Yay! I went out to play today. (And thanks to S's wonderful suggestion of bringing a USB cable with me, now I have pictures!)

Our wonderful host, Ms. Yu, took Sergiu, his family, Alex, and Jean-Michel Bismut from Paris-Sud to Yihe Yuan (Summer Palace). And of course I tagged along. After lunch, we took the 826 bus from across the east gate of Peking University to the Summer Palace. Outside the main gate, we gathered to make sure we all have tickets

The ticket is 30 RMB, but I got half price because I remembered to bring my student ID. We then filed into the palace. The place was crowded, probably because of the gorgeous weather. Our little tour was rather rushed, and someday I hope to go back and visit a lot of the nooks and crannies that we missed. One of the places that we skipped over is Wen Chang Ge Wen Chang Ge Wen Chang Ge was the reading room for the emperors when they visit the Summer Palace. It might have more examples of their calligraphy.

The palace is 2.9 square kilometers, and about three quarters are covered with water. Nowadays imitation Hua Fang (Painted Boats; a flat bottom ferry that tours bodies of waters and provide entertainment and/or food for guests) run in Kun Ming Hu. A Hua Fang pushing off The Hua Fangs go across the lake toward Wan Sho Shan (Longevity Hill) and Chang Lang (The Long Corridor), so tourists who prefer not to walk can easily get to the attractions. Alex looking pensive Looking across the waters at Wan Sho Shan and Fo Xiang Ge (temple of the fragrant buddha)

We walked clockwise from Dong Gong Men (East palace gates) all the way around the lake. Me

On the way we passed by the bridge of 17 eyes (Shi Qi Yan Qiao), crossing which we get to Nan Hu Dao (south lake island) and visited the Praying For Rain Temple. From the bridge of 17 eyes The Lion and Alex Another Lion and Bismut

Walking to the south end of the lake, we crossed the first of many Chinese-style stone bridges, which sort of looks like a Gaussian function... a very concentrated Gaussian function. The steps on it are rather steep, but also quite good for taking pictures at funny perspectives. The gang sans-moi or Ms. Yu

We then had a very pleasan walk in the shades. Eventually we came upon Xi Ti (West Embankment?), a paved walkway that goes across the center of the lake and has quite a few bridges and buildings along it. Me, on Xi Ti, by L. Klainerman

Coming off Xi Ti, we approached the Chang Lang (long corridor area). Before we get there we see more bridges. Yet another Gaussian bridge, this one not quite concentrated

If you look carefully at the above picture, through the hole under the bridge, you can make out another bridge just parallel to it a few meters beyond it. So for one of Empress Dowager's birthdays, the Germans gave her a car. Being an empress she isn't really supposed to leave the palaces, or be seen by the public. So she decided to take her joy-rides in the summer palace. Unfortunately, cars can't climb stairs. So the government paved another flat bridge next to the perfectly good foot-bridge to accomodate the empress. I am not quite sure what that building is, but this is one of the better pictures I took today

The Chang Lang area is packed full of vendors. And the crowd that we avoided by walking around the lake in the long way came upon us again. (Jean-Michel has a CyberShot camera. Its battery died about 10 minutes after we got into the palace. He bought another couple AAs at one of the street vendors. Those lasted him only about half an hour.)

There was a stall where one can dress up like Qing Dynasty Manchurian Royals, and have one's picture taken. Sergiu's daughter got one of her as a Ge Ge.

Chang Lang is allaegedly the longest single corridor in the world (even longer than the Infinite Corridor... does this make Chang Lang transfinite?). It is also rather scenic, and also rather dark. So my poor camera didn't perform quite as well as it should. (Probably my fault for not setting the correct options.) Sergiu and family ...now with Yu Xiang Hue Sergiu and I... don't blame me, obviously I didn't take this picture ;p

On the last leg of our tour we saw some nicely blooming peach flowers (hum... I am not really sure if they are peach flowers, Ms. Yu assured me that they are). Leor Ms. Yu And a beautiful sunset sent us on our way home