My hotel room. See, fairly swank. Not pictured: lurid ads for prostitutes.
The very beginning of the trek. According to legend, this is where Confucius began his ascent. The Chinese inscription on the gate just says "The first gate".
A few of the six thousand steps, all sized, unfortunately for me, for a much smaller Chinese foot. Imagine schlepping all this stone to the top of the mountain.
The nearby woods.
The initial glimpses of the peak. Note the outcroppings of ancient greenstone.
Climbing up the stairs, seeing the peak.
The peak again, from the midpoint of the climb, called "The Midway Gate to Heaven".
Mist, peak, trees.
The insane view from the cafe at the midway gate where I had some tea and refueled. Tea in foreground, freakin' Taishan in the background.
I continue the climb. Seems like I was kinda peak fixated.
Pretty much my view for half the climb.
Waterfall over an inscription in the rock. Probably more dramatic come springtime.
Some insane calligraphy on the mountain side.
The trail up, with a ways to go.
Aaaaaaall the way up.
This is near the top, I think, an example of the breathtaking scenery
A marvelous rocky outcropping. A sign that looks ironic in this photograph.
From pretty much at the top.
The surrounding mountains
Believe it or not, the best picture I was able to take on Taishan. I guess serenity looks like someone took a dump in my cereal.
The Jade Emperor Temple, at the very peak of the mountain. The guy wearing the skullcap in the background is actually an ethnically Han Muslim, or Hui.
Temple complexes on the mountain.
More shots from the peak.
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