#4: [13-Dec-03]

#3: [16-Mar-03]

#1: [19-Jan-02]

01-Jun-2002 -- On our way from Hong Kong to Guangzhou, I suggested to Jenny that we pop into 23°N 114°E to check on the progress of the construction work that had been under way when I first visited it over four months earlier.

Considerable progress had indeed been made, with the two large buildings to the west of the confluence basically complete, however construction of yet more buildings to the north and east was now in full swing.

Of most interest was, at almost the exact point of the confluence, the addition of a large, tricoloured (orange, green and deteriorating yellow) monument, holding aloft a silver ball between its three columns. I wonder if the placement of this monument, so close to the confluence point, was by design, or whether it merely wound up there by accident?

Another new feature, not present last time, was a spectacular fountain in the middle of the lake, shooting jets of water high into the sky. In this photo, which was taken from just in front of the monument, you can also see some hideous-looking boats moored at the curiously (and unoriginally) named Fisherman's Wharf.

I took several shots, similar to those I took last time, for comparison purposes:

Looking north:	18-Jan-2002	01-Jun-2002
Looking south:	18-Jan-2002	01-Jun-2002
Looking east:	18-Jan-2002	01-Jun-2002
Looking west:	18-Jan-2002	01-Jun-2002
Lake view:	18-Jan-2002	01-Jun-2002

Before leaving, we dropped into the estate sales office, posing as would-be buyers. A pointer-wielding sales representative engaged Jenny in avid conversation, as they looked over a large scale-model of the entire complex.

We learned that a 95-square-metre, three-bedroom unit would set us back 300,000 yuan, or roughly US$37,500. The glossy brochures they gave us also mentioned express train and bus links to Hong Kong, taking 70 and 90 minutes respectively.