The other China

I've posted no end of pictures from Yunnan and Tibet in recent years--promoting this year's tour to Sichuan for Denver Botanic Gardens. Which I hope you'll check out (just click on the yellow highlighted link and scroll down a bit...With the grim news of coronovirus in Wuhan, the timorous may be spooked--but as with SARS I have a hunch China will crack down on it pretty quickly...

As with our own and other governments, there are mixed messages and blessings: I am convinced this is a great time to GO to China: the tourism industry is exploding there--as is the standard of living. The spectacular mountains of Western China are still not overrun--and costs are very reasonable. I don't think this will always be the case.

At any rate, in addition to the breathtaking Himalayas and rich flora there are no end of cultural riches to discover and explore...especially in Sichuan: the only home of the lovable panda in the wild!

The platoons of bikes I saw twenty years ago have thinned--but still there (at least on the racks): auto traffic has increased dramatically...

And all the cars seem to be new: the transformation of the old (foreground above) and the skyscrapers behind is ongoing: the new cities have their own appeal...

I was astonished by the subway in Chengdu: clean and incredibly efficient. And easy to use...I was impressed that each subway stop featured some rare bird in China with information about it and a code where you could find out more.

There is a danger in overeating as the panda demonstrates abobe...

The buffets in the hotels we've stayed at have a lavishness one would not often encounter in the USA--check out the Carbo-Phoenix at our hotel in Chengdu, for instance!

Dragonfruit (Hylocereus undatus)

I was thrilled to find mounds of dragonfruit (from a cactus!) at our buffet one day. They didn't last long..which if you check out the price for these in American specialty groceries you'll understand!

OK, not every restaurant had fantastic bouquets of orchids at  the entrance...

But I've never seen more green walls than I did in China--here at the aiport in Guangdong (Canton).

Even the moving walkways have lavish orchids at either end...

Looking out my hotel room in Chengdu I spied a green roof below...

Not the only one I saw on my trip: I didn't experience the horrible air pollution China is reputed to have, and this in one of the largest cities on earth.

Green walls along many of the streets--mostly with unusual and special ferns...

Check out the maidenhair along this stretch! Never imagined I'd find things like this here...

The climate in Chengdu is obviously milder than I imagined! Fairly typical plantings along a storefronht there...

As a lover of cycads (but then, who isn't?) OI was impressed with this streetside planting..

The Chinese all seem to be dressed nattily, and there is a sense of dynamism and purpose...a random statue I photographed from the bus.

Street art

Thereis amazing street art everywhere.. not like what I've seen in the West.




Look at the joy on the face of the Naxi woman as she looks at the garlands (real flowers) she's sold to our ladies...

Here near Lijiang, the Jade Dragon Mountains soar above the quaint streets: China never ceases to amaze and dazzle..

Check out this itinerary, and see if you can't join us! Feel free to email me (sclerocactus@yahoo.com) if you have any questions or want to know more!