It’s All About Mushrooms
Originally uploaded by paulbrockmann.

What are those lumps in the foreground? Mushrooms, set out to dry! On

SO many available surfaces all OVER this mountain, I saw sheets of

plastic on the ground, all covered with mushrooms in various stages of

desiccation, or – as here – sitting by the side of a fountain dreaming

of their future in someone’s soup pot. In the next bunch of photos,

you’ll see lots of details that try to show how steep the area is, how

the mountain ranges on the other side of the valley lake just follow

each other rank upon rank into the blue distance, and just other

pretty aspects of the complex that I enjoyed.

Daoist Mtn, Buddhist Complex
Originally uploaded by paulbrockmann.

As noted, this is a Daoist sacred mountain, yet set in the midst of

it you find…a Buddhist temple complex. Would that more of the world’s

religions could get along so well and neighborly. True, Jerusalem

finds Islamic, Jewish and Christian sites side by side, but that

siting tends to breed violence and hatred…none of which were on

evidence here, I’m happy to say. Be sure to note the wheel ornament on

top of one of the buildings, sure sign you’re looking at a Buddhist

building.