Scout camping trip - somewhere in Suzhou

Last weekend Reid, Riley and I headed out for the Cub Scout fall camping trip.  I don't exactly know where we were, but somehow our pack found this little oasis in the middle of Suzhou.  No one was there, I'm guessing because it was 65 deg. and you had to pay to get in.  Regardless, it was very peaceful!

We did get the shakedown too by the night security guy, hitting us with an "overnight fee".  We negotiated to get kids half off.  Quote of the weekend (while on a hike):  "I know this is the way back, I recognize that piece of trash".

The campsite.  Ours was the green tent in the middle.

Inner pond in the temple.

This guy looks like he immigrated.  Definitely not Buddha.  If I could have read anything I could tell you who or what he is.  Oh well.

Safety instructions first.

This was at the top of the mountain in the earlier photo.  Those red ribbons tied to the tress are prayers.

You can almost see another temple through the smog, nestled in the hills.

Reid and Riley.  The UFO is a sunflower seed flying at me.

Riley hiked the whole way with the bag of seeds in hand.

Back in the temple, this is where most of the prayers are done, of course.

Nice quite card game.

More prayers.

There was a little grove of ginko trees in one of the courtyards.  Beautiful!

Fire Fire Fire Fire.  We roasted meat on sticks.  MMM, good.

This consumed about an hour of my life.

Final shot of the motley crew.