Yangzhou, Part 2

A view of the Reading Mansion from across the water. The red characters on the stones mean "Twenty-Four Bridge."

A nice little water garden hidden behind some shops.

Outside a little geological souvenir shop was this sign. It reads: "brief Introduction of the Stone Hall. The exhibits of this hall has two kinds wonderful stones and scenery stones. Wonderful stones have traits of "wonder" and "beauty." Fupi Stone, Lingpi Stone, Qianceng Stone, Lake Stone, Guiling Stone, Kun Stone and Mo Stone are calcareious stones. Stalactite and arenaceous rocks are chemical stones. Stalagmite rocks, pyrophyllite rocks, marble and pink clonds rocks are metamorphic rocks. There are spars and fossics. These stones help us to understand the nature. We make scenery stones with mountain stones and trees. Though they are man-made, they may be called "Stereoscopic pictures and silent poems."

Here is one of the "scenery stones."

Kelly in front of a little pagoda.

This is the White Pagoda Under The Sunny Sky that was mentioned in the map of Slender West Lake Park shown in Part I. It reminded us of the larger structure at the top of the island in Beihai Park in Beijing. 

    After rounding a bend in the path, we came upon this little stand with a petite young woman selling decks of trick cards. This person was a true wolf in sheep's clothing, or, better stated, a shark. She started to demonstrate the tricks and suckered every one of "us guys" in. We watched disbelievingly and she came out with trick after trick. We couldn't resist, and everyone of us bought a deck so we could be just like her. Look at the woman's eyes--I have rarely seen such intensity and  concentration in man or woman before. The funniest thing was Kelly's reaction. Good woman Kelly simply couldn't understand why we men were so taken by these tricks. She all but turned up her nose at us as we were captured by the diminutive card shark. This little episode gave new meaning to the old phrase "guy thing."

Around one end of the lake were several "ecological" signs reminding us to tread lightly on the grounds. We close this little tour of Slender West Lake Park with a few of them. This first one says "A rock longs for permanence and a plant yearns for love-care."

"Please don't pick the flowers for they may be hurt."

"A graceful environment, a blessing for life."

'Peony blossoms with your love."

"Fragile is the grass, merciless your steps."

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