Long walk down

Easter Sunday 23rd March
Not content to take the easy way down the North Peak we realised by looking at the map that we could probably walk down the other side of the mountain and land up a block or two from where we live so that is what we did. After looking around Fahua Temple (the lovely yellow one I think I posted earlier) we continued down the hill to the road and discovered that we hit a large wall enclosing something which we could not see.
By looking up and seeing a uniformed guard with a gun and barbed wire and searchlights everywhere we deduced that we had hit the walls of the Hangzhou Prison! The streets around it were narrower and there were street canals like we saw in Georgetown - they were in about the same condition too, pretty dirty and putrid. The water in them seemed to be rain run off from the hills but mixed with the garbage that was in evidence it was awful. As well, it was clear from the houses that we were in a poorer part of town.
We walked around the prison trying to find our way down to the main road and happened upon an elegant looking gated community much like we have in Kelowna. However I am not sure that I would like the location myself.........


We found our bearings and headed back to our apartment passing a group of young people playing the usual game of cards in the shade and the young lovers trying to find a quiet spot amidst the newly blooming Spring flowers that adorn the parkways and walkways.