Zhangjiajie, world heritage site in Hunan province

Beginning of a spectacular trail to unimaginable sights.

I'm allowed at least one tourisy photo, right?

Start of the long uphill walk.

A most unique looking performance hall. Feast your eyes on the magnificent scenery!

Visit to local scenic village. Due to the abundance of rushing mountain streams, waterwheels are ever-present.

The Yellow Dragon Caves--mammoth in size, with thousands of steps and winding paths, as well as an underground river that took 30 minutes on a boat to tour its distance.

Door to Heaven Gap--999 steep steps!!! I would have passed had I not noticed elderly folks on their hands and knees passing me by to get to the altar on top. So I took the challenge. Thank God that was the last climb of the trip to Zhangjiajie! My legs are done.

Narrow pasage on a glass walkway--with a plunging view down the mountain's side. My hands still sweat just looking at this photo! Smiling Buddha statue and temple at the bottom.

Colorful city by the river, especailly at night. First, viewed from a bridge.

Now viewed from one of the tour boats.

Note people doing their washings by the river's edge, and of course, photos to be taken on shore by the ever-present tourists.

Visit to a scenic, tribal village.

Photo with pretty native girls, and beautiful scenery viewed from the village.

Nearby pagoda and white yak for tourists to take pictures on--at a price.

Ancient city wall; welcome by the natives.

Jiuzhaigou, world heritage site north of Sichuan, on the edge of the Tibetan plateau

Enter the magificent sites of Jiuzhaigou, into a sea of mountain ranges, rushing streams and waterfalls of crystal-clear water at every turn, ice-capped mountains, plunging valleys, and the most tightly-packed tourist site ever known to men! For a site that accommodates 7,000-8,000 tourists, there were over 23,000 on the day I was there. Thousands of steps to climb, and miles of mountain paths to walk--and I came out alive!