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Water is the soul of Xixi park and covers 70 percent of area. Six creeks weave through the park with numerous fish pools scattered between them.
Here is Xiao Mei, a tour guide in our boat.
"In history, this wetland park has an area of more than 60 square kilometers, but we plan to open only about 10 square kilometers to the public. Now, only eight square kilometers are open to the public. If we regard the Xixi area as a circle, it would take you more than five or six hours to walk to the center."
Xixi is a place rich with fish and shrimp. One can fish here during all the four seasons—a tradition that was retained after the park was formally established.
Xixi also has a profusion of plum trees. There are more than 3,000 plum trees, covering 200 square meters of land.
Persimmon trees also grow here. During autumn more than 6,000 persimmon trees are in full bloom. The park usually organizes a persimmon festival to attract more visitors to pick the mature fruit.
Our guide Lu Liang says:
"Every year when we celebrate the persimmon festival, we don't pick all the persimmons. Because the persimmons are also a special food the local fish love to eat, we usually keep some for them. When the fruit becomes mature enough and drops into the water, the fish gather to eat it all."
Xixi is also a heaven for birds. There are many bird-watching pavilions in the park. Park officials estimate the number of birds have reached 126 or roughly 50 percent of the total species in the city.
"White egrets are very often to be seen sitting on the tips of the trees and water wheat. They seem to be so relaxed, watching us quietly passing along the waterways. Here in Xixi, I feel like we are the animals who are examined by them, and they are the hosts ruling this land."
When we reach a village called Shentankou, we get out of the boat. Some camphor trees with their special smell grow along the harbor.
Lu Liang tells us a story about the camphor trees.
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