Winter Bushcraft in Dalian China Among Old Wartime Japanese Trenches, Foraging Goats and Sunset

100% @ solarguy content and photos.

Unique Experience in Dalian China outside enjoying the quieter part of this odd ball city.

A short bus ride from the city centre in this pocket by the sea is an area quickly developing. I discovered this place my second summer here taking a solo hike up through some trees. I told some friends about it and we decided it was perfect for a campfire and camp out.

Chinese people don't normally go camping it's really niche so no one has ever ventured here for this purpose. We started from scratch to set up our site.

We hiked for about 30 minutes along up and over one cliff and across some leveled rough field of sand and gravel then up another cliff to the best view possible.

There were some foraging goats on our cliff. They mostly ran away as we got close accept this one who seemed to be on the lookout. He would not let me close enough to ride it. I tired.

During the occupation by Japan and also by Russia this city was one of the most prized ports to control, it is the closest distance from the Sea of China to Beijing and the port is ice free year round. It was fought over fiercely by both the Russians and the Japanese through out history. Originally it was a country called Manchuria which served as buffer zone between Korea and China. It was not until after the war that China even acknowledge this area as strategic. It was nothing more than fishing village until Russia took it but it was the Japanese later that really set its path to the 6,000,000 population it has now.

Nearly a century ago along the top of the cliff were trenches and lookout posts monitoring the harbour with large artillery pointed at any ship that ventured too close. This particular part of Dalian has some really interesting points of interest but nothing you will find on the tourist lists.

I found this cement post barely sticking out of the ground by the trenches. It means Door or closed and was probably part a structure now long destroyed over time and the cultural revolution.

Let's learn some Chinese for a moment to better understand their language which drive their culture.

Main land China uses a different looking writing system than the renegade island nations like Hong Kong and Taiwan (hehe) to name a couple that continue to use traditional Chinese writing. The writing you see in Chinatown on sign in NYC or Toronto or London etc are most liking traditional.

Chairman Mao during the cultural revolution "simplified" the writing by reducing the number of strokes needed to write a character. They look similar though.

Here is an example of Simplified for the exact same word.

And here is how to write the traditional character for open as in "open the door". The stroke order is important

Anyways that's what I was told when I showed people the photo of that cement post.

Now back to camping.

From the cliff tops we had an amazing view of Fisherman's Wharf a New England Replica you can check out at the link here. https://steemit.com/cn/@solarguy/i-landed-in-china-and-found-new-england-what-a-surprise

My friend and his girlfriend camped here over night but I went home after the sun went down. Not that I am not into winter camping I just didn't come prepared to sleep out.

Perfect picturesque campfire to keep us warm and entertained. Something about a campfire that just relaxes the soul and calms the heart. The crackle as wood heats and air pockets explode and sparks fly up into the sky.

Also great for cooking. Food also tastes better when it's cooked over a fire.

Banana Fritters for after the sun sets. Which is a banana cut open length wise throw chocolate inside, close it, wrap it in tinfoil heat over flames. Delicious.

Watching the sun dip below the hills across the water. Spectacular.

Well it was a fun night with some friends I've done it a few times including the summer.

Hope you enjoyed this.

任何时候来投票都行 我所有的票数是100％ 倡导可持续发展的未来