I have in other stories spoken of Wuhan and have provided a few photographs. This particular article primarily involves a photographic look at some of the sites.
It is not comprehensive. I have just spent 4 days there, and although I visited the Qing Chuan pavilion next door to the Hotel I did not take my camera with me because it was not a good day. On my final morning, I left my baggage in the hotel to go shopping so I did not take my camera. During my trip however, I accidently found Zhong Shan park (for which I had previously searched), so I have no photographs of that either. I will add them after my next trip.
I arrived in Wuhan after lunch on Thursday April 8th, and discovered (to my amazement) that the usual fog/smog was nowhere to be found, and managed to take some clear shots of the No 1 Bridge with the Yellow Crane Tower in the Background.
Long Distance shot of Yellow Crane Tower with No.1 Changjiang Bridge (Yangtze).
Close up view of Yellow Crane Tower
These photos were taken from the park near to the Qing Chuan Jiari Jiudian (Holiday Inn). This next photo is taken from the other side of the Bridge looking back to the scenery behind me at the time I took the previous photos. The tower is the TV tower. One can apparently (for a modest fee) travel to the top, but the following morning when I actually went there with friends, it was closed for a special conference. Typical ! Just about everywhere I have been in the world, I go to visit places that are closed for the duration of my visit.
The Qing Chuan is located on the HanYang side of the Yangtse River. WuChang, where the Yellow Crane Tower is on the other side of the river. Further down from my hotel is another branch of the river which separates HanYang (which is apparently an Island) from HanKou. This photo looks toward Hankou.
Below is a close up of the boat you see in the picture above. It is in historical Chinese Style, and seems quite old. At night it is lit up with lights.
This next picture was taken around the left bend of the river that you see in the above photos. This man was swimming across the river. The current was tremendously strong, and his destination was located diagonally, quite some distance down river. I don't know what concerned me the most, the current, or the amount of traffic on the river. BUT HE MADE IT!
On Friday my friends Eunice and Tobias came to spend the day with me. This involved a visit to the Qing Chuan pavilion located next to my hotel, and a walk up to the TV tower and the fort next to it. We did manage to get lost in the forest, and ended up escaping the park by climbing a fence. Finding ourselves on the road leading onto the Bridge, we headed off to find a bus stop, for we intended to travel to the University in WuChang. First we had to walk to the crossing, brave the traffic, and go to the Bus Stop. The 519 bus did not stop at this particular stop, and despite my advice, Tobias insisted that there was a bus stop further along on the bridge. Of course the foreigner was right, and so we ended up walking all the way across the bridge. I had not taken my camera so there are no photos, but here is one of Tobias taking a photo of Eunice and I in my hotel room.
On Saturday we went out to the East Lake and to MoShan Park. It is a theme park of sorts, and quite beautiful. The rest of these photos are of the park. But before we see them, here are Tobias and Eunice in the archway at the Bonsai Garden.
As arranged, I met up with Tobias and Eunice at the Wuhan University at the 519 Bus Terminus. The 519 leaves the Wuhan Jin Jia Dun He Yun Zhan Bus station near the Railway station, not far from the Oriental Hotel. From the University, we took a 515 to the lake (and later caught a 431 back to the Chang Jiang No. 1 Bridge)
The entrance fee to MoShan Park is 30 yuan.
Preferring to ride up the mountain in style and walk back, we paid another 25 yuan to take the Chair lifts. In fact, the chair lift goes up one mountain, down the other side and up another. Here we are heading toward the second mountain top.
Here is Eunice Getting ready to take a photo of Tobias
A scenic shot from the chair lift.
One of the first things you see at the top is this ugly devil. I read the sign but can't remember who he is. Just admire it and keep going.
This was the main attraction at the top of the Hill. Can't remember what it is called either but the following photos show you what is inside.
On the top floor (Chu Tower) there is a shrine.
Prayer in China - The old fashion way
Do you like to dress up? Take a look at these little princesses. I found them on the second highest floor of the Chu Tower at MoShan Park Wuhan.
A Royal official in Charge! Not really! For a fee you can dress up like this. I was tempted, but didn't want an international incident.
After all - the Emperor himself was There!
On the ground floor level of the Chu Tower (which is to say the level by which we entered) There is a performance hall. We would have had to wait too long for the next performance, so we didn't bother. Besides, I gave a performance of my own. I showered two lovely Chinese ladies with coca-cola from a bottle that had obviously had too much handling. Covered them, me, Tobias, the chairs, the floor....
Anyway - Here is the Music Hall in the Chu Tower in MoShan Park
And the Audience Gallery (taken from the next floor up)
And of course no tourist spot could exist without the tourist traps. How's this for a very poor country? Tourists here are not Western.
Although the music room was on the ground floor at entry level, there was actually a lower floor with various artifacts. Sorry - no photos. One then exits via a million steps to the various eateries, before following designated paths to various places. From the tower we made our way down to a general park and the Bonsai gardens, before making our way to a Fortress on the lake. You can see that fortress in this next picture.
The Bonsai Gardens at MoShan Park Wuhan
This footbridge was outside the Bonsai Garden.
On our way to the fortress we came across this little lady. There was no plaque, so Eunice called her 'The flower lady'.
When you enter the main gates of MoShan Park, you turn right to the Chair Lifts that take you up to the Chu tower, or you turn left toward the fortress. The fortress is a copy of the City wall of old JingZhou. This is the first view of the fortress.
And this is the view looking toward the Chu Tower on the hill in MoShan Park
The yellow houses above, are a part of a replica of a Chu Village. The entrance can be seen in the photo below. In the one after, there is a photo from the street within the village. Of Course it is full of tourist shops.
At the other end of the Chu Village at MoShan Park, there is a square in which there was a driving demonstration taking place. The cost of one of these cars is equal to about 70% of a teachers yearly salary, and three times the annual basic wage.
Despite the fact that 900 million people in China are farmers, many people in China are quite rich, and can indulge in ski boat leisure and other activities like the one below.
R.P.BenDedek is from Brisbane Australia and is the author of 'The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran' at http://www.kingscalendar.com His academic articles set forth Apologetics for and results of his discovery of an "artificial chronological scheme" running through the Bible, Josephus, the Damascus Documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and Seder Olam Rabbah.
He writes photographic 'Stories from China' and social editorial commentaries, both at KingsCalendar, and as a contributing newspaper columnist. He currently teaches Conversational English in China and in addition to his English Lessons at KingsCalendar, he has created specific sites for Students of English.
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thoughts after seeing the pics
Written on 04/18/04 at 08:26:06 AEST by Anonymous
these photos are of great useful forthe out world to know we china,we wuhan .and i think that it has some thing related to the chinese calture.you see there are many pics in the acient times building and that shows the construction in china long ago.you may sar that i said that because i am chinese.but the more important thing is that china is really a country of long history. the outer china people will come to our china to visit these places and that will do good to chinses industry. andpeople can see many funny things in china. Have you made up your mind to have a trip to China? Seeing China.
I arrived in China in February of 2003. I have spent the whole time living in Hubei Province. I spent the first two years in Hong Hu. Now I am in Wuhan.
I have visited Beijing a number of times as well as spending a week in ShenZhen and a week in Tang Gu in TianJin. I do love China.
I'm sorry that I did not send you this reply when you first wrote.
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