Guangzhou 2008

It's been nearly 20 years since I was in Guangzhou, so it was good to check it out.
Most of our time was spent in the surrounding mountains, spas, and temples, though.

Guangzhou has interesting gardens / parks in the old district, with nice hedge sculptures

They even have cool statues around - this one of girls

or kids

and a wise man showing something to the boys

The park is a popular place for wedding photos - there were vans of newlyweds arriving for pictures - also notice Starbucks

Looking up to the future for photos

Their loving selves

The actual Starbucks on the park - very nice

This area also has many old pre-war buildings, most of which are still in pretty poor shape - this building used to be the German consulate

Another typical building that was glorious in its day (and may well be again)

Another old building on the canal - once very interesting, now the main entry is supported by wooden posts

But "modern" things are here - in this case, McDonalds and Pizza Hut (left size black sign with red hat) on a main street

Nice jade carving of a pagoda in a hotel lobby

Gate of a temple in the mountains a couple hours north of the city

Wise man

The Buddha

Old and interesting temple rooftops

Tower at the top of a pretty tall hill behind the temple - we climbed all the way up (the hill and the tower)

View from the tower, of the temple valley

Interesting look down some of the steep stairs inside the main temple building - everything is on a slope

Very cool rusted lamp on and old building in the temple

Barges along the river - tourists often cross for sites and for lunch, so this empty stretch of river has dozens of these - the food is great

Girls by the incense urn