Nanhui blossom festival report

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So I trekked out with my friend yesterday for some blossom viewing. Luckily she has a driver so we had a car, but despite our best efforts it was still hard to find a concrete address or phone number of some sort. So we set off around 11am and when we go to Pudong her driver stopped the car at the red light, got out of the car and asked a taxi driver in the next lane for directions. My poor friend was cringing, and I and the taxi passengers were laughing at his antics, as he did this over and over again!

So, after almost 2 hours we finally arrived there, in the town where Ang Lee filmed "Lust Caution".

We were pretty hungry by the time we arrived so we ate at the restaurant which happened to be there too, and sampled some local dishes. My friends is a vegetarian and I wanted to play it safe so ordered mostly vegetarian dishes too. We also invited her driver to eat with us, he didn't think he was supposed to.

After a hearty lunch of very healthy simple Chinese food we paid the entrance fee (30 RMB) and set off in search of blossoms.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned yesterday, the stupid recent crappy weather has blown many many petals off the poor blossoms so they looked very naked. :( boohoo.

Firstly we went inside the mini museum they had set up inside a straw hut. It showed various primitive implements used in farming and outfits and stuff like that. It was interested but we didn't stay long because we realised the performances on stage would be ending soon so we rushed off to see that...

They had various acts going on on the stage and we had a look at that. It was a weekday so there weren't that many people there...

The stage


Lion dancing


Long dragon


Dancers


I said to my friend - is that christmas tree foil cut-outs on those straw hats? hahaha


Elderly ladies watching


Bee on blossom


Fields of peach blossom trees


Fields of yellow rapeseed flowers


There were little old ladies selling vegetables, tadpoles, etc. There were also people selling guinea pigs and they tried to tell us they were rats or rabbits. What the-? We didn't believe them though. But it's not like they were lying, they were just very very ignorant. It was scary and funny at the same time!

There were also various tables of crafts which you could purchase - chinese paper cuts, candy that looks like it was glass blown, silhouette paper cut outs, pearl necklaces, dolls, miniature toy bikes made of wire, bone carving pendants, etc..

Cute animals made of dried grass blades (each takes 2 days to make!)


There was also the God of Marriage (I believe that's what he is) and we all threw coins into the bowl. I got mine in first go, so I hope that it means I'll have good luck or something.

I had the most amazing time yesterday. I couldn't stop laughing. It was just so funny and so much fun! I guess it helped that I had great company and perfect weather (warm, sunny, little wind, not hot and not cold).