Fong's recent photos

20090901_900 Overlooking the rainforest canopy inside the main 'kopak'-shaped enclosure of the Guangzhou Botanical Gardens.

2009-10-17T19:26:40Z

Fong
20090901_900 Overlooking the rainforest canopy inside the main 'kopak'-shaped enclosure of the Guangzhou Botanical Gardens.

20090901_3199

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3199

20090901_3198 Inside the 'rare and exotic plant' enclosure

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3198 Inside the 'rare and exotic plant' enclosure

20090901_3197 'couple trees' inside the main enclosure

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3197 'couple trees' inside the main enclosure

20090901_3195

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3195

20090901_3194

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3194

20090901_3193 desert house, Guangzhou (South China) Botanical Gardens 华南植物园

2009-10-17T19:23:11Z

Fong
20090901_3193 desert house, Guangzhou (South China) Botanical Gardens 华南植物园

20090901_3191 flowers inside the alpine house

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3191 flowers inside the alpine house

20090901_3187 alpine house flowers

2009-10-16T05:47:58Z

Fong
20090901_3187 alpine house flowers

20090901_3182

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3182

20090901_3181 orchid inside the main enclosure

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3181 orchid inside the main enclosure

20090901_3180 Inside the main enclosure (tropical rainforest)

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3180 Inside the main enclosure (tropical rainforest)

20090901_3179 water lily

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3179 water lily

20090901_3175 water lilies

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3175 water lilies

20090901_3173 desert plants outside the enclosures

2009-10-16T05:47:58Z

Fong
20090901_3173 desert plants outside the enclosures

20090901_3171 lotus at Guangzhou Botanical Gardens. next to the central enclosure. There were several lakes filled with lotus at the Botanical Gardens. The peak season for lotus in Guangzhou ...

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3171 lotus at Guangzhou Botanical Gardens. next to the central enclosure. There were several lakes filled with lotus at the Botanical Gardens. The peak season for lotus in Guangzhou ...

20090901_3169 Two of the enclosures. The one in front is the exotic/rare plant enclosure. It is surrounded by buried aquatic plant exhibits (each in individual tanks). Lots of lotus in the p ...

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3169 Two of the enclosures. The one in front is the exotic/rare plant enclosure. It is surrounded by buried aquatic plant exhibits (each in individual tanks). Lots of lotus in the p ...

20090901_3167

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3167

20090901_3165 bonsai, auditioning for a starring role in 'Day of the Triffids'. Part of the bonsai collection next to the orchid garden. Guangzhou Botanical Gardens.

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3165 bonsai, auditioning for a starring role in 'Day of the Triffids'. Part of the bonsai collection next to the orchid garden. Guangzhou Botanical Gardens.

20090901_3163 Orchid house. Guangzhou Botanical Gardens

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3163 Orchid house. Guangzhou Botanical Gardens

20090901_3162 Guangzhou botanical gardens, orchid house

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3162 Guangzhou botanical gardens, orchid house

20090901_3161 Guangzhou botanical gardens. Orchid house

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3161 Guangzhou botanical gardens. Orchid house

20090901_3160 orchid

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3160 orchid

20090901_3148 pond at the orchid house. Guangzhou botanical gardens.

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3148 pond at the orchid house. Guangzhou botanical gardens.

20090901_3145

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3145

20090901_3142 tillandsia

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3142 tillandsia

20090901_3141

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3141

20090901_3140

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3140

20090901_3135 Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3135 Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.

20090901_3132

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3132

20090901_3129 palm forest at Guangzhou Botanical Gardens

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_3129 palm forest at Guangzhou Botanical Gardens

20090901_3128 overlooking the main lake at Guangzhou Botanical Gardens. Maybe I was fortunate that there was a bit of blue sky in Guangdong province!

2009-10-16T05:49:37Z

Fong
20090901_3128 overlooking the main lake at Guangzhou Botanical Gardens. Maybe I was fortunate that there was a bit of blue sky in Guangdong province!

20090901_3126 hibiscus at Guangzhou Botanical Gardens

2009-10-16T05:47:58Z

Fong
20090901_3126 hibiscus at Guangzhou Botanical Gardens

20090901_3125 ornamental lake and pavilion at Guangzhou (South China) botanical gardens 华南植物园. Tree : cinnamonum camphora (Linn.) Presl

2009-10-17T19:20:54Z

Fong
20090901_3125 ornamental lake and pavilion at Guangzhou (South China) botanical gardens 华南植物园. Tree : cinnamonum camphora (Linn.) Presl

20090831_3118 Directly below my hotel window

2009-10-16T05:32:54Z

Fong
20090831_3118 Directly below my hotel window

20090831_3117 Fresh produce markets as seen from my hotel window. Due to a very late flight from Chengdu to Guangzhou, a mistake at the ticketing department at Guangzhou and my inability ...

2009-10-16T05:32:54Z

Fong
20090831_3117 Fresh produce markets as seen from my hotel window. Due to a very late flight from Chengdu to Guangzhou, a mistake at the ticketing department at Guangzhou and my inability ...

20090830_1045_3110

2009-11-14T12:45:54Z

Fong
20090830_1045_3110

20090830_1513_3116 In my China Southern plane, about to depart Chengdu for Guangzhou. My plane is two hours late (as was the same flight for the past few days), which will make it difficult ...

2009-11-14T12:45:54Z

Fong
20090830_1513_3116 In my China Southern plane, about to depart Chengdu for Guangzhou. My plane is two hours late (as was the same flight for the past few days), which will make it difficult ...

20090830_1056_3114 Outside the Wenshu temple.

2009-11-14T12:45:54Z

Fong
20090830_1056_3114 Outside the Wenshu temple.

20090829_2004_872 'Night market' outside the Wenshu temple area. A number of restaurants upstairs, I think mostly patronised by rich locals with cars! Too expensive for us...

2009-11-14T12:40:34Z

Fong
20090829_2004_872 'Night market' outside the Wenshu temple area. A number of restaurants upstairs, I think mostly patronised by rich locals with cars! Too expensive for us...

20090829_1928_870 Dinner at CSC (Country Style Cooking 乡村基). A fast-food chain which started in Chengdu. McDonald-style speed, with many meals delivered within minutes. I think every d ...

2009-11-11T04:49:59Z

Fong
20090829_1928_870 Dinner at CSC (Country Style Cooking 乡村基). A fast-food chain which started in Chengdu. McDonald-style speed, with many meals delivered within minutes. I think every d ...

20090829_1500_868 Wenshu temple area (文殊院).

2009-11-11T04:46:41Z

Fong
20090829_1500_868 Wenshu temple area (文殊院).

20090831_880 Fruit sellers in Guangzhou are very keen and competitive. Just walking by, many will call out, in Cantonese, about the freshness etc. of their product. Many, but not all, advert ...

2009-10-16T05:32:54Z

Fong
20090831_880 Fruit sellers in Guangzhou are very keen and competitive. Just walking by, many will call out, in Cantonese, about the freshness etc. of their product. Many, but not all, advert ...

20090831_877 The undercover market next to the hotel. The total size of the fresh produce market within two hundred metres of my hotel was about equivalent to Victoria Market in Melbourne.

2009-10-16T05:32:54Z

Fong
20090831_877 The undercover market next to the hotel. The total size of the fresh produce market within two hundred metres of my hotel was about equivalent to Victoria Market in Melbourne.

20090831_876 The 'permanent' wet market close to the hotel. I don't suppose they were selling those turtles as pets...though one of those turtle was as big as a dinner plate.

2009-10-16T05:32:54Z

Fong
20090831_876 The 'permanent' wet market close to the hotel. I don't suppose they were selling those turtles as pets...though one of those turtle was as big as a dinner plate.

20090831_874 Fruit market around the corner (behind) the hotel.

2009-10-16T05:47:58Z

Fong
20090831_874 Fruit market around the corner (behind) the hotel.

20090902_932 Crossing the road in Xi'an with a mob of other pedestrians often resembled joining an impromptu rugby scrum and line. There are many, many motorcycle riders in Guangzhou. Like ...

2009-10-17T19:40:38Z

Fong
20090902_932 Crossing the road in Xi'an with a mob of other pedestrians often resembled joining an impromptu rugby scrum and line. There are many, many motorcycle riders in Guangzhou. Like ...

20090902_931 More local fast food down the street from the hotel.

2009-10-16T05:33:15Z

Fong
20090902_931 More local fast food down the street from the hotel.

20090902_929 Construction work next to McDonald's. The two people in the front are about to enter the site, and no doubt watching the bricks being thrown out of the third storey window....

2009-10-16T05:33:15Z

Fong
20090902_929 Construction work next to McDonald's. The two people in the front are about to enter the site, and no doubt watching the bricks being thrown out of the third storey window....

20090902_927 Breakfast at McDonald's. Hotcakes were about 10 RMB (less then $2AUS). The two pies were 7 RMB (for two), including a mango pie. The hash brown was gratis.

2009-10-16T05:33:15Z

Fong
20090902_927 Breakfast at McDonald's. Hotcakes were about 10 RMB (less then $2AUS). The two pies were 7 RMB (for two), including a mango pie. The hash brown was gratis.

20090902_926 Another shot of the temporary market at the back entrance of my motel.

2009-10-16T05:33:15Z

Fong
20090902_926 Another shot of the temporary market at the back entrance of my motel.

20090902_925 A temporary live water animal (fish, snakes, turtles...) market at the back of my hotel.

2009-10-16T05:33:15Z

Fong
20090902_925 A temporary live water animal (fish, snakes, turtles...) market at the back of my hotel.

20090902_923 Kentucky Fried Chicken in Guangzhou serves congee, as well as bacon and egg sandwiches, for breakfast

2009-10-16T05:33:15Z

Fong
20090902_923 Kentucky Fried Chicken in Guangzhou serves congee, as well as bacon and egg sandwiches, for breakfast

20090902_920 Breakfast menu at Kentucky Fried Chicken. Looking closely at the straw dispensers, you can find a promotion for prawn burgers.

2009-10-16T05:33:15Z

Fong
20090902_920 Breakfast menu at Kentucky Fried Chicken. Looking closely at the straw dispensers, you can find a promotion for prawn burgers.

20090901_919 My 'transit' hotel, the building on the left of this photo, was conveniently close to the airport, directly underneath the approach flight path of many landing planes.

2009-10-16T05:33:15Z

Fong
20090901_919 My 'transit' hotel, the building on the left of this photo, was conveniently close to the airport, directly underneath the approach flight path of many landing planes.

20090901_913 Another enclosure is for exotics and aquatic plants

2009-10-16T05:33:15Z

Fong
20090901_913 Another enclosure is for exotics and aquatic plants

20090901_910 Inside the desert dome. Sections of the garden I did not see this year were the magnolias, the Australian garden, the neolithic village and the bamboo garden.

2009-10-16T05:33:15Z

Fong
20090901_910 Inside the desert dome. Sections of the garden I did not see this year were the magnolias, the Australian garden, the neolithic village and the bamboo garden.

20090901_908 The smallest enclosure is for desert plants

2009-10-16T05:33:15Z

Fong
20090901_908 The smallest enclosure is for desert plants

20090901_907 Another enclosure is alpine/artic flowers. A welcome respite to the 35 degree day outside! There are fountains spraying onto the roof of this enclosure, but it is still 24 degre ...

2009-10-16T05:33:15Z

Fong
20090901_907 Another enclosure is alpine/artic flowers. A welcome respite to the 35 degree day outside! There are fountains spraying onto the roof of this enclosure, but it is still 24 degre ...

20090901_898

2009-10-16T05:34:56Z

Fong
20090901_898

20090901_897 All the enclosures are in the shape of kopak flowers. The largest is a tropical rainforest.

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_897 All the enclosures are in the shape of kopak flowers. The largest is a tropical rainforest.

20090901_896 Cost of the entry to the park is 10 RMB (less than 2 Australian dollars). Entry to the central attraction, the large central enclosures, is an extra 40 RMB

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_896 Cost of the entry to the park is 10 RMB (less than 2 Australian dollars). Entry to the central attraction, the large central enclosures, is an extra 40 RMB

20090901_895 Tyranossaurus Rex, not having his fill of bubble-tea, hungrily eyes off some cycads. Overall, the Guangzhou Botanical Gardens is perhaps twice the size of Melbourne's own Bot ...

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_895 Tyranossaurus Rex, not having his fill of bubble-tea, hungrily eyes off some cycads. Overall, the Guangzhou Botanical Gardens is perhaps twice the size of Melbourne's own Bot ...

20090901_893 At least some of the bromeliads in the bromeliad house/garden were still in flower.

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_893 At least some of the bromeliads in the bromeliad house/garden were still in flower.

20090901_892 With trees tumbling across the unswept pathways and hordes of hungry mosquitoes, it really was a wilderness walk!

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_892 With trees tumbling across the unswept pathways and hordes of hungry mosquitoes, it really was a wilderness walk!

20090901_891 This was the 'wilderness' walk, ostensibly for the education of high-school children.

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_891 This was the 'wilderness' walk, ostensibly for the education of high-school children.

20090901_890 And much older tree-types as well.

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_890 And much older tree-types as well.

20090901_889 Pleasant tree avenues at the Gardens. Normal bicycles were not for hire, I think only employees were allowed to ride inside the park.

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_889 Pleasant tree avenues at the Gardens. Normal bicycles were not for hire, I think only employees were allowed to ride inside the park.

20090901_885 Guangzhou (South China) Botanical Garden entrance. Having been stuck at Guangzhou airport for two days waiting for the next available flight to Melbourne, I decided to take the ...

2009-10-16T05:34:30Z

Fong
20090901_885 Guangzhou (South China) Botanical Garden entrance. Having been stuck at Guangzhou airport for two days waiting for the next available flight to Melbourne, I decided to take the ...

20090829_1455_3107 Audience with the monk. Wenshu temple (文殊院) area.

2009-11-14T12:45:54Z

Fong
20090829_1455_3107 Audience with the monk. Wenshu temple (文殊院) area.

20090829_1321_3104 Gallery of DuFu's poetry.

2009-11-14T12:45:54Z

Fong
20090829_1321_3104 Gallery of DuFu's poetry.

20090829_1244 Excavation of (what might be) DuFu's cottage.

2009-11-14T12:45:54Z

Fong
20090829_1244 Excavation of (what might be) DuFu's cottage.

20090829_1217_3099 A recreation of DuFu's cottage.

2009-11-14T12:45:54Z

Fong
20090829_1217_3099 A recreation of DuFu's cottage.

20090829_1149_3096 A model of DuFu's cottage.

2009-11-14T12:45:54Z

Fong
20090829_1149_3096 A model of DuFu's cottage.

20090829_1148_3095 The great poet, Du Fu (杜甫).

2009-11-11T04:42:00Z

Fong
20090829_1148_3095 The great poet, Du Fu (杜甫).

20090829_1118_3091

2009-11-14T12:45:54Z

Fong
20090829_1118_3091

20090829_1059_3082 Water lily pond at DuFu's park (杜甫草堂).

2009-11-11T04:49:59Z

Fong
20090829_1059_3082 Water lily pond at DuFu's park (杜甫草堂).

20090829_1056_3080 Fish at DuFu's cottage 杜甫草堂

2009-11-11T04:49:59Z

Fong
20090829_1056_3080 Fish at DuFu's cottage 杜甫草堂

20090827_3059 Flowers at the entrance gate of JiuZhaiGou park, Sichuan province, China.

2009-09-03T23:05:32Z

Fong
20090827_3059 Flowers at the entrance gate of JiuZhaiGou park, Sichuan province, China.

20090821_1011_711 The area outside the Wenshu temple (文殊院), and just a short stroll from our hotel.

2009-11-14T12:45:54Z

Fong
20090821_1011_711 The area outside the Wenshu temple (文殊院), and just a short stroll from our hotel.

20090821_0858_707

2009-11-14T12:45:54Z

Fong
20090821_0858_707

20090809_1659_2766 Can't say that I actually saw anyone catch any fish!

2009-10-24T21:01:53Z

Fong
20090809_1659_2766 Can't say that I actually saw anyone catch any fish!

20090809_1658_2764 This was the fifth year that I stayed in Xi'an for at least a few weeks, but only the first time that I visited this park, which was only two bus stops away (or not such a ...

2009-10-24T21:01:53Z

Fong
20090809_1658_2764 This was the fifth year that I stayed in Xi'an for at least a few weeks, but only the first time that I visited this park, which was only two bus stops away (or not such a ...

20090809_1655_2763

2009-10-24T21:01:53Z

Fong
20090809_1655_2763

20090809_1623_2761 Shame the lotus were not in full flower!

2009-10-24T21:01:53Z

Fong
20090809_1623_2761 Shame the lotus were not in full flower!

20090809_1621_2759 莲湖路 park

2009-10-24T21:01:53Z

Fong
20090809_1621_2759 莲湖路 park

20090809_1614_2756 Lianhu Lu park 莲湖路

2009-10-24T21:01:53Z

Fong
20090809_1614_2756 Lianhu Lu park 莲湖路

20090815_1846_394 Looks like a movie set from 'Curse of the Golden Flower'. Inside is a museum devoted to the Tang dynasty.

2009-10-30T21:17:49Z

Fong
20090815_1846_394 Looks like a movie set from 'Curse of the Golden Flower'. Inside is a museum devoted to the Tang dynasty.

20090815_1834_382

2009-10-30T21:15:55Z

Fong
20090815_1834_382

20090815_1830_376

2009-10-30T21:17:49Z

Fong
20090815_1830_376

20090815_1830_0375 Lion dance at Tang paradise.

2009-10-30T21:17:49Z

Fong
20090815_1830_0375 Lion dance at Tang paradise.

20090815_1827_0368 Large brass map of China in Tang Paradise park. At the time of the Tang dynasty, Xi'an was known as Chang'an. (The centre of the two cities was not in exactly the same pos ...

2009-10-30T21:17:49Z

Fong
20090815_1827_0368 Large brass map of China in Tang Paradise park. At the time of the Tang dynasty, Xi'an was known as Chang'an. (The centre of the two cities was not in exactly the same pos ...

20090812_1200_8120289 Our visit to the centre was aimed at helping establish a parent support group, perhaps in joint partnership with a cerebral palsy parent support group already establish ...

2009-10-24T21:01:53Z

Fong
20090812_1200_8120289 Our visit to the centre was aimed at helping establish a parent support group, perhaps in joint partnership with a cerebral palsy parent support group already establish ...

20090814_1612_6689 Well, they have been sitting in the lecture hall for about 1.5 hrs....

2009-10-26T21:19:47Z

Fong
20090814_1612_6689 Well, they have been sitting in the lecture hall for about 1.5 hrs....

20090814_1503_6667 The military trainers are apparently quite keen that we present the talks, so that everyone can have a break in the afternoon!

2009-10-26T21:19:47Z

Fong
20090814_1503_6667 The military trainers are apparently quite keen that we present the talks, so that everyone can have a break in the afternoon!

20090814_1458_6666 We had an opportunity to present lectures/talks on two separate days at a health sciences school a short distance outside Xi'an. We presented our talks during the 'summer ...

2009-10-26T21:15:50Z

Fong
20090814_1458_6666 We had an opportunity to present lectures/talks on two separate days at a health sciences school a short distance outside Xi'an. We presented our talks during the 'summer ...

20090813_0937_6626 I lectured on diabetes (again). Zhou (jo) is translating for me.

2009-10-26T21:19:47Z

Fong
20090813_0937_6626 I lectured on diabetes (again). Zhou (jo) is translating for me.

20090813_0936_6625 Lectures to the village doctors. I had not been to this centre before.

2009-10-24T21:01:53Z

Fong
20090813_0936_6625 Lectures to the village doctors. I had not been to this centre before.

20090815_1824_680 Xi'an is at one end of the old Silk Road.

2009-10-30T21:17:49Z

Fong
20090815_1824_680 Xi'an is at one end of the old Silk Road.

20090815_1814_678 Tang Paradise park. Xi'an was China's capital in the time of the Tang dynasty.

2009-10-30T21:17:49Z

Fong
20090815_1814_678 Tang Paradise park. Xi'an was China's capital in the time of the Tang dynasty.