Charlie, Writer of the Day

On the way to the Stone Forest we stopped at a stone carvers workshop and Charlie noticed that each large lion had a loose sphere carved inside it’s mouth

Harrison and Charlie show off the rice paddy hats they wore for sun protection as they hiked.

Sarah rests during the climb. "Geologists say the Stone Forest is a typical example of karsts topography. Approximately 270 million years ago - during the carboniferous period of the Paleozoic era - the region was a vast expanse of sea. Over time, the movements of the lithosphere gradually caused a retreat of the waters and the rise of the limestone landscape. Due to constant erosion by the elements, the area finally developed into the present-day Stone Forest."

Stephanie on the steps of one particularly steep decent.

The national dress of the Yi people is beautifully decorated with embroidered ribbons and panels.

Lunch after our hike was at the Blue Duck.

Today we said goodbye to our host families and got on a bus to the Stone Forest. During the ride we had an opportunity to reflect upon all the fun we had with our host brothers and sisters. I had a wonderful time with my host brother, Li Xie. Over the three days we spent together we played badminton and went swimming in the pool by his apartment. His grandma was so upset with my leaving, she started to cry when I hugged her good bye and I realized then how much of an impact my visit had on his family.

After driving on the bus for over an hour, we stopped at the Blue Duck Restaurant for a wonderful lunch. From here it was not far to the Stone Forest where I found myself amazed by how tall the rock formations were. Our guide led us through the “forest’s” winding trails, showing us all the facets of the stone pieces as we went along. There were rock formations that looked like elephants, eagles, phoenixes, and other animals. It was truly a life-changing experience because I had never seen anything like the Stone Forest in my life. I would definitely want to go back because we only saw a small portion of all there was to see.

After leaving, we traveled back to our hotel where we attended a banquet with our Chinese friends. At the end of dinner, after the gifts had been exchanged, we said good bye. I left feeling a strong connection been formed between the Chinese and the Americans.

The characters on the rock in the center of the stone forest say "Stone Forest" in script used during the Han Dynasty, 206BC - 220AD

Our guide, of the Yi minority people, led us through the Stone
Forest.

Ms Skawski Pride and Stephanie travel the path through the narrow paths of the Stone Forest

The paths were steep and some quite narrow.

A in the park reminding visitors to appreciate this unusual setting.

the students managed to get ready for the banquet in record time after our late arrival back from the Stone Forest. The traffic in Kunming can be quite unpredictable.