Words of Wisdom

Love in the Air

A sure sign of Spring is that "Love is in the Air".

Spring Flowers

The weather in Fuzhou is very changeable at this time of the year. It is either very damp and chilly or else hot and humid. Winter suddenly gives way to summer. There is not much of a Spring here like there is in Canada. Overnight, the plants on the campus burst into full bloom. Here are a few photos taken at the end of March.

Hu Jintao's Tree

One of the attractions at Forest Park is a tree that was planted by President Hu Jintao. Here is a picture of me in front of this beautiful tree.

Blossoms and Butterflies

Many flowers and trees were in bloom in the park. The gorgeous butterfly pictured here also caught my eye.

Signs

Forest Park has a variety of signs like the one pictured here asking visitors to respect nature.

A Picnic in Forest Park

Many people were enjoying the day in the park. Some were enjoying activities like the three-legged race. Others were enjoying a picnic.

Forest Park

On March 21st, I joined my good friends Samuel and Nina on an outing to Forest Park. Forest Park is located in the North Eastern part of Fuzhou. It is a popular tourist location during the summer when the temperature in the mountains is cooler than in most of Fuzhou.

Fuzhou

We returned to Fuzhou and were welcomed by some gorgeous early Spring weather. We enjoyed a meal out with my good friend, Sharron and her husband, Wen. We also managed walks around the campus, a tour of downtown Fuzhou and a walk in the lovely West Lake Park before heading back to Hong Kong and Joanne's return to Canada.

Village Near Fuding

On February 10th, we visited a small village which is located near Fuding. It was interesting to travel back into the mountains and see what rural life is like in this part of China.

Fuding

On February 8th, Joanne and I flew back to Fuzhou. The next day, my friend, Brian Hodge, and his business partner, Gorden, took Joanne and I up to Fuding. Fuding is in the northeastern corner of Fujian Province. We visited some good friends there, sang and danced at a KTV, and celebrated The Lantern Festival which took place on February 9th. Here are a few photos of us with our friends.

The Great Mosque

In the heart of the Muslim Quarter is The Great Mosque. The Mosque is said to have been established in the 8th Century. It is a nice blend of both Chinese and Islamic architecture. The Great Mosque is built facing west, towards Mecca, instead of the usual South. Here are a few photos of this historic Mosque.

New Construction

Many older buildings are being torn down in Xi'an. It is nice to see that they are being replaced by homes built in a very traditional style.