day 299: [三亚 (sanya)] = 0km

亚龙湾 (yalong bay) is probably the most famous beach in 三亚 (sanya):

Luckily though, its location 15km east of town seem to be able to shield it off from the tourist masses that usually crowd up other beaches like 大东海 (dadonghai - August 29th 2008):

Some parts of 亚龙湾 are actually very quiet and have an almost deserted feel to them:

How romantic, one probably thinks, but then suddenly the eye locks on the silhouette of the destroyer lurking right behind the picturesque little fishing boats:

Smells like “军事禁区” - “military restricted area”:

There it is, beautifully restricted, right next to the holiday inn and the crown plaza hotel.

Well, the Russians don’t seem to be bothered by it:

So why should we?

…

There’s a hilltop near 三亚 from where you’re supposed to get a good view on the whole city:

We went there at sundown…

…and looked at the kitsch that Nature had laid out before us:

I did another one of those things where I line up pictures and make them into a short film:

I like doing that, it’s very enjoyable.

There is a statue of a deer and a girl on the hilltop, it’s called 鹿回头 (luhuitou):

According to the legend, an ancient hunter follows a dear for many days, and when he finally traps it down at the southern coast of the island, the deer turns its head and then transforms into a beautiful girl for the hunter to take home and marry.

And they lived happily ever after.

Soundtrack: Georges Brassens - “Les Amoureux Des Bancs Publics”

—total: 3555,1km