The Flora of Sichuan

According to the Wikipedia, the nominal GDP of Sichuan in 2011 was 2.15 trillion yuan (US$340 billion), equivalent to 17,380 RMB (US$2,545) per capita. In 2008, the per capita disposable income of the urbanites averaged 12,633 yuan (US$1,819), up 13.8% from 2007. With a total population of some 90 million and 114 million including the now independently controlled Chengdu, it's capital. It's one of the richest provinces of China. We were told by our tour guide that the one of favourite pastimes of the people is to go to a "tea house" where they can simply drink tea with some nuts and one or two good conversation partners. I think I know why. The province is haven for plants because of its abundant rain, which grow in great profusion all year round.

See what I mean? These are found at the Panda Research Centre, Chengdu, Sichuan.

The park is full of flowers everywhere

Look at how dense they are.



A close up of the lantanas

Some yellow flowers I found there

A chrysanthemum

a bud about to open

A pink peonia.

a pink and a white peonia growing side by side

Some unknown little white flowers

A small blue flower I found at the Centre

I have seen this kind of flower in HK many times but it's the first time I found one with petals so densely packed together and so bursting with life.

An orchid

A lake at the centre

Since it's a Panda Centre, how could there be no bamboos?

A bamboo covered path

It's really fun to stroll along such paths. You feel nature all around you as if you were cuddled and huddled like a child.

These old folks certainly would agree

The leaves there are really green

Yet, cheek by jowl, you find death staring you in your face but... also new life. 

Here you find the answer to its abundance

And here too, is further proof.

All thanks to the Panda.

The Pace of Creation

Central is a fascinating place. You'll always manage to find something there that you've never seen before or something which you've seen before but really haven't.



Like that tiny "tree" on the glass pane

Or the distorted images of the buildings upon the windscreen of some of the vehicles parked on the roadside

or the subtle shades of bright red upon the different curves of this panel outside one of the shops

Quite by accident, I came upon an exhibition of urban design organized by HK chapter of the the American Institute of Architects.  This is a photo of an artist's impression of an unbuilt design of the Chongking River Tower.

I understand that the city of Dalian in North China intends to implement 7 civic projects to modernize its look, including a library, a science center, a teenage community hall etc.  This is an artist's impression of the urban planning exhibition museum which will "float" upon the centre of an urban park. The design highlights the history of the city as a port and will blend into the surrounding environment and be a living embodiment of the concept of urban design.

This is going to be the China Southern Airlines 'Headquarters at the Guangzhou Airport City!

This is the artist's impression of another city in the PRC. The scope for design in our mother country seems limitless.

The design for another of China's inland river city

This is the design for Xiuying Port of Haikou, another port city in southern China

A close up view of part of its harbor

This is going to be one of the new buildings to be erected in Hong Kong.



Would you believe it. This is how the China Resources Building in Wanchai can look like

Another view of the same building. New ideas are developing at breakneck pace. Can we catch our breath keeping up?

Perhaps these will give us an idea of what we'll look like if we don't change.

Changes are revolving around us. They're happening everywhere. Shall we be dazzled? Shall we take stock and readjust our place in the world amidst all such innovations? Or shall we stay put? Do we have a choice? 

Another Time, Another Central

Central is a place where I had been for I don't know how many years. Yet each time I passed it, I always managed to find something I don't appear to have noticed before.



Like this flower, opening out feebly yet unashamedly.

or these two little white flowers, hiding  sheepishly under the leaves

And this shoot, preparing to open.

these leaves with their mottled green

This hibiscus.

The pattern on the surface of the sea never seems to be the same.

If one bothers to look, one always finds patterns one didn't notice before.

I found these at a flower stand.

And these sparkling bolts to the escalator

strange reflected patterns of the escalators

The sun finding a final resting place on the ground

the corner of an ad box

Flowers in front of a shop

A window display

And even shiny crystal balls telling us that Christmas is just round the corner !