Counting Crows on Tài Shān
When I think of heaven
Deliver me in a black-winged bird
I think of flying down into a sea of pens and feathers
And all other instruments of faith and sex and God
In the belly of a black-winged bird.
I climbed Mount Tai on Friday. A group of us took an overnight train to Tai'an, dropped off our stuff in a hotel room, and headed off to the hallowed mountain. Once there, we bundled into a bus that took us about midway. From there, we started-up a stone path that now brings to mind the song Stairway to Heaven. I must say that I'm darn glad that I've been using a stair machine during my workouts at gym or I just wouldn't have made it.
Actually, I made a commitment to myself that I'd finish the climb the top three of the group. Just to show that this old foreigner could still do some strenuous activity. I came in second. A poor second. I mean, meekly sliding my right arm up the railing on the wall, staggering my feet one in front of the other as I winched myself up, panting, wheezing, willing my arm out again, and so forth.
So, dear reader, you might be wondering about the trials and tribulations of the person from our group who reached the top first. Well, here are some pictures:
Deliver me in a black-winged bird
I think of flying down into a sea of pens and feathers
And all other instruments of faith and sex and God
In the belly of a black-winged bird.
I climbed Mount Tai on Friday. A group of us took an overnight train to Tai'an, dropped off our stuff in a hotel room, and headed off to the hallowed mountain. Once there, we bundled into a bus that took us about midway. From there, we started-up a stone path that now brings to mind the song Stairway to Heaven. I must say that I'm darn glad that I've been using a stair machine during my workouts at gym or I just wouldn't have made it.
Actually, I made a commitment to myself that I'd finish the climb the top three of the group. Just to show that this old foreigner could still do some strenuous activity. I came in second. A poor second. I mean, meekly sliding my right arm up the railing on the wall, staggering my feet one in front of the other as I winched myself up, panting, wheezing, willing my arm out again, and so forth.
So, dear reader, you might be wondering about the trials and tribulations of the person from our group who reached the top first. Well, here are some pictures:
Yep, whilst I was dreading each and every step, young Jeffery here, while not taking time to pose for a picture, was happily serpentining his way up to the top...
When I did make it there, I unhitched my backpack of camera gear, found a nice place to lay down, and used the backpack as a pillow. I relaxed by blasted August and Everything After in my Bluetooth headset, and took advantage of the looming cell-tower to check my email... I also became a tourist attraction as a fellow photographer ushered my companions out of the way to get an unencumbered shot of me.
Technology meets the ancient world on Tài Shān.
