Xuanwu Lake

Hello blog readers! It's your blog poster! This past Sunday was warm and sunny, probably one of the last nice days before the cold starts creeping into Nanjing. So Sophie, Lela and I fulfilled something from my Nanjing bucket list: renting boat at Xuanwu Lake!

Xuanwu Lake is enormous and right in the middle of the city. It is close to Purple Mountain, another big tourist attraction and proud owner of a spot on my Nanjing bucket list. The lake has always been fairly crowded when I have gone, but it's still really relaxing. There are tons of stands with trinkets and snacks. There are lots of people dancing and singing. It's just a nice place to be on a sunny Sunday afternoon...

 The gate entrance to the lake

 Come on Lela, don't be shy!

 We're on a BOAT

 Who thought it was OK for me to drive?

 Even though we were technically driving a motorboat, it moved at a snail's pace so I could take pictures even while steering. When we were headed toward another boat on the lake, it was like a slow motion almost crash. Each driver had a panicked face but the boat turned REALLY slowly... and if we had hit them it would have been really uneventful.

 View from the boat

Wide open waters 

 A lovely pavilion












View of the city

 Such a pretty bridge!

Wish you were here... 

 We may or may not have made it underneath this bridge without hitting the roof of the boat.

I drive with my feet. It's really no biggie. 

 Just living the life...

So am I now an intrepid sailor? I say, yes. China Doll, voyager and conqueror of the great Xuanwu Lake!