Kunming Parks

Kunming is the largest city in Yunnan province in the south-west corner of China - Yunnan borders Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Tibet. Kunming itself is at a height of about 6000 ft, and so isn't hot and steamy as you might expect from its location and in fact is called Spring City in China because the climate is always springlike.

On our first day here we were taken to two of the city parks. Grand View Park is named after a famous 180 character couplet the author titled the Longest Couplet in the World describing the beauties of the view of Lake Dian. The temperate climate leads to exuberant and colorful plants - the bright purple and orange-red Bougainvillea was particularly rampant.


Bougainvillea and Strollers


Parasols


Grand View Tower


Portion of 180 Character Couplet


Lake Dian Boat
Grand View Park was interesting mainly for the usual, but fascinating, variety of enthusiasms on display: dancing, martial arts, singing, kite flying, card games, top-whipping, etc. We met a charming old gentleman with a modern slim digital camera who was also taking pictures of the kites and showed us his collection of over 500 kite pictures!


Fan Dancing

Taichi


Kite Flyers


Launching the Kite Trail


Kites Aloft
The park we went to in the afternoon, Green Park, was full of a variety of musical groups, including traditional instruments, Chinese opera, folk singing and dancing, each with a crowd of enthusiastic watchers and participants, and separated just far enough so that the sounds from one was almost inaudible at the next.


Traditional Instruments


Chinese Opera Performance


Folk Dancing and Singing