Kunming and its Stone Forest

View from a watchtower vantage point.

Local tribeswomen performing.

We were very rushed while in Kunming: only stayed for the night, hit up one spot, then transferred flights from their shiny new airport. The city was designed in rungs and the traffic gets heavier the closer you get to the center. There were solar panels on every roof and yup, not a cloud in sight! We only went into the city to buy a camera battery charger because my mom forgot to bring it!

Our only point of interest in Kunming was going to the Stone Forest to see the natural limestone formations that is likened to a forest. This park covered a lot of ground and is apparently part of a greater area called South China Karst designated as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Moi, in the maze of stones!

The rocks here did not disappoint. Our guide led us through the maze of stones along less crowded areas. One can really get lost in there! On one stone was an inscription by the poet Guo Moruo whom I fell in love with upon first reading: 遠看大石頭，近看石頭大，果然大石頭，石頭果然大

Here is my translation of his verse, but the humor is somewhat lost in translation:

Afar, appears the big stone.

Near, the stone appears big.

Big apparently is the stone!

The stone is apparently big!