Jim’s MSA Blog

Sight-seeing for a day

August 12th, 2007

Despite the heat, Jim was feeling good so we took a taxi to The West Lake to see the legendary pink lotus flowers in bloom. They bloom only in the heat of August, and some of the plants can reach six feet tall. Lotus leaves have a wing span of 12 to 18 inches and the flowers are incredibly delicate multi-shaded pink blossoms rising out of the water on thin, graceful stalks. It is breathtaking.

The Lake itself is beautiful, with stone bridges and wheeping willows. The large sycamore trees in Lakeside Park create a lovely canopy (and welcome shade) as we walked past historical buildings and gardens. There are always eager helpers who rush to our aid in getting the wheelchair up and over a curb, or through a too-narrow door opening.

We finally found the Zhejiang West Lake Gallery and went inside to see the Last Days of Pompeii exhibit. Exceptional! It’s pretty amazing to be able to get that up close and personal with a dining couch and a wall mural from this ancient Roman period. The delicate patterns and incredible craftsmanship in their jewlery and silver goblets are mesmerizing. It makes you wonder not only about the people who owned these things…but about those who made them.

We commandered another taxi before Jim got heat stroke and and soon we were collapsing in our air-conditioned room back at the hospital. We took out the computer and opened up our emails. There was one from Dr. Wu, stressing how important it was for Jim to stay out of the heat and sun.

Whoops.

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