Fragrant Hills

This is an outing I've been planning for 10 years-- the site of the original red leaf! If you don't know this story, you'll have to wait a bit longer for an explanation... These leaves hadn't turned red yet. But it was still a fun outing!

Yes, these are wooden men playing "ma jhong". Don't you see this at every park?



















See? Very pretty, but no red leaves.
































































This girl LOVES collecting sticks.














Useful for slaying dragons, patronizing sisters, and sword fights with daddy.
















Time to get serious-- let's climb up this mountain!
About 50 meters up, we wondered... do you think we are close to the top?
Better be safe--for the kids' sake--better take the ski lift.

NO, I'm not kidding. Doesn't every major touristy mountain have one?

A few of the interesting pagodas in view on our way to the top...




















No, I don't know what kind of temple this is.














We finally arrived at the top-- the long awaited (30 minute) journey. Do you think we would have made it walking?

You wouldn't think China, would you?














Ah, this is more like it. We live in the blanket of pollution down below.















With such beauty, what draws our children's hearts to rejoice??

Ah, yes, the elephant-shaped bubble blower.




















Another reason we headed for the top is because it seemed pretty crowded down below. So we thought, (do the math with me), let's go to a spot with even less surface area, and surely we'll find less people...














Our stay at the top lasted a whopping 10 minutes before we exhausted the bubbles, the crowds, and quickly determined there were no lunch venues.


































What day at a park would be complete without a picnic?
Yes, this is how we normally feed him.














A successful day, don't you think?? :)