Yesterday, I did another great discovery in Jinghong, Xishuangbanna: a botanical garden surrounded by abandoned elements!
Next to the park: the abandoned Olympic pool
If you follow my blog, you know that I particularly like abandoned swimming pools, especially the long ones… The ones that are olympic-size. After finding an indoor olympic-size pool in Datong, I found an outdoor one in Xishuangbanna! How did I spot it? I noticed a compound of abandoned buildings just next to the Tropical Garden. It was part of a night market that closed a few years ago because the area will be replaced by a new planning project of aesthetic (though completely un-natural) canal joining the Mekong river.
Night market entrance, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Abandoned night market building, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Abandoned night market building, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Abandoned building, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015
Behind one of these abandoned buildings, I saw an overgrown swimming pool, that was really beautiful!
Abandoned pool and building, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Olympic pool, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Pool reflection, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Olympic size, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Stroller in pool, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Diving boards, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Overgrown pool side, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Overgrown pool side, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Pool ecosystem, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Overgrown pool ladder, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Overgrown graffiti, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015
Inside the park: the abandoned greenhouse
The tropical garden in itself is a very beautiful place to visit. It has a very large surface and the flowers and trees are really diversified. Although it is very well maintained, there are some strange things inside, like this abandoned truck in the middle of a sightseeing spot or those abandoned sofas outside…
Abandoned truck, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Last drive : 2002, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Overgrown sofas, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015
But what made me the happiest person in the world was the discovery of an abandoned greenhouse. The metal structure was huge and the place had clearly been abandoned for several years. The result was an eerie but fascinating jungle, especially with the sunset light.
Greenhouse, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015It started in an organized way, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Abandoned and overgrown greenhouse, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Core of the structure, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Wild flowers, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Tropical fruit tree, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Harmony of metal and nature, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Greenhouse in sunset, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Greenhouse in sunset, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Metal and wild grass, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015Shadows of greenhouse in the sunset, Tropical Flowers Garden, Dec 2015