Year of the 🐖 pig

Soon hundreds of millions of Chinese will be on the road, heading to hometowns or elsewhere to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Dawn and I took a quick trip to Shanghai before the travel fenzy hits...

 I love traveling by train in China.

 ... though sometimes it gets very crowded.

Out on the platform, en route from Beijing to Shanghai.

 Smokers on the platform, Beijing South Railway Station.

 Above photo and 4 below, preparations for the upcoming new year's celebration in Shanghai.

 Above photo and below, wedding photo shoot at You Yuan Garden, Shanghai.

 Above photo and 3 below, Shanghai street shots.

A room with a view. Shanghai has one of the best skylines in the world.

The iconic Pearl Tower, looks like something out of a 1950s sci-fi movie. In the basement is the wonderful Shanghai History Museum.

Fast food ad at a Shanghai subway station.

Taishan: sacred Taoist mountain

Taishan is one of China's most famous Taoist sacred mountains. It's about 7,000 steps to the top, though the cable car can reduce that by about half.

A nice sunny winter day for the hike.

Very lively up near the top, with shops, restaurants, inns.

Pilgrims praying near Taishan's peak.

The busy, colorful Jade Emperor Taoist Temple, near the peak.

Heaven Street, nor far from the sumit.