Xuzhou Dog Show

Bright and fully carpeted rings

Trophy table and Show backdrop

Lin sitting at the trophy table

Beautiful bouquets for Baby Puppy, Puppy, and Best in Show

My Baby Puppy in Show winners

My Puppy in Show winners

My Best in Show winners

Another wonderful Show, organized and hosted by a wonderful group of people. Thank you once again to Santana, Carmen, Kevin and Richard for your amazing hospitality! 

Xuzhou -day 2 of site-seeing - History Museum

Started the day with a little shopping at one of the local malls. Always a good time.  

Then it was time for lunch at a delicious restaurant where we once again had an assortment of dishes to enjoy, and kumquat iced tea!

The 'gateway' to a local lake beach

The shoppers/site seers enjoying the sunshine - l-r - Kevin, Bente, me, Lin, Carol, Richard 

Xuzhou History Museum entrance

Our first visit was to the war room - weapons of destruction from centuries ago

Inlaid with turquoise type stone, this bronze spearhead would have belonged to an important member of the army

Helmets in front of a battle painting

Cannons of many sizes

Amen!

Furniture inlaid with Mothe of Pearl - glitters like silver in the sunshine

Protective beasts 

And more fantastical beasts

My favorited I the whole museum were the drum dancers- clay/terracotta 

Some beautifully preserved pottery

Roof tiles

Gold belt buckle

Jade discs 

Emperor's Jade Burial Suit

Before it was re-assembled

It had been resting in his Jade Coffin

Dragon symbol - very common in this area

Xuzhou China - first day

Arrived fairly late last night, so straight to bed. It had been 30 hours with flights, lay overs etc. So bed was the first priority. 

Driving around today with our driver, Richard, and our amazing guide, Kevin, I have to say that Xuzhou is an absolutely beautiful and very clean city. It was overcast and rainy, well drizzly today, but that didn't stop us. 

Xuzhou Yunlong Lake - Cloud Dragon Lake

This is the 'in water corridor' - part of the pathway started to sink so they put up these aquarium walls and you can walk out into the lake which is filled with colourful carp

Maribel, Milo and me sitting by the lake

Poem Park

Poems written by and/or to the Emperors line the walkway into Poem Park

Kevin explaining who some of the Emperors are and what their poems are saying

My fav... a Warrior Poet

This huge ceremonial drum is inscribed with the symbol for 'poem'

Pillars all have poems inscribed on them 

One of the corner pieces - a tiger

This motif is very popular in China ... It is dragon claws

Taoist Holy Man on Pearl Mountain

Peeking thru the trees

Waterfalls

Got up close n personal with the Tao Holy Man and then it was time for lunch, after which we toured the stone carving museum....amazing!

Drum Dancers

I took dozens more as these carvings that are thousands of years old fascinate me. 

Stopped by the market and picked up some cherries and mangosteen fruit