As I was touring the grounds of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG), I was once again caught in a rain storm. It is understandable here though, since
this is Yunnan's rainy season and June and July account for 60% or so of the total annual rainfall (though the same could not be said of Beijing and Wuhan . . .). Following my visit to XTBG, I had to fly back to Kunming. One of the garden's employees, Pu (普), was not only in my welcoming party upon arrival, but was also charged with driving me back to the airport. However, as a result of the heavy rains, it was quite an adventure due the mudslides in the roadway. Luckily, Pu, who is about the same age as me, was also quite an experienced driver, and was able to navigate the treacherous conditions. While we rode, I was able to hear quite a sampling of his favorite music on his MP3 player. In addition to popular Chinese singers, it was interesting to find out that one of his favorite, all-time, bands is Queen. Though he doesn't understand the words, his favorite songs are Killer Queen and We Are the Champions - I guess it proves the timeless and universal quality of these songs.
Notice the precarious location of this mudslide right above the tunnel entrance.
However, the ride back to the airport was quite spectacular in terms of scenery. As you can see from these photos, the scenery in Yunnan is breathtaking . . . but the low-lying clouds further imbue a mystifying aura, creating a truly magical ambiance. The photos in the slide show that follows were taken on the plane from Xis
huangbanna to Kunming. The thick blanket of clouds enveloping the province shows the applicability of the name Yunnan Province (云南省）- "the province of the southern cloud."
this is Yunnan's rainy season and June and July account for 60% or so of the total annual rainfall (though the same could not be said of Beijing and Wuhan . . .). Following my visit to XTBG, I had to fly back to Kunming. One of the garden's employees, Pu (普), was not only in my welcoming party upon arrival, but was also charged with driving me back to the airport. However, as a result of the heavy rains, it was quite an adventure due the mudslides in the roadway. Luckily, Pu, who is about the same age as me, was also quite an experienced driver, and was able to navigate the treacherous conditions. While we rode, I was able to hear quite a sampling of his favorite music on his MP3 player. In addition to popular Chinese singers, it was interesting to find out that one of his favorite, all-time, bands is Queen. Though he doesn't understand the words, his favorite songs are Killer Queen and We Are the Champions - I guess it proves the timeless and universal quality of these songs.
Notice the precarious location of this mudslide right above the tunnel entrance.
huangbanna to Kunming. The thick blanket of clouds enveloping the province shows the applicability of the name Yunnan Province (云南省）- "the province of the southern cloud."
1 comment:
Tell Pu he's got excellent musical taste...
As usual, your photos are breathtaking. It's so neat to be able to follow all the gorgeous places you're visiting. You've put a lot of time into this blog, and we really appreciate sharing the experience with you. With a week left, I'm sure you're getting bogged down, but hang in there. You're doing a great job! Our prayers are with you during these last few days and during your travels home.
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