Guoliang Photos

Lingbao: View from my hotel window early morning. Notice the sun is nearly obliterated by smog. This is the $21 three star Xin He Hotel where I stayed during my one night layover on the way to Guoliang.

Lingbao: Looking down from my window in the Xin He Hotel.

Lingbao: View from my window in the Xin He Hotel.

Lingbao: These are the guards who watch the front of my hotel. So curious about my little camera I gave them a closer look... got 'cha.

Lingbao: These are the red beret guards who watch the front of my hotel.

Lingbao: Burl sculpture sitting in the lobby of the Xin He Hotel.

Lingbao: Astounding desk and chair carved from single solid chunks of wood sitting in the lobby of the Xin He Hotel.

Lingbao: Astounding desk and chair carved from a single solid chunk of wood sitting in the lobby of the Xin He Hotel.

Lingbao: Astounding desk and chair carved from single solid chunk of wood sitting in the lobby of the Xin He Hotel.

Lingbao: Jade sculpture hanging on the wall of the lobby in the Xin He Hotel.

Lingbao: Vegitable sellers.

Lingbao: Vegetable seller.

Lingbao August 8, 2008 - 39 photos
Photos taken during my one night stop over in Lingbao China on my way to Guoliang.

Lingbao: A high school age girl out of this picture demonstrated an excellent command of classroom English and delighted a gathering crowd of curious people as she discussed current events in her little town, pausing now and then to translate for the others who had never encountered a foreigner before. The two little girls also were studying English and demonstrated a keen interest in this native speaker. Notice the "V" for victory finger gesture; it is common and I never did get an explanation of its meaning in China.

Lingbao: Entrance to the three star $21 Xin He Hotel where I spent a single night on my way to Guoliang.

Lingbao: Very friendly receptionist staff tried hard to communicate with me in English at the Xin He Hotel.

Lingbao: Charcoal seller making the rounds.

Lingbao: Street food being prepared at a popular outdoor "restaurant" near the Xin He Hotel.

Lingbao: Three wheel truck is typical of commercial vehicles on the streets here.

Lingbao: The owner mama hustles a bum away from a table where he was helping himself to bowls of partially consumed soup left by departed guests. She poured some of the left over soups into a cardboard container and gently led him away from the other dining guests.

Lingbao: Cargo transporter... the hard way.

Lingbao: Long line of trucks stalled in a traffic jam.

Lingbao: Reference photo to separate this batch of photos from the next... can't recall the reason for the frown.

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Lingbao: Two cute kids playing with each other and totally oblivious to everything else until their mother alerted them to the strange white haired monster lurking nearby.

Lingbao: The high school age girl demonstrated an excellent command of classroom English and delighted a gathering crowd of curious people as she discussed current events in her little town, pausing now and then to translate for the others who had never encountered a foreigner before. The two little girls also were studying English and demonstrated a keen interest in this native speaker.

Lingbao: Part of the buffet breakfast provided by the Xin He Hotel. The $21 room rate included a quite substantial Chinese breakfast... of course, that is not saying much.

Lingbao: Part of the buffet breakfast provided by the Xin He Hotel.

Lingbao: Breakfast dining room in the Xin He Hotel. Throughout China large tables with a central "lazy susan" are expected to be shared... by everybody, native or foreigner!

Lingbao: Pee boy sculpture along the walk near the Xin He Hotel.

Lingbao: Exercise equipment in use along the walk near the Xin He Hotel. A close inspection revealed the contraptions could give every muscle group a workout, if all were used.

Lingbao: Exercise equipment in use along the walk near the Xin He Hotel. People were going from one machine to another as I watched... and getting a good workout.

Lingbao: Exercise equipment in use along the walk near the Xin He Hotel.

Lingbao: Musician practices near the exercise equipment in use along the walk near the Xin He Hotel.

Lingbao: Artificial palm trees.

Lingbao: Car decorated for a wedding scheduled for the opening day of the Olympics... very auspicious.

Xinxiang: Right before I snapped my photo, this fellow had taken my picture with his phone camera. He had joined me at one of the enormous round tables in the hotel dining room one morning. Though good humored, he only smiled. All dining arrangements in China assume large groups will dine together; the lone diner is a rarity.

Xinxiang: View from my 15th floor room in the $64 four star Hotel Xinxiang.

Xinxiang: Art in the lobby of the $64 four star Xinxiang Hotel where I stayed while arranging my visit to Guoliang and then afterwards while writing about it.

Xinxiang: Reception desk in the lobby of the $64 four star Xinxiang Hotel where I stayed while arranging my visit to Guoliang and then afterwards while writing about it.

Xinxiang: Grand opening of a store on the day the Beijing Olympics opened: a very auspicious time for anything.

Xinxiang: Stone lion with an attitude. "Hey! I thought I told you not to park there."

Xinxiang: Staff at one of the new opening hotels gets a fingernail inspection.

Xinxiang: Grandmother baby sitters are a common sight on the streets of any Chinese city.

Xinxiang: I found this sign over a restaurant humorous. What? A Chinese restaurant in China?!

Xinxiang: This is costumed Tombow Hood, a personality promoting a wedding arrangement store.

XinXiang: This magical park across from the mall with the sculpture garden is popular with children of all ages. Many Grandparents bring their charges here in the cool evening hours.

XinXiang: This magical park across from the mall with the sculpture garden is popular with children of all ages.

XinXiang: This magical park across from the mall with the sculpture garden is popular with children of all ages. Many Grandparents bring their charges here in the cool evening hours.

Xinxiang: Sidewalks are either bicycle-motor scooter traffic lanes or parking lots like this section. They are never for the exclusive use of pedestrians!

Xinxiang: When it rains parked bikes get covered.

Xinxiang: When it rains little kids and their moms get covered, too.

Xinxiang China August 9, 2008 - 56 photos
Photos taken during my stay in Xinxiang, gateway to Guoliang Tunnel. My $64 four star Hotel Xinxiang is among the best values I've managed so far on this trip. There is little English, but the meals are interesting and cheap: buffet lunch 39 Yuan or about $5.80 including a stein of local draft beer.

Xinxiang: Costumed greeters stand in front of the entrance to a wedding arrangement store.

Xinxiang: View of the entrance to the $64 four star Hotel Xinxiang.

Xinxiang: Floral arrangement in the lobby of the $64 four star Xinxiang Hotel where I stayed while arranging my visit to Guoliang and then afterwards while writing about it.

Xinxiang: Grand opening of a store on the day the Beijing Olympics opened: a very auspicious time for anything.

Xinxiang: Another Grand opening of a store on the day the Beijing Olympics opened: a very auspicious time for anything.

Xinxiang: Stone lion with an attitude. "What 'cha" doing parking in my reserved space?

Xinxiang: The other Stone lion with an attitude. "Don't mess with these bikes!"

Xinxiang: What do you do if you don't have time or money for a real stone lion sculpture? Why, you just buy a blowup one like this pair gracing the entrance to a newly opening store.

XinXiang: This is the fishing pond in the magical park across from the mall with the sculpture garden. The fishermen are actually catching tiny goldfish!

Xinxiang: Dad helping kids learn to skate on smooth walkways at a large shopping mall.

XinXiang: This is the hood of a police car. The guys inside were more than curious about the white haired stranger's activities. I took the picture to record the Chinese characters for "Police."

Xinxiang: That is a webbed duck foot I found in one of my meals at the Xinxiang Hotel.

Xinxiang: Morning buffet at the Jiuzhou Hotel, the one I used the first morning in the city.

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Xinxiang: View of my 15th floor room in the $64 four star Hotel Xinxiang.

Xinxiang: View from my 15th floor room in the $64 four star Hotel Xinxiang.

Xinxiang: Kid watching me watch the Grand opening of a store on the day the Beijing Olympics opened: a very auspicious time for anything.

Xinxiang: Grand opening of a store on the day the Beijing Olympics opened: a very auspicious time for anything.

Xinxiang: Kid watching me watch the Grand opening of a store on the day the Beijing Olympics opened: a very auspicious time for anything.

Xinxiang: Crowd enjoys the Grand opening of a store on the day the Beijing Olympics opened: a very auspicious time for anything.

Xinxiang: What do you do if you don't have time or money for a real stone lion sculpture? Why, you just buy a blowup one like this pair gracing the entrance to a newly opening store.

Xinxiang: Costumed greeters stand in front of the entrance to a wedding arrangement store.

Xinxiang: Sign promoting a wedding arrangement store.

Xinxiang: Entrance with a display of previous happy clients at a wedding arrangement store.

XinXiang: Entry area at the magical park across from the mall with the sculpture garden.

Xinxiang: Dad helping kids learn to skate on smooth walkways at a large shopping mall.

Xinxiang: Morning buffet at the Jiuzhou Hotel, the one I used the first morning in the city.

Xinxiang: Lotus buds... I think. Slices of these things are pickled and served with salads.

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel.

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. These are important figures in ancient Chinese history... who they are, I don't know!

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. Many of the sculptures are designed to appeal to children.

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. These are important figures in ancient Chinese history... who they are, I don't know!

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. These are legendary figures in ancient Chinese history... who they are, I don't know!

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. These are important figures in ancient Chinese history... who they are, I don't know!

XinXiang: Sculpture garden is integrated into the shopping mall.

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. These are important figures in ancient Chinese history... who they are, I don't know!

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. Many of the sculptures are designed to appeal to children.

XinXiang: When I came upon this scene the baby was kissing the face of the sculpture. The mother tried to cooperate with my attempt to capture the tender moment. Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. Many of the sculptures are designed to appeal to children.

Xinxiang Sculpture Garden August 9, 2008 - 87 photos
Photos taken of the remarkable collection of historical and children's sculptures in one of the Shopping Malls near the Xinxiang Hotel during August 2008.

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel.

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. These are important figures in ancient Chinese history... who they are, I don't know!

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. Many of the sculptures are designed to appeal to children.

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. These are important figures in ancient Chinese history... who they are, I don't know!

XinXiang: Sculpture garden is integrated into the shopping mall.

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. Many of the sculptures are designed to appeal to children.

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. These are important figures in ancient Chinese history... who they are, I don't know!

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. This is at one of the two entrances to the Mall.

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. These are important figures in ancient Chinese history... who they are, I don't know!

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. Many of the sculptures are designed to appeal to children. This sculpture reminds me a lot of the series erected along the beach of Pattaya Thailand which I enjoyed during a 2007 visit.

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. Many of the sculptures are designed to appeal to children.

XinXiang: When I came upon this scene the baby was kissing the face of the sculpture. The mother tried to cooperate with my attempt to capture the tender moment. This is the best of my several attempts here in the Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. Many of the sculptures are designed for children.

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XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. These are important figures in ancient Chinese history... who they are, I don't know!

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. Many of the sculptures are designed to appeal to children.

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. These are important figures in ancient Chinese history... who they are, I don't know!

XinXiang: Entrance to the Shopping Mall with integrated Sculpture garden.

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. These are important figures in ancient Chinese history... who they are, I don't know!

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. Many of the sculptures are designed to appeal to children.

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. These are important figures in ancient Chinese history... who they are, I don't know!

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. Many of the sculptures are designed to appeal to children.

XinXiang: Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. These are important figures in ancient Chinese history... who they are, I don't know!

XinXiang: When I came upon this scene the baby was laughing. The mother tried to cooperate with my attempt to capture the moment. Sculpture garden in the sprawling shopping mall near the hotel. Many of the sculptures are designed to appeal to children.

XinXiang: I think this is the name of the Mall that hosts the Sculpture garden near my hotel. Anyone know how it translates into English?

Lingbao August 8, 2008 - 39 photos Photos taken during my one night stop over in Lingbao China on my way to Guoliang.

Xinxiang Sculpture Garden August 9, 2008 - 87 photos Photos taken of the remarkable collection of historical and children's sculptures in one of the Shopping Malls near the Xinxiang Hotel during August 2008.

Luoyang August 14, 2008 9 photos Photos taken during my brief stopover in Luoyang China after the Guoliang Tunnel visit in August 2008.

Lingbao August 8, 2008 - 39 photos
Photos taken during my one night stop over in Lingbao China on my way to Guoliang.

Xinxiang Sculpture Garden August 9, 2008 - 87 photos
Photos taken of the remarkable collection of historical and children's sculptures in one of the Shopping Malls near the Xinxiang Hotel during August 2008.

Luoyang August 14, 2008 9 photos
Photos taken during my brief stopover in Luoyang China after the Guoliang Tunnel visit in August 2008.