Choonies - favorite parks

[The Choonies]

Changchun has so many beautiful parks and I get to see a fair amount of them with my son Thomas.

So I thought we should make a list of parks that we enjoy.

I'll kick it off with South Lake Hotel park which is like a hidden gem for foreigners. It has secret pagodas, and a network of very secluded paths. You don't see many people and it's a great place to find peace and tranquility. I once met a big stag there - just came out from some trees and stared at me before disappearing once more into the forest.

There are 2 hotels there that I have been in and a small foreign food shop, there is also an outdoor swimming pool but it's rather expensive. The German hotel as I call it  - is very welcoming.

I eat there occasionally - breakfast - European style but usually I go there to enjoy the park and take photos. Here are a few. There are so many hidden gems in this place and as long as you treat the place as a treasure we foreigners will be allowed access.

[The Choonies]

This blog is morphing into a group - and it's a very cumbersome process due to site restrictions so ignore the extra traffic of useless comments that will report my every move. Sorry.

[The Choonies]

The Changchun Zoo and Botanical park is a huge area of land and has 1000's of animals, the main entrance to be found on Ziyou Dalu.
Zoos are usually shunned by some but this place should be seen - it is quite impressive in parts.

It is a beautiful park in itself with so many seclude areas to escape into.
As most people go there to see the animals it means that it is easy to disappear into the woods and actually be alone, something I've never achieved in NanHu Park.
Today, Monday 28th of May 2012, was a very busy day with 1000s of school students from many different schools, marching around in class units.
Many adopted Thomas for short periods and he had a fun day playing with all his new friends.
But we still found total seclusion when we needed and there seems to be no restrictions to the areas that don't house animals.
I took so many photos and there is so much to capture. I also shot a lot of video and will try later to load them and link them here..
Lots of the animals run free and most have quite big areas to run around but there are some that look as if they are not too happy.

However, this park is developing fast and so much has been improved and so much more is in development, so in the future this will be a fantastic attraction to visit.
There are so many places where you can get really close to the animals and as you can see in some cases you can be with them completely.

We discovered these deer in the forest running free and Thomas loved running with them - we were the only 2 people there at that time.

It's 30 yuan to enter the zoo (Thomas gets in free) but you can't leave and return, so bring a picnic as there are great areas to sit down away from the crowds and there are on;ly the usual snacks shacks with the usual snacks and drinks but at a higher price.
There is also a large amusement park and the rides look safe enough but I didn't try and again I expect it will cost but with so many school kids in the park the queues were long and it was a very hot day.

It was a great day for Thomas and I will go back again.
And remember, if zoo animals are not your thing then just visit the park areas - it's still worth 30 yuan.

[The Choonies]

The Children's Park or Er Tong Gong Yuan on Renmin Dajie and opposite Peony gardens is a great park and has so much for children to do but is dominated by the elderly of Changchun. The older generations have a great time in this park and can be seen singing, dancing and playing games all over the park.

It's also a very beautiful park with lots to see.  It has a fairly big lake that you can pedalo for an hour for 60 yuan. 

Each time I see something different. Like today I saw them ballroom dance, play dominoes, and one young man was playing the flute quite beautifully. 

The children's area is a wee bit past its best but Thomas adores it and loves 

the miniature train ride the best which is 20 yuan for 3 circuits of the track.

It's a pretty park with plenty of places to take good photos. There are plenty of places to grab a snack and have a sit down but nowhere to sit on the grass and have a picnic like some other parks.

A great park for kids and people who like to see the elderly Chinese enjoy themselves.

[The Choonies]

Changchun's famous flower garden is in bloom for one week so don't miss it. 

The park is called Mu dan yuan  or Peony Gardens - Mu dan is Chinese for Peony and this is the flower that blooms for one week only and this is the week.

It's on Renmin dajie and opposite the children's park so you can visit both.

Unfortunately, because of the strange winter 

we just had the spectacle is not as great as previous years but it's still worth a look.

This is really a large garden and not a park hence Yuan the Chinese for Garden.

It's easy to get there but it's difficult to get a taxi from that spot so wander across Renmin Dajie and visit the Children's park.

[The Choonies]

Great summer photos and I maybe know this one. 

We need to get the Chinese address in Pinyin and Chinese Characters.

Richard mentions South Lake which I always call NanHu which is huge and has a large variety of activities and things to see. It has many entrances with my favourite entrance being on Yan An Dalu - quieter and always has lots of groups dancing and singing near the gate - very happy area of the park.

[David Emmerson Nicholson]

Changchun Park was pretty good last year, as they had grown a lot of tulips and it was so colourful

[Richard Roman]

Well, , South lake Park is the biggest and I watched the beginning of the last World Cup there - with a beer of course!

Jingyuetan is amazing - will post more about that on another occasion