day 130: 店张 (dianzhang) - 礼泉 (liquan) = 15,7km

Today was a warm day - what am I saying - a hot day! So hot indeed I first took off my jacket, then my sweater, then my shirt, and at some point around noon I was laying down taking a siesta under an apple tree, trying to get a tan. As sexy as bearded smelly men can get!

But before that, I had to make it out of the little village I was staying at:

I had to walk past the apple trees and the peach trees:

I cut through on a path like this once, but it only led to confusion and the siesta.

During the rest of the day, I just stuck to the road:

People seemed very friendly and outgoing here. I had a fun time with some folks in a little village:

They asked many questions, and they were into apples:

I too received my share of apples as a friendly gift.

Then I saw my first blossoming tree this year:

Hundreds of humming honeybees bathing in the sweet scent of summer. How can I describe it?

I got back on the highway after a while:

And it was on the roadside next to the highway that I found this beauty:

Remember I had shown you a party-vehicle just like this one on New Year’s Day (January 1st 2008)?

Well, I think this mother is even more awe-abiding than that one.

Oh, and here’s another awe-abiding thing:

Can anybody tell me what this character is supposed to mean? WTF, this is like a 50+ stroke monster - it just can’t be real, for Confucius’ sake!

Hehe, I’m thinking, maybe it’s my fault. Maybe I just haven’t done enough of what this little friend is doing:

Or this one:

Well, I always have an excuse: I am a grown-up. I don’t have time to look at books. I have to take pictures:

And more pictures:

And more pictures:

Sometimes I even take pictures of pictures:

And given that sometimes I can make out the characters, I just might take a picture of the writing on the wall if I feel like it:

“此地危险-行人远离!” - “dangerous area - keep your distance!”

Little did I know that the real “dangerous area” was in fact not anywhere near this wall. Not even close.

It was here, right in the place I was planning on staying for the night:

See, I hadn’t even taken notice of the fact that my hotel for the night was equipped with a professional massage parlor (not the funny kind with the flashy lights and the soft carpets), but then the manager thought I looked so miserable when I walked in that he decided to treat me to a nice traditional foot massage.

Here’s my friend the manager:

And here is one hour to redefine pain:

Charming 侯爱霞 (hou aixia) was very gentle with me though, because as she put it, I was very “sensitive”. I think I know what she really meant to say: I am a sissy (December 29th 2007).

Like I hadn’t noticed that before.

Soundtrack: MC Hammer - “Here Comes The Hammer”

—total: 1633,5km