January 4th What a great day for a walk, let’s celebrate it and go to the landfill! That sounds terrible doesn’t it? Actually the landfill walk is a very pleasant one now that it’s been capped and no big trucks are going up and down the hill. Today, for a change, we went the reverse route, a much steeper incline but also much shorter leaving a nice long downwards incline on the way home. Our first photo has nothing to do with walking; it is in fact a job advert for a new club with all the positions listed underneath. I’m only showing you the top for two reasons, the first being that I like the art. You have to guess the second reason, answers on a postcard please.
The next photo has everything to do with the walk. I was explaining to Huan how we have to ‘snake’ going up the hill due to how steep it is. This view helped me to explain it by showing where we had come from, the bend that took us left (as you look at it) to our present position and the bend to our right where there is a retaining wall, to where we were going.
Shortly after this we reached the top, I took a photo of Huan before I reached it, she took one of me as she started to go down. PS I am usually in front; this was planned so that we could both use the camera. You may note that neither of us did very well!
Within minutes we reached the small village at the top and found a gaggle of snowbirds. I wonder if there is a correct collective noun for them. They will have walked up the same way as us but will not go down our way, it is too long.
On our way down Huan spotted this path through the woods. “Let’s go that way” she said. I did try and explain that ‘that way’ was 180º opposite to where home was and that there would be nowhere for us to go when we reached the ‘top’.
When we did get there, not too far, there were a husband and wife farming just over the fence you see in the next photo. Huan believed them when they told her there was no way out other than retracing our steps. In fact, in front of us and just down the hill was one of the filled in landfill sites. We could have been lost forever!
On our way down, Huan tried again and again to take pictures of me showing my age so finally I relented. Here is the resultant gif of me going down in the world!
A nervous mother is up next, Huan liked this one, she thought Mama was giving baby a kiss.
I let Huan take another photo of me, with the camera again and not her phone, in fact I even posed for this one.
Passing the highway on ramp we spotted this fellow selling fishing rods. Initially I thought it was an odd location until I realised that people coming down the off ramp would be coming from behind us into Wuzhishan. I guess he saves money on renting a store.
And finally here’s one from Huan’s phone. She was desperately trying to photograph what she initially thought were baby turkeys but was told by the owner that they were 珍珠鸡, zhēnzhū jī, or to you and me, guinea fowl. (I had to Google it - a large African game bird with slate-coloured, white-spotted plumage and a loud call. It is sometimes domesticated.) You can see them both in this photo but even better was the fact that all the birds were looking at Huan!
January 5th The old man didn’t wake up until nearly nine o’clock so a morning walk was out of the question. We went in the afternoon instead, heading in the normal landfill direction. “Again?” asked Huan. I told her that today we would be exploring, somewhere that we have not walked for at least three or maybe four years. First we had to pass by one of our des res’s.
Then we turned off the road and into the small village, now mostly empty. This new bit of road used to be a weighbridge before.
Why would there be a weighbridge in a little village? Well, the reason for the little village’s existence was construction, of the highway amongst other things, so there was a quarry there.
Up to this point Huan was not lost, but she thought we were heading to a reservoir that we knew. In fact we were heading for where they may or may not have been a reservoir, my memory only remembered certain things. First we took a new track just to see where it went, and found a house at the end with “no through road”.
Back we went until we found the road leading upward, this is where I started remembering things, but not what was at the top.
Huan wanted to take lots of photos of me going up hills today, I’m not sure why, so I let her go on ahead and then created Gifs when we got home. This is one of them.
The going was not easy, as I remembered there were lots of ‘hairpin bends’ which were very steep on both sides. Eventually we also ran out of ‘hard top’ and ended up on mountain paths, something I didn’t remember from previously. In retrospect, we both think that we must have turned round when we reached the end of the paved roads last time which may even have been as much as four or five years ago! These two photos show the terrain with Huan thinking we were reaching the top in the second photo.
She was wrong!
Soon we were even higher and looking back, and down, we could see a long way below us, the highway. It was only then that we realised just far we had walked upwards!
Pretty soon we appeared to be running out of paths.
This next photo is where decided to turn round and retrace our steps, for the second time today.
I explored a little, unsuccessfully, to see if there was a path down to the other side of the highway. While I was doing that Huan was preparing to snap me on the way down so here’s another Gif of me ‘coming round the mountain’!
Her smugness, feeling quite happy with herself!
On our way up we had seen a track running off to the left so we thought we would have a look up there hoping there would be no more big hills. It was also somewhere we hadn’t been before.
We did have to go up, but not as much as before, and we found a reservoir.
Huan climbed us some rickety steps while I tried a track. She ended up on the reservoir and I had to backtrack yet again to join her.
You may have noticed a certain lack of water in that last picture. When I joined Huan I did notice some ominous holes at the base of the dam, very old though. Joining her up on the top I took this panorama for you, definitely not a source of water these days.
And here’s the view the other way, down into the valley.
Huan went crazy again taking lots of photos of me going down the rickety steps but I won’t show you another Gif of me. Instead I’ll show you one of her showing me how it’s supposed to be done. I do keep reminding her that I’m older and heavier than her!
As you have probably guessed, the fact that we were going down from the reservoir meant we were once again retracing our steps, for the third time today! Still, it was a great day out in the countryside, there is something special about being in the forests and mountains.
It will be a few days before we try again though, not due to any weakness on our part, more the fact that my boots have given up the ghost.
Even worse was taking my boots off, blood! Huan thought it may have been leeches again, I’m not so sure as we didn’t really walk in any damp places. When I took my right boot off a rather large burr fell out, (a prickly seed case or flower head that clings to clothing and animal fur).
Another lovely day of walking, or maybe I should say hiking, finished. It’s at times like these that I consider myself quite lucky to have Huan in my life. Not everyone likes walking, especially the distances that we do, and not many people would want to explore strange places the way that she does. It’s always good to get home though!
An added bonus of an afternoon walk is no OAP naps!
January 6th Epiphany, #1’s birthday and time to take the Christmas decorations down so once again no morning walk. Staying in did give me an opportunity to do yesterday’s Blog post. Yesterday evening was spent on photo uploading and editing.
No afternoon walk today either, instead we had a Taobao marathon. New boots were required for this intrepid explorer so using the power of Google Translate I got down to it. Huan was doing her best on Pinduoduo where things are sometimes cheaper. We were both running into a lot of problems, we kept finding fur lined boots despite not searching for them. It must be the time of the year. Eventually we found what we think will do, cheap enough that if we get a year out of them we’ll be happy. More hiking socks were ordered too, this time not white!
For me the rest of the day was an Onslow day, Huan did go out for her evening dancing and music session. I just put antibiotic cream on both my ankles which by this evening were slightly swollen and itching like crazy! Dr. Huan assures me that it can’t have been a snake bite because I am still alive, thank heaven for small mercies.
January 7th Huan was busy in the kitchen this morning, playing with her new electric griddle so once again no morning walk. The resultant lunch wasn’t bad although I would much prefer a sandwich maker for some good old cheese toasties.
We did get out after lunch which, when the weather is not too hot and the countryside is too far, can be a very quiet and pleasant experience. First off we set off down river to have a closer look at the steps that they are constructing to enable us to cross the dam, when it’s finished. For now I think we can call it the partially completed ‘stairway to heaven’.
Any thoughts we may have had about continuing in that direction today were dashed.
The famous ‘white birds’ gave us a slightly better opportunity today, still nowhere near what I’d like to show you but we’re getting there. This was a solitary bird just our side of the dam.
Further up river and going into town we spotted five together, in this case I thought I would show you the two cropped photos of two and three birds and then all five of them framed by some of the riverside foliage.
Cuddly canines were up next, on our way back into town, the first one being very protective of its little baby while at the same time being too tired to play.
Along the riverbank where the Saturday market usually is, I spotted ‘Bigfoot’ in the distance. Today she was not on a leash and upon hearing my voice came lolloping to meet me. She then stayed ‘at heel’ all the way back to her owners, (you can see them on their phones). They showed me how she can sit and hold out her paw.
Speaking of those paws, this photo may give you an idea of how much growing she still has to do. If we understood correctly, she is now only thirteen months old.
Unusually for me, I had to go ‘out with the boys’ this evening. The
‘boys’ were from
If you had been there you would have cringed at the sounds of bowling balls ‘landing’ part way down the alley. Some had never bowled before, others were terribly out of practice, but the hardest part for me, and probably them too, was that the holes in the balls were too small! To add to our difficulties the lanes probably hadn’t been polished for a long time either so we were trying with or without shoes, one even without socks. My highest score was 106, I know, it’s hopeless, but only one person got a higher score, if I remember correctly.
Later on the locals came in so I sidled down to check if they were any better than we were. The short answer is no, they weren’t. Some had realised that the ‘run and slide’ option was not going to work very well so took just a few steps, others stood in one place.
For me, not having bowled since the late 1970s apart from one or two
occasions in
From the bowling alley we moved on to ‘Time’ bar, somewhere Jake had been before but now renamed and under new management. Here’s the gentleman in question with yours truly, and then the remainder of the crew already showing signs of wear!
Apart from some minor contretemps, my fault I am ashamed to say, a good evening was had by all. Due to the unavailability of taxis, the ‘gang’ got a lift back to their hotel in a pick-up carrying sweet melons, although they had to sit in the cab! I walked home trying to clear my head a little. Someone, not me, guess who, yes you’re right, the Minister of Internal Security, in her infinite wisdom had not locked the door; instead she had put the dead lock on! Her phone was in the living room and she was in the bedroom so I couldn’t raise her. Not wanting to disturb the neighbours by hammering on the door, I slept on the floor outside the front door from half past three until half past five, when Huan woke up and phoned me!
January 8th My solitary brain cell didn’t want to work this morning, it didn’t even want to wake up! However, I did manage to get up just before ten and make the coffees. My body couldn’t stomach breakfast so we still had time for our usual Saturday market walk. Nothing was jumping out at me today, none of the cooked food or snacks looked in the slightest bit inviting either. I was beginning to think, wandering about in my almost dream state that we would have no photos today when we spotted this, a lady with a bird on her head.
We couldn’t get it to walk up Huan’s arm so the lady put it on her head, for me no problem.
Tweety Pie wasn’t happy with my arm though, he had his eye on my head! Whether his owner was worried about that I can’t say but she did rescue him just before he reached the summit!
My brain asked that we not return the same way and that we not go through town where there would be noise and many people so we headed for home on the other side of the river. No more photos for today, Huan did take a couple of a lady and her dog before we crossed the river, she thought the dog liked the owner very much. Those photos are not shown because the dog was a little more than liking its owner. Maybe she didn’t realise either!
Both of us needed an OAP nap today, I’m very out of practice at beer drinking sessions! It should have been my turn to cook as well, a nice beef curry, I decided to postpone until tomorrow. I didn’t fancy slaving over a hot stove.
January 9th Today was another exploring day, on paved roads for the most part; my new boots have not arrived yet. Our route took us down the Changhao road where the first thing we noticed was that all the fish farms and the farm restaurants on the left side of the road had been closed down and demolished.
We’ll find out why eventually, I just hope it’s not for more high rise apartment buildings! Just after the highway exit ramp we turned down this road, and noticed that the fish farms and ponds on this side were still in operation.
At the bottom of the road you can see above, and with the highway behind me, I took a few shots to create this panorama. The river you see is coming from the left, from Changhao and heading around the bend in the direction of our own river.
We followed the road around the curve of the highway exit ramp and ended up at a restaurant that is still in the process of being built. The building is done but the ponds are empty and the little walkway in the second pond is not finished yet either.
We had to retrace our steps from here, but not before finding a chicken farm under construction underneath the highway. They won’t need to build a roof will they?
Walking back we found a perfect place to set up home, beautiful.
Still having plenty of time we decided to try going under the highway labyrinth, but we did avoid the small square passage. I thought that might be for goats and chickens.
Huan wasn’t so sure here, but a little Q and A got her to suggest we take the right fork, which was correct, the other would have taken us further away from home.
The path did come to an end but we successfully navigated the wooded area without me gaining any more injuries and before too long I realised where we were, passing a farm that I had shown Huan in the past and reaching our very own river again.
We also found a four footed farm friend who wanted to say hello and not warn us off. Luckily, he didn’t want to follow us home.
Of course the goats had to get in the picture too. We saw the farmer today; we know it was him because I got Huan to ask him if that was where ‘the goats lived’. I wonder if he knows how and why they find their way home ever night.
We knew we couldn’t walk all the way home along the riverbank because of the dam builders but Huan reminded me of a path through a small housing complex so we headed off that way. Never before have we seen trucks on this small path but we saw one today! I suppose they have to get to the dam area somehow.
Before long we arrived at what we call Shīfù’s shop. 师傅, means ‘Master’ or qualified worker and he was the ‘site foreman’ when our house was redone in 2015. I was glad to see the shop and buy some water, Huan was happy the fish were still on sale when we reached there.
And here is Shīfù, with his back to us, an old neighbour of ours, Huan with Shīfù’s youngest son, he has four, and two young ladies who may or may not be relatives.
Good news after lunch, my new boots arrived. Of course they are not quite as advertised, they were meant to be waterproof or at least water resistant but a quick look at the tongue shows otherwise. Not to worry, they were cheap enough and will do for our forest walks.
No more photos for today, even though we were both busy in the kitchen. Huan made a lot of dumplings and some flat bread and then when she was done I made a nice beef curry. Maybe we need to start showing you some of our culinary wizardry again!
January 10th Apart from our weekly shop I have been exceedingly lazy today so at half past eight in the evening I decided to pull my socks up and get today’s post finished so that I can still get this up before tomorrow. How was our weekly shop? Well Baijiahui was still very busy with long queues for weighing and pricing the fruit and veg, I’ll have to convince Huan to go at a different time. Even worse is the fact that they always seem to do their shelf refilling on a Monday morning, this leads to traffic jams in all the aisles!
On the good news front my socks arrived from Taobao today, the hiking ones and the normal ones. The hiking socks seem a little on the thin side but we’ll see once I start wearing them. The normal socks on the other hand were not quite right. I ordered seven pairs, an odd number but that was the choice, all supposed to be the same size.
As you can see from the picture, they obviously don’t have the same meaning of the word ‘same’ as I do! We almost decided to send them back but as they only cost ¥30.00 for the job lot and the return cost would have been at least ¥10.00 I decided to make do.
Another
week comes to a close, a bit busier than usual, with a different kind of lock down out. I’ve forgiven the Prime Minister and all the neighbours had a good
laugh. Yú said that her husband would have hammered on the door until she let
him in, a bit like Fred Flintstone I guess. I jokingly suggested to Huan that
she buy a sleeping bag to leave outside the front door just in case of a
reoccurrence. She reminded me that we have a sleeping bag that we bought when
she had to sleep in the hospital during my operation in 2019! Another quick
lesson in the use of keys versus dead locks was given.
We had no ‘Eating Out In China’ video this week, sorry about that but the stag night took precedence. Hopefully we’ll get one out next week. Until then, take care all, we love you! xxx
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