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| Longgong (Loong Palace) Anshun, Guizhou |
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| Longgong Cave, Anshun, Guizhou |
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| Scenic Guizhou Landscape |
Saturday March 22 20225 (Day 5 - Anshun, Guizhou) - in exciting mood today as I will be visiting Longgong Scenic Area (Loong Palace Cave) by boat taking the same old path & reminiscing my Good Old Days of my wonderful time in this tourist attraction in Anshun, Guizhou which I visited with my ex-colleague in 1998 - 27 years ago ! Time flies ! Time & Tide wait for no man (a gentle reminder that people cannot stop the passing of time & therefore should not delay doing things) !
1) Our hotel's surrounding environment in suburban Xijiang, quiet & serene away from the hustle & bustle of city life !
2) Breakfast time (07.00) in our hotel dinning hall, Xijiang, Guizhou - just have to eat well this morning as we need an extra energy to endure a long bus journey (4hrs) & walk an extra mile to visit the Longgong Scenic Area, Xixiu District, Anshun this morning !
3) A small walk in front of our hotel in Xijiang after the hotel check-out & prior to boarding of our tour bus to Longgong Scenic Area, Anshun, Guizhou (300km, 4 hours of driving !)
4) Countryside scenery from Xijiang > Longgong Scenic Area, Anshun as viewed from our moving tour bus, Guizhou's rural scenery is simply beautiful & stunning ! The green & yellow rapeseed fields / rural dwellings & townships / mountain background is certainly very picturesque & pleasing to look at from far !
5) A brief stopover in a R & R service centre along the expressway - a dash to the washroom area after 2.5hr of bus journey, also to stretch our legs & a little window shopping in a mini-market in the complex.
6) Resuming our bus journey for another 2 more hours before arriving the Longgong Scenic Area, Anshun - expect to see more green & yellow rapeseed fields that bloom in vibrant yellow signalling the coming of Spring in China !
7) After a long bus drive, it's lunch hour ! The Chinese has this common saying - "We Eat to Live not to Live to Eat ???). Eat or Live, we need that both in LIFE ! Enjoyed the restaurant food served here ie sliced century egg / green vegetables, yam with braised pork ribs, corn & carrot / pork meat soup, smoked sliced pork & offal, steamed river fish & mixed sliced fruit etc
8) After the lunch, our tour bus arrived in Longgong Scenic Area (Loong Palace), Anshun, Guizhou ! Our China Tour Guide handed over an entrance ticket to each of the tour member so the "show' is on ......
9) Shuttle bus ride from the front entrance / visitor centre to Jiuzi Square, Longgong Scenic Area, Anshun - the start of our walk & walk .....
10) Jiuzi Square, Longgong Scenic Area, Anshun - composed of 9 unique shaped rocks, representing the sons of the dragon symbolising the diverse qualities & interests among the siblings. My wife was born in a "Dragon" year & I believe she was on "Cloud Nine", extremely happy to be here. I was born a "Tiger". No wonder I enjoyed watching the "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" movie (Year 2000) starring by Malaysian actress, Michelle Yeoh who won a Best Actress Oscar award in 2023 !
11) Spring is coming, flowers in red in full bloom in Longgong Scenic Area.
12) Duxiangzhou, Longgong Scenic Area, Anshun - this location marks the confluence of the Pearl River & Qiannan River systems, known for its "surrounding water & gathering energy, a thriving dragon's haven", this area was once lush paddy fields, where fragrant grains wafted for miles, thus earning the name Xiangzhou; "smell" good the scenery here !
13) Loong Palace (Dragon Palace), China - this scenic area was developed in 1984 & I had the pleasure of visiting (joining a package tour) this scenic place in 1998 & my show-up here once again, after a lapse of 27 years as though I am chasing after a "Dragon Palace" dream !
14) Dragon's Roaring Tiger's Growling Pavilion, Longgong Scenic Area, Anshun, Guizhou - this ancient pavilion, located in the local Buyi village, serves as a historic singing competition stage, a massive boulder on the shore resembles a tiger descending from the mountains, while a dragon gracefully swims in the waters, harmonising with the surroundings, thus the pavilion earns its evocative name " Dragon's Roaring Tiger's Growing Pavilion " !
15) Dragon Gate Waterfall, Longgong Scenic Area, Anshun, Guizhou.
16) Waterfall Viewing Plank Road - this circular Waterfall Viewing Plank Road offers an immersive experience, allowing visitors marvel at the grandeur of cascading waterfall cutting through mountains & rocks reminiscent of the thundering gallop of ten thousand steeds / horses !
17) Wo Long Bridge, Longgong Scenic Area, Anshun, Guizhou
18) Sightseeing Elevator Price Disclosure - CNY20 one way.
19) Shiqu Garden, Longgong Scenic Area, Anshun, Guizhou - an ideal place for medication !
20) Embarking Boat in Heavenly Lake, Longgong Scenic Area, Anshun, Guizhou
21) Dragon King Temple, Longgong Scenic Area, Anshun, Guizhou
22) A panoramic view of the Heavenly Lake, Longgong Scenic Area, Anshun, Guizhou - a downhill short walk to the Tianchi Pier for our boat ride to the Longgong (Long Palace).
23) Tianchi Pier - a 30 minutes boat ride (round trip) into the Longgong Cave.
24) Boat ride entering the underground Longgong Cave - admiring the karst landscape as our boat manoeuvred through narrow water passage & low hanging stalactites inside the multi-colour lighted cave creating a great impression for visitors / tourists !
25) Exiting the Tianchi Pier & a short walk downhill to a pick-up point for our tour bus to meet.
26) On board our tour bus for a bus journey (1 hour) to our next destination, Anshun Confucian Temple followed by a lunch.
27) Capturing the moment - a picturesque mountain scenery as viewed from the moving tour bus driving towards downtown Anshun City.
