Parks in Guangzhou

I’ll take some more time to explore the parks, but after 6 weeks here, that makes me a Big Expert Authority, yes? The parks here are…different.  They’re paved, for one thing.  They have little paths going here and there; always paved.  And stay off the grass!

They remind me more of amusement parks, because they have abundant restrooms (bring your own TP), snack shops, the occasional gift shop, and often they have music broadcast over speakers.

This picture is solely to break up the monotony of the text (actually, this is the — quote! — “intelligent and beautiful waterfall” from Yuexiu Park):

Some parks (like Baiyun Mountain) have admission fees, but it’s inexpensive — Baiyun was only 5 yuan (75 cents) to enter.  Baiyun, by the way, is amazing, and would be simply astounding for its vistas if the air were cleaner.  There’s a cable car that you can take to the top…looks like fun. 

Some of the view of the city below from Zhenhai Tower at Yuexiu Park (note — you can tour the tower AND the excellent museum at Yuexiu Park for just 10 yuan ($1.50)…and you don’t have to tour both on the same day):

Then there are little parks, too…dotting the city and filled with retirees exercising and socializing in the morning.  These little parks often have playgrounds with equipment that people of all ages like to use for range-of-motion exercises.  That’s right — playgrounds for adults!  Why pay money to go to a boring gym when you can play on a jungle gym outside for free?

And, just like the Pearl River scene I described several posts ago, there are dance groups in the parks.  My latest find at Baiyun Shan are groups of women who balance a ball on a type of (Korean?) racquet, twirling it around while they dance in unison to the music.  It looks like fun and makes  me feel kind of boring, just…running…

Some parks have helpful signage.  I like the proud sense of ownership conveyed by the Guangzhou Municipal Landscaping Department: