Nanjing Plum Blossoms (3/24/2012)

Saturday, March 24, 2012

"The Shanghai Meteorological Bureau reports that in the second half of February, Shanghai got less than five hours of sunshine total, the lowest amount since 1972."
We were very happy to see the sun today for our day trip to Nanjing.
Changes since our last time at the Shanghai Hongqiao Railroad Station:
1) No more English-designated window at the ticket counters.
2) Magazine stands opened in the waiting hall.
3) New seat cushions, courtesy of advertising:

Our 8:00 train arrived in Nanjing, 300km/180 miles away, in one hour and 15 minutes.
First stop on the Metro, Muxuyuan, just outside Zhongshan Men/Gate:

We followed the Ming City Wall to the right:

Hesperis sp.:

Mahonia japonica bealei: 

An immense Taihu/Tai Lake rock:

Note the badminton players behind it.
The Taihu rock dwarfs the child:

Tamiko with plum blossoms:

KSS

We came to Nanjing specifically to see the plum blossoms. The plum blossom is the Nanjing City Flower, and it is the first tree to flower in the season, even when snow is still on the ground. Thus it is the first harbinger of spring.
Plum blossoms in pale pink:

Plum blossoms in pink:

We finally found the Zhongshan Botanical Garden, bypassing Plant Expo gardens, etc:

Fake hollow tree trunk for a trash can:

Kent in the blue-ish bamboo:

We found the Penjing/Bonsai Garden and a Penjing plum tree:

Only to find out later that the King of Plum Trees is in another Penjing Garden...
Net-wrapped chicken and fish parts:

Is this a trap, and for what?!
Boy splashing water with a stick:

Stonescape:

A pretty old Penjing:

Very curly branching: 

Quidditch, anyone?

KSS

As you can see, most of the tables were empty in this Penjing Garden.
Aucuba japonica/Spotted Laurel:

Spotted laurel fruit/berries:

Kent, whose legs are working better than Tamiko's these days, walked into the Rose Garden to take photos.
Rose Garden backed by plum trees:

KSS

Feeding white pigeons:

KSS

KSS

What's going on? 

KSS

Never mind the bride in the creek, what are they doing to the groom?

KSS

KSS

A Porsche display at a garden restaurant: 

KSS

Dusty handprints: 

KSS

Sun Yat-sen arbor:

Double pavilion:

KSS

At the entrance to the Ming Tomb, there were more plum blossoms:

In fact, to visit Plum Blossom Hill, you have to pay to enter the Ming Tomb Scenic Area. And although the actual Nanjing Plum Blossom Festival is over, you pay extra during plum blossom time.
First view of Meihua Shan/Plum Blossom Hill:

KSS

Plum Viewing Pavilion on Plum Blossom Hill:

There are over 35,000 plum trees of over 120 varieties:

Plum Blossom Hill from the other side:

KSS

I know, I know, you aren't getting the effect of a hill. Just wait.
Tourist:

KSS

Now we are starting to climb Plum Blossom Hill:

KSS

KSS

About halfway up, looking back: 

KSS

Near the top (at 50m/164'):

KSS

KSS

Photo Op:  

KSS

KSS

Weeping plum tree: 

Kent:

Plum Viewing Pavilion:

The Ming Tomb will be its own blog. Later we passed some Buddhist artifacts seemingly in the middle of nowhere:
Model of a stupa:

KSS

On the base of the stupa was an etching of the old city of Nanjing:

KSS

A pagoda carving: 

After lunch in Xinjiekou (the Chinese Shinjuku, haha!), we went to Zhanyuan Garden.
A street vendor of candied fruits:

More at the gate to Zhanyuan Road:

Zhanyuan screen:

Taihu rock:

Pebble and marble mosaic:

Detail of pebbles and "marbles:"

Rockery:

Plum blossoms:

Fan dancers:

Another Taihu rock:

Plum blossoms in magenta:

Sorry, it's too dark.
Waterside pavilions:

Stepping stone bridge:

Pond:

KSS

Rockery hill:

KSS

Wisteria stem:

KSS

Another rockery:

KSS

Penjing buds:

Hollow Penjing:

We left Zhanyuan Garden at about closing time, and took the Metro to the South Nanjing Railway Station to catch our 19:00 train back to Shanghai.