On the way to the Botanical Gardens

Tuesday, Mark & I took the afternoon to eat lunch at a new favorite restaurant, Green Tea, and visit the Botanical Gardens. On our first trip to the gardens last spring, we discovered a peaceful, green park outside the city where all kinds of flowers bloomed and dotted the landscape. On both trips we apparently just missed peak season of many flowers, like tulips (then) and roses (now). But just walking the paths bordering different sections, such as the peony garden, the rose garden, and the hosta garden brought enjoyable calm. Tuesday we decided to walk the mile into park to the Cherry Valley but got waylaid by cresting a knoll with a lookout gazebo. Naturally we found people to talk to there. As we sat admiring the plants and space and talking with a local man, we realized he was also admiring the Creation and telling us about how page 1 of God's Word explains why it is so beautiful. That led to more conversation, us quietly asking if he believes God's Word and has faith. He confirmed so we had a nice long chat as best we could in our limited Chinese and his very limited English. Eventually we exited the park together, him taking us out a different gate than we entered. That meant we didn't know where to catch the bus. He wound us through the neighboring streets, among the street vendors, cars, and people to the bus station. Upon discovering that bus he had in mind didn't go where we needed, he led us to another area to wait for the correct bus. He then rode the bus with us all the way until we disembarked the bus at a subway station. 

Just for fun, I stuck my camera out the bus window and took pictures on the way to the Botanical Gardens. It was about 2:30 going to the park. Coming back around 6, I realized I should have taken pictures coming home since people, carts, and cars bustling down the streets and alleys created a more lively scene.

Eating salad at the Green Tea Restaurant

a bus stop

commemorating 70 years of the end of World War II