Hong Ta Shan

Hong Ta Shan

Hong Ta Shan (red pagoda mountain) is located right behind the university

Hong Ta Tobacco factory, which I have referenced to in earlier posts, is the largest tobacco factory in all of China and produces one of the two most popular brands of cigarettes in China. Thus, this park is the result of this factory as is much of the development within the city.

The park, which is on a shan or moutnain reveals a breath taking view of the city.
It also reveals a nice view of the headquarters to the Hong Ta tobacco factory as shown below.

Yunnan is also known to have more minorities than any other providence in China. While visiting the park I was treated to a traditional song and dance by a group of Yi minorities.

At this point I still have not met any nationals so I was visiting the park on my own. I was also told that there were temples here at the park, or at least I thought that was what I was told. So I began looking for the temples, though I did not find them I found a lot other nice sites at the park which are represented in the pictures below.

After walking around the park I noticed what looked like they could possibly be temples up in the mountains as shown in the picture on the right. As you can see from my posts so far I am just about never sure of anything that is going on. However, I went anyways...


In order to get there I had had to cross the street, which passed a newly built water fall. At the other end of the street was a stair case as shown in the picture. So I went up hoping that I wasn't ascending these steps for no reason. Certainly in the end it was all worth it...

I did make it to the temples, however not after I took a long short cut...

I ended up taking a trail that went way out of the way causing me to get to the temples by the time they closed and thus that will have to be another post. However, the hike was well worth it as I nearly got eatten by giant roosters which I nearly had to kick off the path to get by. After about an hour hike up the mountain side I had an awesome view of the entire city with a rainbow bowed right down into it!



Until next time, zai jian!

The Campus: a virtual tour

Welcome to The Normal University

To the left is the front gate to the university and to the right are all the taxis and motorcycles who generally wait outside the gate waiting for any university student or waiguoren (foreigner) who may want to go to walmart.

To the left is at the entrance to the Normal University, with their big rock with red Chinese characters written on it...

Above is a pond with a small water fall located directly behind the giant rock with red chinese charcters written on it. This as well as the rock, I was informed, did not even exist on campus a few months ago...

To the right and below is a quiet pond which has two little huts situated on both sides which contain nice places to hangout/study. This is situated to the right of my apartment...

If you go half way up these steps and take a left it will take you straight to my apartment. To the right of the steps is the quiet pond and on the left are some apartment buildings. If you follow the steps all the way to the top it will take you to a garbage hut (as shown below to the right).The hut is somewhat similar to a dumpster in the US only trucks don't come to empty them but workers come and shovel the garbage out and take it away. It also is a farely well landscaped area as is most of campus.

To the left is the Hong Ta as it appears from the on campus perspective. The Hong Ta or Red Pagoda/Tower can be seen from just about anywhere in Yuxi and in a way is the symbol of pride in Yuxi. In fact Hong Ta is also one of the two most popular brands of cigaretts in China, of which comes from the tobacco factory here in Yuxi which is a major economic factor as well. Hong Ta has also become a common name used in many other arenas such as names of eatteries and miscelaeous shops.

Below is not just any Library but "THE" LIBRARY!

To the left is my new rot... I have not eatten here yet but I plan to sometime. It was quite interesting trying to buy a meal card, especially with my little to no Chinese and their having even less English. When I first walked into the office I wasn't sure if it was where I was to get a meal card or not so I looked around for some kind of clue that would let me know... Not finding anything I walked back out then back in and back out and back in and then waited in line not exactly sure of what I was waiting in line for. When I got to the front of the line I asked the lady behind the desk if she spoke English. She gave me a blank stare and I gave her a blank stare right back. After we starred at each other for a while we both started laughing and everybody in the office laughed. She finally pulled out 100 yuan and so taking the hint I took out my wallet and gave her 100 cuai still not positive it was going toward my meal card or if it might end up going to something that I had no need for. She then proceeded to fill out a form and asked me to sign and I signed in my chinese name that I had recieved when I had got my cell phone (大坭) or Da ni which in english translates to "Big Mud." Another name that they had tried to give me at the cell phone place had the same sounds but different characters and would be translated as "arriving at the buddhist nun."

Below to the left is my new dinning Hall before I pulled the fire alarm and the one to the right is afterwards...











Oh yea and I took these picture from the roof of the Cafeteria, I ended up here when I was looking for the office to purchase a meal card...

On the left is another pond that was just constructed a few months ago...

To the left is the soccer field and track and on the right is the waiban office or foreign affairs office...

Here is the front gate once again, just from the other side, hope you enjoyed the tour! There should be more updates very soon, I have found it best to do two posts a week... So untill next time, man zou (slowly leave)!