Categories
Photos Say What??

Say What?? Travel Photo: Clean Up!

China does nothing on a small scale. Between the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, you may have picked up on this. But their fascination with doing things big time stretches throughout the country, leading to some hefty decor for the UNESCO World Heritage Sites!

You’re probably thinking, “But I thought World Heritage Sites were supposed to be preserved ‘as is,’ not ‘improved?'” Well it’s not quite the World Heritage Sites themselves that they’re “improving” (though that’s debatable), but rather the areas around the World Heritage Sites! After all, you have to give your World Heritage Site a sort of grand entryway, right?

Much like at Emei Shan, which I had previously seen in my travels, Lijiang, undoubtedly the tourist hot spot of the Yunnan province, had an entryway that was nothing short of (fake) glamour. Its grandeur only further serves to remind you just how modern China is compared to what you find on the other side of the wall…

Lijiang Side Street

But as you explore this large plaza that greets visitors before giving way to the tiny (and jam packed) streets of old Lijiang, it’s hard to miss the signage that’s been scattered about, offering words of wisdom to would-be park goers. Some of them read like an old-style Chinese proverb. Take this one, for example:

"Waste papers you pick, deep affections you send"

For a strangely translated sign, this one actually makes quite a bit of sense… Pick up some trash and you’re telling the Earth you love it… Right?

Say What?? is a weekly series featuring numerous hilarious signs from my travels. Check back every Tuesday for updates! Or better yet, subscribe to my RSS feed to receive them automatically!
email

By Aaron

Hey there! I'm Aaron and this is my travel site, where I document my adventures to all corners of the world. My love for travel started at the ripe old age of four, when a midlife crisis uprooted my family to Ecuador for five years. Since then, I've been to countries on 4 different continents. When I'm not blissfully on the road, I reside in New York City, where I become the ultimate travel junkie and spend my days dreaming up my next great adventure! Read More...

4 replies on “Say What?? Travel Photo: Clean Up!”

Leave a Reply to Aaron Cancel reply

%d bloggers like this: