Eric's Beijing Diary

Click here for larger image.
Beautiful late autumn day on the trail today. I joined Michael the Mountain Man and his friend Charley for a hike over the hill into Cherry Valley out at Fragrant Hills this afternoon. The park is usually jam packed, but Michael knows a lot of trails outside the park that are actually better. I say, "better," but I suppose it is a matter of preference. If you prefer climbing a concrete stairway up the side of a mountain, then I guess you might like the actual park better. And to be fair, the concrete stairway does lead through some very pretty trees. At least they are pretty during the Fall of the year when the leaves are turning. But you see signs all over telling you not to pick the leaves, and then you see guys sitting on the side selling them. It's disgusting. And crowded.

The trail we were on today is actually quite popular too, though. Maybe that's because it leads over the hill into the Botanical Gardens. But there are lots of trails in the area that are actually quite secluded. During the fall of the year you might see someone once in awhile, but even then, you can actually find a bit of solitude--a rare commodity in China.