Orioles Singing in the Willows

The leaves have fallen from the Willows now, but the avenue of weeping Willows is rather stark as the leaves have fallen with the cold weather. The trunks of the trees have been painted white. I was told it was in part to keep them warm, but I also learn that the white paint has some chemical that kills parasites. I think this is in preparation for wrapping the trees in rope. The process is to keep the trees warm and strong during winter.

Between the avenue of Willows is some wonderful stone carvings with willows and birds. At the entrance is the round stone with the carvings of many birds (orioles) . You can read more about it here.

I have been there when the grass was a brilliant green, and the green leaves on the willows helped make a very pretty picture.

Hangzhou weekend

Around the West Lake.

I went to Hangzhou for the conference for foreign teachers, and there was a proposed tour of Hangzhou in the afternoon of Sunday, but as the conference was scarce on numbers it finished n the Saturday afternoon, and the conference organisers offered a tour of the city on the Sunday morning.

Our first stop was the West Lake and the Su Causeway which takes one across from one side of the lake to the other. Our bus took us to the start and was there waiting when we finished. There were already quite a few people walking whe we arrived not long after 8 am, so it would have been packed later.

There were some beautiful photo opportunities - and with the water so still, there were some wonderful reflections. It is not surprising to hear that this has been voted by many as one of the most beautiful spots in China.

We visited the site of the Southern Song Imperial City and the Orioles Singing in the Willows. Our guide was not a tour guide - so it took us a while to understand that when she stopped walking we were "at" the place that was on our sheet!

I had previously been to the Orioles Singing in the Willows but did not know it then. We got back on the bus and after a short distance on the bus, it stopped and we walked to Wishen Square and Jefang Street. Wow! That was wonderful.