China is this year's head of the G20 and the next G20 Summit will be held in September in Hangzhou. Preparations have been underway for quite some time but they are in full swing with only a little over a month to go before the big event.
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Construction cranes really are the national bird. The cliche is trite but true nonetheless! These beauties were spotted in the Yuhang District of Hangzhou. The shots near the canal are of the continuing development of Dream Town.
West Lake is beautiful year-round but the summer sunsets and lotus flowers are amazing. Despite temperatures over 100 degrees, my friend Mingyuan and I strolled the lake to peruse the summer scenery. Hot but worth it for the lotus preparing to bloom.
Solitary Hill is located on the north side of West Lake in Hangzhou, China. May 1st was the Labor Day Holiday weekend so there were throngs of tourists at the Lake but the weather was beautiful so it still make for a worthwhile trip. The various pathways were a wonderful escape from the sun and the people. Peaceful and serene. I can certainly see why the sages of old spent their private moments here.
A few years ago, while still living in Washington, DC, I often heard conversations about the “Middle East,” the “Persian” Gulf, and the Strait of Hormuz, the notorious narrow slip of water between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. Back then I never questioned those terms but after a year living in the region, I do.
I am not sure what it means to be in the “middle” of something called the “east” but what I know now is that people are people, everywhere. As for the Strait of Hormuz, I have now had the opportunity to see it from the Arabian side and it is one of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen.. The rocky mountains descend right into the ocean and on a clear day, you can see for miles and miles,, even getting a small glimpse of the Persian landscape across the water. The Musandam peninsula is both beautiful and majestic and my final trip through Arabia was once again a magical one. |
2016A new year, some new adventures. Archives
August 2016
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