25:02.15N  102:43.19E

21st-22nd April 2011

Kunming’s Stone Forrest

The sea floor, pushed up from the sea vertically, millions of years ago now forms limestone karsts that resemble huge rock sculptures like those on Easter Island

They even have top knots!

There‘s a horizontal crack which goes through all of the karsts in the same place, emphasizing that at some time a soft layer of volcano ash must have settled at the same time, and now washed out.

Almost like diving into the deep depths of these limestone karsts, we cool off as we feel the presence of ancient life that must have swum around these caves, but no fossils are evident.

Adrian Stalder, our Tour organiser, gave us a good time, taking us to the areas where there were not too many tourists, and having a good exchange of views about life in China.  Quite an insight for us as he is married to a Chinese lady, living in Kunming for 6 years already.  Previous to that, he had a tour company in Myanmar (Burma).

Next morning, Adrian takes us to Kunming’s Green lake, where groups of people gather around their chosen teacher to perform Tai Chi, Dancing and other excercises

The flexibility and fluidity of this man is a joy to watch!

Bunty’s hoping I got the group in the background to follow the same movement

In Mao’s time, dancing was the only exercise allowed other than labouring

Perhaps these ladies in their ‘bouffant coiffure’ were out on the raz last night?

Harmony Gate at the Golden Temple, built in 1602

The statues, gates, main structure and ornaments are made of solid copper bronze.  This area had the knowledge to extract copper using furnaces and smelting processes to export to other areas of China during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

These three huge bulls are modern examples of this technique, on display in the Pagoda’s gardens

The original Liu people of this area take a tour group to the top of the pagoda.  The view from the top over modern Kunming, an important university city of 7 million people,  (fun for shopping!)  It became important in 1910 when the railway was built from Hanoi in Vietnam.  Due to the different gauge of the modern Chinese railway system, it’s unlikely to be operative much longer.

We’re all still wrapped up, despite having come down to 1,900 metres since Shangrila!

This is the park (now a stadium too) where the 2008 Olympic torch was light.

The bronze cast bell at the top is impressive

But this smaller one has a wonderful bronze fish to strike it with!