our view from the tram up to the top of Mount Tai

the tram spanned over 1 mile

don't look down...

a little tense.

maybe a little tense...?

there is a whole city with small hotels and everything up at the top!

Beautiful view!!

another favorite shot of the steps up to the Jade Temple

I believe this is a working Budhist Temple, you can hear the gongs in the video clip below

if you zoom in I am standing in front of this huge display (thanks Jeri)

we were never quite sure what this was but it looked formidable

it is traditional to put a lock at the top of Mt. Tai to 'lock your love' forever. then you throw away the key.

a view through the gate

my lovely bride and her jade pendant

did you catch the matching hats?

this is a look down to the 7000 steps leading up (we took the tram)

a bored shopkeeper

an excited shopper!

we were kind of relieved to notice the signage inside the gondola telling us it was made and designed in Austria.

it is common to make a pilgramage type journey to mount Tai and we saw many Chinese there. they would hike up all the way from the bottom and stay in these little boarding house type hotel. we even saw 80 and 90 year olds being assisted up the steps!

this was near one of the 0 star restrooms I found on the trip. it sounds funny but our guides were very proud of the nice restrooms they took us to and they were rated: 3 star, 4 star, 5 star!

I am leaning on a wall over which the edge looks straight down. the next pic shows the view down.