Back on the narrow streets

Dried gourds for sale in a small shop

Dried lotus pods.

In this lady’s shop items made from plant stalks were for sale

Yet another decorative manhole cover.

Gates also often contained living quarters.

 Arachis glabrata, a ground cover plant.

Yet another gateway to a courtyard

In 1905 the Zhang jia Family ancestral temple and garden complex was built.  The complex contains 119 rooms, 21 courtyards, covered walkways, airy pavilions and of course the ancestral temple.  A large central pool is surrounded by decorated stone railings.

A view of the central pool through a moon gate

Central pool

Zephyranthes carinata growing in a garden bed surrounding the pool

A balcony being used to dry lotus seed pods

Extracting seeds from a lotus pod

A toothy grin

Crooked old lanes lead onwards

A broom resting on a window sill

A window barred with wooden poles

The sign said this was a “Century Cactus”.  The leaves are used as a vegetable.

Intricately carved and gilded doors that have seen better days

Rice stalks drying in the sun

Courtyard of an old timber house… fire fighting equipment at the door!

Which key do I use?

…to open this door

An ancient moon gate in need of a little TLC. 

Water droplets looking like crystals on a taro leaf

It was 13.00, time to be back to board the train

Without stops, it only took 45 minutes to get back to Jianshui.

David

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