May 4, 2000. Huangshan, Anhui, China

After lining up for the cable car for about 35 minutes in the late morning, we got in a car with a Japanese family of three. The cable car zipped us up the side of the steep side of the mountain. At the top, we disembarked. We arrived. We were on the top...er...side...er...near the top of Huangshan. The crowds were literally expansive. A chain of humanity could be seen on one of the opposite peaks making its way closer to the top.

The Yinkesong (Welcoming Pine) was nearby. I could smell tourist attraction in the air. It was right there. There, near the Yinkesong, we encountered the sea of humanity. Everywhere you turned there were people. The red and yellow tour group hats dominated the sightscape. The blaring megaphones of tour guides hung over the air. Then, there it was--the famous pine, the symbol of Anhui and the Yellow Mountains.

With elbows ready and courtesy tucked into my pocket, I wrestled my way towards the pine. To the left of and to the right of me was barely any room. Just someone else's shoulder. We got to the prime photo spot. Everyone was taking their poses as I waited, but a time to sit down was not forthcoming to a foreigner like me. I just didn't tuck my courtesy away tightly enough. I settled for a picture of the pine without me in it. I still have other pictures to prove that I was there. No matter then.

We found a nice rock that was near the edge of the cliff to sit on. In the crowd, yet apart from it. Sort of relaxing. I took a snapshot of the sea of jostling heads. I love to see people's reaction when they see the photo. A middle-aged man takes the opportunity to take a photo of Terry for his family to see.

"Look, son. I met a foreigner on Huangshan."

I also noticed a group of Cantonese college-aged kids. I figure they're from Guangzhou. They say hi to us when they see Terry.

We abandon our refuge in exchange for moving on. We head back down to towards the cable car station again and now start making our way to the highest peak, the Lotus Peak.

I'm already feeling exhausted. There are so many ups and downs on the mountain. There isn't many flat areas to speak of. It's just constant climbing or descending stairs. This definitely isn't an American-style tourist attraction. It's not fluffed up. It's just plain, old hard-work. It's actually sort of refreshing to encounter that sort of tourist attraction. I just didn't feel refreshing at the moment.

We passed by a rock that is supposed to be a tortoise rubber- necking at the tourists. As I passed by, it looked more like a big hand flipping me the birdie. It was in my imagination, though. No offense taken or given.

There were more of the chair guys. Always eager to pick up someone who is to weak to carry on the whole trip. Noon time's coming up, though. I figure they'll be taking their rest soon.

Egad! Another set of stairs going up. My backpack was filled with only clothes. Terry had brought his old camcorder. You should also note that old also means big for electronics. He felt like such an oaf.

As Terry and his friend rested, I had climbed an extra flight and ran into the Cantonese kids again. One of the guys spoke to me in English, but I spoke back to him in Cantonese.

"You speak Cantonese...?"
"Yeah, I'm a Guangdong ren.
"After all this time, I thought you were a foreigner. Especially with all that facial hair. It's hard for a Chinese to grow facial hair like you." (I hadn't shaved for 4 days).
"Well, I'm actually a Chinese-Canadian."
Then one of the girls comment, "That means you're still a gwai lo."
I just sort of go, "Eh."

I take the picture with the guy and then I ask them to help me take a picture. I should have taken it with the guy too. Oh well. That's the way the cookie crumbles.

Terry and his friend catch up to me. Then we get to one part where we have to descend again. A closer examination of the overhang reveals that it is made of poured concrete. It wasn't an original part of the mountain. That doesn't matter, though. It helps keep the sun from beating down on us.

We keep on going...

On the mountain pictures
To be continued...(when I get the other photos developed)