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On a bright sunny day in May, I decided to do another outing. After a long week of midterms for the second semester, I felt I needed to get out and see some sights of the city once again. So after putting some laundry in the washer I was off. There was a place I noticed when I visited Bao Tong Temple here in Wuhan that sparked interest. Shi Yang Park. Of course I had to take a bus to Guangu then from there a subway to Bao Tog Temple then about 300 to 400 meters from the exit was the Shi Yang Park.
Getting back into seeing the city, exploring uncharted areas is one of the joys I do truly hold dear. That an educating the youth of today. Helping them become strong and intelligent people of tomorrow. As I made my way down to the subway stop I knew that traffic on the weekend would be heavy so it took a bit longer then it normally does to get there. The weather was sunny and warm, not too hot but not too cold either.
The subway ride was and is a normal subway ride as you would
expect to find anywhere else in the world that would have a subway. But with more people, to be honest a lot more people. Five stops are all it took to get me to my destination from the Optics Valley station to the Bao Tong Temple Station. As the day wore on the weather got hotter. As the days turn into weeks and the month changes and a does the season turns into summer it will get blistering hot here in Wuhan. Wuhan is known in China as one of the ovens o China and rightfully so.
I do have to mention on thing that happened on the subway. There was this little girl and her mother. The girl I would hazard a guess could not be no older than 5 years old. Based on her reaction to me, I would guess that she had never seen a foreigner before. Her reaction is that se would stare at me and occasionally tell her mother that a foreigner was sitting beside her. My Chinese isn't that good but I was able to understand some of what was being said. She asked her mom why I looked different and was fat
and had no hair on the top of my head. I couldn't help but laugh.
So I got to my stop and exited the subway, and started walking towards the park. At this point I didn't know the name of the park but as I walked around the park someone had told me the name. Walking into the front of this park I found out that it was free. So out came my trusted camera and started taking pictures as I went. Within 50 yards of the entrance laid a massive t of stairs, it branch off to each side leading to different areas of the park. I decided to stay on the main path for the moment just to see where it would lead. As I ascended the stairs the aroma of nature became more and more apparent the further I went up the stairs. It was a pleasant sensation to b surrounded by so much nature. I found the stress of the previous week slowly drifting away. So as I slowly making my way to the top of the stairs an obelisk was coming into view. It stood in the centre of a vast courtyard on the
edges were benches and more nature beyond that. In the courtyard families were littered around. Some playing with one another, children running around enjoying themselves as only children can. Some were riding bikes while others were using roller blades basically having a good time. From this main structure I walked around to see a small mound with a plaque in front of it. Although I was unsure of what it was but figured it was important part of the park. Although hidden from the obelisk.
From there I went to the right up a small path. From this path it branched off again, to go right or to continue on straight. Looking both ways seeing ahead of me another area where people were playing a variety of games, badminton ping pong an other such games. To my right led upwards to a gazebo where there was a couple. This couple seemed t being a deep and very serious conversation. I rested there for a bit, as the couple seemed to pause their conversation I had asked them the name of the park and they politely gave me the name along with the proper spelling of the name. I thanked
them and we held a small conversation as well. All with the same typical questions I had heard 100 times before. But it was ok I had n problem answering them. Being rejuvenated I went on my way exploring the rest of the park. I continued to the right for some time before deciding to return the way I went and search the left hand side of the park. So much green, so many trees of some time I forgot where I was. It felt like I was truly in a forest midway from civilization instead of only a few hundred meters within one of the biggest cities in China.
As I made my way down the left hand side of the park off in the distance musical notes from an Er Hu hung still in the air. It had caught my attention and wondering where this heavenly music was coming from. It had seemed to be coming from man different directions. So I took a guess and went down the path one the left. As I went down the notes became louder and clearer. Along with the cleaner notes I had started to hear a women sing an
old Chinese melody. Sitting down at another gazebo I listened to them sing and play. As I listened some children and their mothers walked by. The children beings instead by the fact that a foreigner was in the park and they could actually speak with him seemed to make both young boys extremely happy. They were all too happy to ask my name where was I from with their limited English. They reverted to Chinese on more than one occasion. A few times that had mentioned that I had no hair and was fat. It's true I am balding and overweight. I laughed it off saying its true; they of course asked my why. The mothers were happy their children got the chance to speak with a foreigner of course they took photos of our conversation.
Although, I didn't see the ark in its entirety. I can say for certain that this is a popular destination one people of all shapes and sizes and ages. A place where the people can go and be among nature alone or with friends and family.
Although, this is a short entry I do recommend if our in Wuhan come
and see Shi Yang Park.
Be safe an happy traveling.
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