South China Summer 2011

Hong Kong from Kowloon across Victoria Harbor.

Our village of Shui Hau on Tai Yu Shan (Lantau) Island, Hong Kong.

Gwen drives a bargain in the Jade Market, Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Tai Yu Shan's great tourist destination. The bronze Buddha overlooks Ngong Ping.

Lantau Peak from Ngong Ping. We would climb this 3,000' summit near the end of the program.

_Nephyla_, a common, large and beautiful orb-weaver in the region.

Courtyard of The Affiliated High School of South China Normal University. Students and their school would host us for the next two weeks.

At the Opening Ceremony. Global Market Group, Victoria Plaza, Guangzhou.

Huang Pu, Guangzhou.

Huang Pu Ancient Village.

Bentley & Micah. Family Academy, Huang Pu Ancient Village.

Boarding the ferry at Huang Pu.

Banana flower in farming area of Huang Pu.

Front hall in an old house in Huang Pu. The house was built in the 1930's.

Nathan & Micah listen to Biology Teacher Dong Mingming. Sun Yatsen University, Museum of Natural History.

Study through drawing at Sun Yatsen University. Wang Shan with Teacher Dong.

Guangdong Institute of Ecology and Soil Science.

Guangzhou Zoo. Some of our students fed the Pandas in the morning.

Sally thinking big. Guangzhou Zoo.

Preparing breakfast for the giraffes.

Feeding the giraffes.

On the way back from lunch. Sun Yatsen University.

At the Guangzhou Zoo.

Historic District, Guangzhou.

Nathan is still at work. Xiguan Cultural Museum in Guangzhou's Historic District.

Haze settles in over Guangzhou's downtown. Time to go to Hainan.

China Southern would take us there...

... but only following an airport delay.

Welcome to Hainan, China's most southerly and tropical province.

The campus of Hainan Middle School, Haiku, Hainan. Four students from HMS would join us for the week.

Hainan Middle School is Hainan's most reputable high school. The statue honors Confucius.

Botanical Garden, Hainan Middle School.

Botanical Garden, Hainan Middle School.

Hainan Volcano Park near Haiku.

Yes, we know, too many pictures of Nathan.

Primary Cinder Cone, Hainan Volcano Park. Haiku lies in the distance.

Donggangzhai Mangrove Conservation Area near Haiku. Riding a train of boats through the preserve.

The mountains of Southeastern Hainan on our way to Jianfengling Forest.

A photo frenzy...

...instigated by a Bamboo Beetle.

The Yulingu Resort in the Jianfengling Forest was home for one night. At several thousand feet, this region was cool and damp.

_Ahaetulla_ _prasina_. This Jade Vine Snake was not shy around people.

Another orb-weaver.

Our trusted transportation around Hainan. A skilled driver negotiated narrow, rutted dirt roads as well as city streets.

Rainforest, Mingfeng Valley, Jianfengling Forest. Just over a mile of boardwalk took us through an enchanting forest.

A giant earthworm. Mingfeng Valley Rainforest.

Micah spotted this creature on a root tangle...

...it's a walking stick. Mingfeng Valley.

A beautiful example of buttress roots. Mingfeng Valley.

This bizarre mushroom in the Mingfeng Valley Rainforest caught Gwen's eye...

...in the end, she decided not to eat it, and she put it back in the ground.

Bird's Nest Fern, Mingfeng Valley Rainforest.

End of day swim, Yulingu Resort, Jianfengling Forest. (Yet another photo of Nathan- no really- he's the white splash to the right of the image.)

Xia Tao, GATP Honorary Director and Lead Instructor for this program, enjoys it too.

Fresh to salt water. Hainan's most southerly coast at the Tianya-Haijiao Scenic Area, Sanya, Hainan.

Tianya-Haijiao Scenic Area, surrounded by the South China Sea to the east and south, and by the Gulf of Tonkin to the west.

Tianya-Haijiao Scenic Area. Life on the rocks...

...under the coconut palms...

...or climbing them...

...or feeding the animals.

Big East Beach, Sanya, Hainan. Fieldwork has its challenges...

...including body surfing...

...digging a hole to North America...

...and artistic expression...

...OK, no comment.

Yanoda Rain Forest Resort near Sanya. A bit of Disney meets Rainforest.

This is a photo of _Python_ _molurus_, not of Nathan. Yanoda, Sanya, Hainan.

Rachel at Yanoda.

Ned and Golden Bamboo at Yanoda.

OK- this one is of Nathan- always willing to pose with flowering ginger. Yanoda, Sanya.

Final Presentations, Sanya, Hainan.

Expressions of Nature in Eastern and Western Art.

Leaf Form and Function in tropical rain forests.

Another Final Presentation.

Preparing to part ways on the trip back to Guangzhou. Students left messages in each others' journals.

Back in Hong Kong. Time for a quick sketch overlooking a ravine on the climb to Lantau Peak.

Climbing Lantau Peak.

At the summit.

Many insects are blown to summits, including this Mantis- native to this region.

Enjoying the first western meal in several weeks...

...and music by Johnny Spitz at The Gallery, Tong Fuk, Tai Yu Shan, Hong Kong, before the long trip home to the United States.

In the end...

...it's the friendships made that matter most!