YangCheng Lake Island

 After the crab feast, we needed a walk to allow the Yin and Yang within us to achieve balance.  Our island in YangCheng Lake was, conveniently, laid out with paved walking paths that wound their way through traditional farms and fishing docks.  I say "conveniently" because it appears to be very much a thing for the visitors.  The farms were a little too picturesque.  None of the plots looked like someone's next meal was depending upon it. 

The top photo shows a couple selling fresh sugar cane and other refreshments.  (The sugar cane is good - you strip off the outer stalk and then eat it like a candy bar.)  These folks are old enough, I suspect, to have truly lived off of the land and the lake.  Their faces look to have seen a lot of sun and wind.  They are not thick around the middle from a lifetime of overeating.

 Despite the Disney-like feeling of fakery, it was a nice enough stroll.  The photo above shows set of windmills used to pump water from the lake into irrigation ditches.  The photo below shows one of the garden plots, with sections planted with sweet corn and beans and greens of all kinds.

 Below is a coopful of chickens.  I suspect they are happy that crab season is in full swing and that they are dreading the day when they become, by default, the most popular item on the menu.

 Photo below shows an irrigation mechanism that is on display.  On the lower right of the photo, you can see the belt of paddles that lifts the water through a trough from the lake below.  At center, you can see Ni Jun working the drive mechanism.  Normally, this is a job done by water buffalo.  Ni Jun decided to try it with pure manpower.  He found that it is easy enough at first, but then it becomes steadily harder as the water is lifted and you have to fight against its weight on the paddles.  (Remember high school physics?  W=F*d, F=M*A, A=Gc W=M*Gc*d)

 Below are the water buffalo that normally do the work.  They probably didn't study physics in high school.  They just know it's hard work.  And they are just bemused to watch the humans do the work while they gnaw on the grass.