China

I’m now at Dalian Train Station waiting for a train to Dandong. I arrived in Dalian the morning before last and stayed for two days. In early November, Dalian had just started its heating season. Sometimes the smog is heavy, with the city shrouded under gray smoke from suburban chimneys, but once the wind picks up, the smog is blown out of the city very quickly, revealing the cloudless sky—deep and crystalline blue, characteristic of higher latitudes (compared with southern China). When the weather clears, the sea looks beautiful. Sea-viewing is often best from high ground, so you can see the water’s aquamarine hue under the blue sky. Haizhiyun Park is an excellent vantage point: it’s a small hill along the southeastern coast of the urban area. Enter from the park’s north gate and head uphill; after a short climb you’ll reach the summit and take in the sea view. Following the mountain path, you can watch cruise ships in the distance carving tracks across the sea; closer in, you can see seaside cliffs, and the water is emerald and clear enough to reveal stones beneath the surface. Even in late autumn, Dalian’s sunlight is still intense, and the slightly dry air adds to the illusion that you’re somewhere on the Mediterranean as you walk along the coastal mountain path. ...