高艺德 gāoyìdé | Make connections Build bridges

This is a collection of sights, creations, experiences and reflections. Tune in if you are curious and keep an open-mind. If you have got any questions or feedback, please contact me by email at darrylwestley@hotmail.com

🟡 | ⚪ | ⚫ | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 🦁

20/12/15

Seasonal Greetings

I'm putting the star on top of the tree.

06/12/15

🐉

I created this origami dragon by modifying an existing crane model.

15/11/15

🐼

Bamboo leaf models bought from a skilled street vendor.

01/11/15

👻

Halloween themed origami.

My art is documented on my Instagram: @daz.darryl

25/10/15

Alphabet

I've kept my thumbs busy and completed the origami alphabet (uppercase). Here are a few letter combinations for your amusement.

The origami letters are designed by Jo Nakashima.

My art is documented on my Instagram: @daz.darryl

18/10/15

Letters

Origami practise from the last seven days (one letter each day).

11/10/15

Origami practise

Origami practise from the last seven days (one model each day).

05/10/15

Origami practise

Origami practise from the last seven days (one model each day).

03/10/15

Lotus Hill

'I love the lotus because while growing from mud, it is unstained.' - Zhou Dunyi. We hiked Lotus Hill, Guangzhou, China.

Quote discovered on this website: https://www.brainyquote.com/

27/09/15

Origami practise

Origami practise from the last seven days (one model each day).

21/09/15

Origami practise

Origami practise from the last seven days (one model each day).

20/09/15

🐇

I made a couple of origami rabbits and now I seem to have a problem on my hands.

04/09/15

🎈

An unusual exhibition of balloon sculptures at 华南MALL, Wanjiang, Dongguan, China.

20/08/15

Peace and love

Thank you to everyone who I met along the way and shared a moment through the artform that is origami. These beautiful objects are a reminder of the time we spent together.

16/08/15

The Ageless People

We travelled further into Shangri-La (north east), passing lush green hills and fields along the way. The slate grey sky wasn't the picturesque blue I imagined.

Songzalin Monastery was an impressive sight from the lake. Colourful prayer flags fluttered in the wind. Up close and personal, the Monastery was far from a spiritual experience in part due to the high volume of tourists. A nearby village was still under construction. I saw a lady perhaps double my age engaging in manual labour.

In the evening my spirits were boosted by consuming yak meat and joining in the Tibetan folk dancing in the public square.

The following day, Potatso National Park turned out to be a series of well maintained linear tourist paths. The paths meandered around the dense forest and expansive lakes. A particularly interesting sight were the bearded trees. The shuttle buses took us to higher connecting area (over 3000 metres above sea level). The environment was beautiful and pure. We caught a glimpse of some wildlife: yaks, horses, birds, chipmunks, but fortunately not a single bear.

Now I'm on the lonely road again, reflecting and preparing for the long journey back to Guangzhou.

15/08/15

Lost in translation

Suspect menu items.

14/08/15

The Gorgous Gorge

We spent just a single night in the Old Town of Lijiang. After Dali it felt like more of the same, but on a grander scale. I sampled some local delicacies including scorpion and later played cards into the early hours with welcoming Chinese tourists.

The next day we left early and travelled into Shangri-La for the Tiger Leaping Gorge. I felt a little anxious on the journey after the news that a coach recently went over the edge of the cliff. Fortunately we didn't get caught in a rock shower. We stopped off at the popular upper gorge sight, where we got close to the ferocious chocotely water. We stayed with a Tibetan family, they were lovely and the environment was calming, almost dreamlike. The surrounding terrain and breathtaking views made for an unforgetable hiking experience.

12/08/15

From the Modern to the Ancient

The song and dance show Dynamic Yunnan turned out to be a spellbinding experience on the first night in Kunming. Unfortunately the next day I failed to see the Stone Forest after discovering there were no coach tickets available. Some you win, some you lose. Later I was joined by my Chinese travel companion.

Our first port of call was Dali Ancient City after a torturous night train. We spent some time exploring the many stalls and sampling some local food (crossing the bridge noodles). The second day we hiked 13km in Cangshan Mountain National Park. The rain deterred many tourists and visibility was far from desired. As we traversed around we stared into the mist of nothingness with the threat of falling rocks from above. Later we followed the winding journey of Dragon Stream.

10/08/15

Province to Province

I decided to get a quick glimpse of Guizhou to bridge the gap between Hunan and Yunnan. My first impression of Guiyang was that the name should be changed to 'Grey'yang after seeing some full skycrapers while wondering in the rain. Fortunately things brightened up on the second day and a trip to Qingyan Ancient Town painted a different picture. The town surrounded by green hills and many side streets to explore, local food and craft stalls, numerous temples and even a Catholic church.

No rest for the wicked. Another night train took me to Kunming, Yunnan. After the long journey I decided to take a gentle stroll around Green Lake park and visited the Golden Temple.

Thanks again to the new friends I made along the way that made the journey even more memorable.

05/08/15

Avatar Mountains

Day 2: A long wait for the underwhelming elevator up the cliffside. Most of the day I stood in awe of the spectacular rock titans adorned with greenery. I hiked at a slower pace to save my knees and enjoyed the company of new friends along the way.

04/08/15

Avatar Mountains

Day 1: Approximately 8 hours hiking with minimal rests. Incredible high altitude views, treacherous walkways, wonderful wildlife and I discovered a route where there were no crowds.