Peninsula

One of the major tourist spots in Qinghai is 鸟岛 (Niǎo dǎo meaning “Bird Island.”)  In fact, the Hanzi character for “island” comes from the character for “bird” atop the character for “mountain.”

However — much like Monster Island — Bird Island is a misnomer.

Bird Island (not an island) comprises two, smaller islands called Egg Island (not an island) and Cormorant Island (also not an island.)

As this was the off season, the place was very quiet.  Ominously so.  On Egg Island, the Eggs Observation Exhibition looked abandoned and foreboding.

Inside, the whole thing had a 1950s/1960s U.S. National Park Service aesthetic.

I walked down the long, empty corridor, past abandoned, out of season souvenir and rest stops…

…and horror show display cases…


After several hundred meters, I glanced back over my shoulder.
Finally, I came to the end of the corridor. I crept inside, cautiously.There was a curving hallway…
…offering a panoramic view of Egg Island.  
Outside, I could see snow-capped Qinghai South Mountains past the lake on one side…
…and grassy fields leading to the lake on the other.
The place was serene.

I moved on to Cormorant Island.

At this point, Beloved Reader, you may well be asking yourself, “Okay, but where are the fucking birds?”

As it was, I only saw these birds on a very distant shoal in the lake…
…and these sitting on a wire, presumably admiring the view.