood, you can try out some exercises as illustrated right on the architecture!
After doubling back to that hub Zhengzhou, we went to Xi’an. Last time I was in China it seemed too far but now the high speed train takes you there in just 3 hours – 300 km per hour!! The terracotta warriors were fascinating, impressive and also appalling when you consider the megalomaniacal mind behind the whole thing.
And for the end of this segment one of my favourite shots… perfect horses ready for parade in any era – very life-like!
I will continue with the next leg of the trip soon!
photos (cc) 2013 Hilary Farmer
Beautiful images! I do wonder what Bodhidharma would have thought of the young lady in the short skirt whose lovely legs can be seen in your shot of the Shaolin Temple! 🙂
Yes! And that was pretty typical attire for the young women in China it seemed whether in the city or climbing a mountain – short skirt and high heels!