Gucun Park & Folk Arts Museum (3/10/2012)

Saturday, March 10, 2012
Wow, a sunny day!

Took Metro Line 7 off the map to Gucun Park. Our goal was the Baoshan International Folk Arts Exposition. When we crossed the street from the Metro station, we found ourselves at the entrance to the park, and there was an entrance fee. We tried to ask if the Folk Arts Museum was inside the park, but were not understood. So we purchased 20 RMB tickets and walked into the park through Gate 2:.

Checked the park map and picked a route toward the museum in the exact opposite corner of the park.
Masses of camellias:

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The Forest BBQ Park:

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A BBQ tent:

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There is a fee to rent a BBQ tent.
Boat Wharf:

Path through the Cinnamomum camphora/Camphor Laurel trees:

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Prunus serrata/Flowering Cherry Grove:

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Over 10,000 cherry trees of 20 varieties have been planted here, including specimens that are more than 50 years old.
Veronica persica/Persian Speedwell:

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Down parallel to the highway, there is Jinlin Trail which leads straight to the Baoshan International Folk Arts Exposition. Part was lined by Sabina chinensis/Chinese Juniper:

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Many of the plants were identified by signs!
Tamiko on Jinlin Trail:

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Funky street lamp:

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Those are Eriobotrya japonica/Loquat trees behind the light.
Fatsia japonica/Fatsi:

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We were nearly to the Folk Arts Exposition, when we ran into a locked gate! We had to back track all the way, and take the main road across the park.

The map of Jinlin Trail is a mirror image: 

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North is at the top, but east is on the left, where the pink museum is located.
We went to the small grocery at the Forest BBQ Park, and they had drinks, snacks, and meats ready to grill! Outside, they also grilled for you. This was our 26 RMB ($4) lunch:

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This fortified, we could cross the park again, to find the folk arts museum.
Newly transplanted trees had a hole dug next to them:

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Apparently to allow for deep watering:

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Walking along the road was not as interesting. We left the paid area... and ended up right at the entrance to Gucun Park on Hutai Road. Took a right on Gutai Road towards the Baoshan International Folk Arts Exposition:

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Opened in 2010, the building from above has the shape of a Chinese knot.
Forecourt with flags of different countries:

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A canoe cenotaph and gate:

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This was a gift from New Zealand to China, and was carved during the Shanghai 2010 World Expo.

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After purchasing 30RMB tickets, we entered the museum. The first hall seemed dedicated to Dragon Boats.

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No signs were in English.
Life-size dragon boat figurehead:

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When music played, large silver balls ascended and descended in tubes:

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In the China Hall, one of the Chinese Opera musical instruments:

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The Unalterable Accents exhibit had dioramas where you pushed buttons to hear the dialog in different Chinese dialects. This was a scene from a Humphrey Bogart movie (?):

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In the Africa Hall, a "Kingdom of Sculptures:"

In the Europe & America Hall, the Wild Wild West:

Unfortunately no one was around to turn on the bull.
Lobby sculpture:

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Part of an indoor courtyard with kitchen stove art display:

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An upstairs exhibit hall had a private collection of tea sets on display:

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Yang Zhengxin ink-wash painting display:      

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Leaving the Folk Arts Exposition, we walked out on Hutai Road to bypass the paying area of Gucun Park. Crossed a polluted river:

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A truck full of used air conditioner parts:

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Later that evening, five couples from Grand Gateway/GG alumni met at Lost Heaven Restaurant for dinner. Two couples from the US, one from Portugal, one from Malta with baby son Matteo, and one couple from England, although hubby is Swiss-German.

Yunnan is the Chinese province that borders Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, so the food is infuenced by those cuisines as well as Thai.

Yunnan is inhabited by several ethnic tribes such as the Tibetan, Hani, Dai, Bai, Yi, and Miao, which have developed their own specialties.

We were seated with guys at one end of the table and ladies at the other.

Miguel and Kent.

I understand we ordered 13 dishes. At one time it was considered bad luck to order an uneven number of dishes, but at least we didn't order 14 dishes, as 14 is an unlucky number. 

We started with lamb samoas and Yunnan wild vegetable pancakes with a salsa. Also had string beans with shrimp paste, spicy shredded beef, chicken with green onions, curry chicken, crispy pork, something with rice noodles, and more!

Walked home.