North China sculpture park

Harbin car dealership inside a mall. Smallest office cubicle I've ever seen.

From Harbin, I took a train to Changchun, also in north China

Changchun candy apple seller.

Excellent night view from my room.

Vegan dinner.

I love these massage chairs, often free at hotels in China.

In the hotel lobby you can purchase the hotel bed, pillows, blankets, sheets, towels, robes, lotion, shampoo, etc.

Nice idea for visitors to tourist spots.

The Changchun Sculpture Park comprises a huge outdoor area. There are over 400 sculptures from around the world, and also 4 sculpture galleries.

North China, Shenyang to Harbin

Shenyang street sweeper, on a frontloading bike.

Shenyang fruit seller, also on a frontloading bike.

From Shenyang I took a high-speed train north to Harbin, near the Russian border.

Zhongyang pedestrian street, Harbin.

Above 5 photos, Harbin's Temple of Bliss.

Harbin Culture Park. Huge 🐉 dragon made out of ceramic plates.

Park life

Shenyang is almost exactly 4 hours north of Beijing via the high-speed 🚆 train. (Above shot taken at Beiling Park one day after arrival.)

Another good ride

Fruit & flowers in the hotel room upon arrival, always a nice touch.

Good call heading to Beiling Park early in the morning.

Lots of dancing going on.

...also group jump roping.

Groups kicking tennis balls

Groups on unicycles.

Pretending he's drunk.

What a fantastic park!

Parting shots, China's most beautiful town

 River stepping Stones, Fenghuang Old Town.

 Miao woman.

 Great views at Inkstone Coffee.

 Airport shot.

Parting shot, Fenghuang.

The Miao people, south-central China

These people were on the tour to the Miao village.

Before that tour, I first went from Beijing to the city of Changsha. This was on 2 high-speed trains connected.

Our lodgings were very different in Changsha (above photo) and Fenghuang (below).

Fenghuang is said to be one of the most beautiful towns in China.

Many restaurants here display the live animals out front in cages and aquariums, for customers to choose from.

Our tour group hiking up to visit a Miao village. The Miao are a predominant minority in this south-central region of China.

Our tour guide.

Washing area just outside the village.

Kitchen of the Miao restaurant where we ate a fantastic lunch.

Smoking meat inside the restaurant.

Oops, duplicate photo.

Early evening and I thought the tour was finished, but we ended up doing a 2-hour hike in a local national park

...then yet another stop. This time outside of town at a huge crafts market.

Fenghuang is beautiful at night.

Breakfast on Yinji Inn's terrace.

For 128 yuan, about $20, you get a 2-day ticket in Fenghuang. This is good for 8 cultural sites in town, and a boat ride on the river.