Shenzhen... the big city

You got a thing for pricks, Danny? Very interesting!

Macros are fun.  Like the thorns.

I was expectign skyscrapers... Plants are so much more fun!

If you climb up easy over`atousnd oft times, quite steep steps…



Not only will you be sweating profusely, you’ll have experienced deep throbbing pain in your legs muscles, as well as cleared out your lungs, thus reminding oneself they need more exersiza…

Just a few blocks from where you’ll see those inviting first steps that transform most thoughts to hopefully seeing their top end upon reaching each new level of steps…
For 21Y (bout 3 bucks), you might experience this while preparing ones mind to climb the towering mountain above;


But…
Once yer at the top of `Nanshan…. The mountain Nanshan district in Shenzhen is named for, located in the Shekou district of Nanshan disctrict in Shen,
You’ll see this view…


All the photos in THIS THREAD yer reading/looking at until further notice, are taking in areas seen in This photo.

I walk around a lot & these are places, people & things Shekou folk see in our daily life if eyes are open. I’ll add more Shenzhen pics to this thread over time & others are welcome to add some of their own, `more the merrier & informative.


Shekou has it’s own world famous tourist attraction, they call it `Sea World.. or `Marine World, depending on which translator is used. But don’t expect to go there & see a bunch of nautical stuffs, I mean, TIFC after all…
The mean attraction is an old cruise ship they dried up & turned into a hotel, with bars, the square type area around the ship has plenty very good western restaurants, well being quite expensive even for western budgets, there truly is some authentic And delicious food from most parts of the world nearby.

Here is the ship weathering a storm one morning da otta year…


It’s cool cause if/when I meet a new friend for the first time, as I give the tour of old Shekou, whick just happens to end up under my apartment, usually right after I point up & say `that’s my place…
I mention that she is safe, the only big guns around here are Chinese, not foreign, as seen on the coast guards ship that park under my apartment…


Shekou now has two functioning border crossings with Hong Kong, the old port where ferries go & now, `Shenzhen Won, a bridge.
This is that bridge that opened the past year, can see one heavily populated of Hkong behind the bridge…


Interesting how HK Chinese actually do have a different look & style compared to mainland Chinese…


From Shekou, oft times the sunrises can be nearly spectacular, looking off passed Futian, towards Lohou where the whiter lights are in the center, to the far left is the new bridge…

DanDan, your photos are amazing.  Now I know I must add this city to my list of places yet to visit in China.

Excellent, Danny. I don't like the first one, but!! Too many steps!

Just a few words about the tree that begins this topic, a tree that is called the Ceiba tree.  First, a borrowed graphic:



This is a holy tree in Mayan culture (Mexico).  From the website where I found the graphic:

Representation with the Yaxché (Ceiba Tree), and the 4 Bacabs in the corners holding the earth, each of the 13 Caan (heaven) levels had its Oxlahuntikú or god, with Hunab’Kú (father of the twins and the Maize god) at the top. The Earth (Cab) represented as a caiman, with is Tzultacah or gods (we don’t know the number), and Xibalbá or underworld with nine levels and its gods or Bolon Ti Kún being Ah Puch, the God of the Death in the lower level. East (lak'in) is the direction of sunrise, associated with red (chak), the colour of dawn. West (chik'in) is the direction of sunset; its colour is black (ek'). North (xaman) is white (sak). The color of the south (nohol) is yellow (k'an). Green (yax) is the color of the centre, of the green ceiba tree (yax  che), representing the great World Tree itself, raised in the centre of the cosmos.


I know, you really wanted to know all this stuff ... LOL!

 a tip for any that may find his or herselfs planning to climb Nanshan, presently there is only two stairways, plan between 2 & 4 hours depending on how often & long you stop at the many nothing do at places to stop, mostly just the well maintained foot path, a few restrooms, picnik tables scattered about & a small shop at the top observation area.
but...
The steps above `Sea World are Much, Much less vertical! The steps pictured are near non stop stairs with small leval areas every 5 to 30 steps, I've not gone up that direction & really hope to never have to attempt it.
If planning for the lovely workout of walking along the path up, alont the top ridge & down Nanshan mountain.
The way I've taken 3 times is steep & has at least `Esy over a tousnd steps too... but that way has many nice rest stops oing up or down, observation platforms, tables, pagodas & just plain more places to use theview as a good excuse to stop 7 get a breath.

Much less difficult a climb if you begin on the `Sea World end.
Walk straight up the road across from Doncan Donuts & turn left at the Nanshan Scenic area sign.


At the National Tropical botanical Garden in Kauai, where I hung out at quite a lot in my past life, they had a wonderful Ceiba tree, that one has always been one of my favorite trees anywhere cause of its cool shape, great defence & lovely flowers...

I was pleased to see so many planted here in Shenzhen along streets & other green filled places. Those first pics are along a low use sidewalk amongst many other types of flowering trees & bushes, that tree is in great shape, I'll go back for more pics someday as I like how the photos come out.
Here are a few pics of the same kind tree lining the busy street fronting Shekou Wal-Mart, these aren't in as good of shape but still
`CooL 

Reminders of my old home... How come the air was never that clean while I lived there? 

The statue of the tourist couple holding the naked baby was really close to my last two apartments.

And those thorny trees aren't very nice when you've been drinking.

Fabulous flowers.

I've seen this scene in so many Chinese cities.  It's amazing how the weather allows good photography every now and then.  Even when the air is murky, the chance for good photos is there and is aided by having a good camera and good photo-editing software.

A nice study on urban life at a bus stop.

The girl in purple must have been waiting for a rare bus.

  So? Where did the pics go??