In front of my apartment, a large beautiful park with a variety of views and peaceful areas.

Loved it.

I finally understand banyan trees !

To Asian people, it probably seem obvious, but we don't have Banyan trees in the west (I think), and I have always wondered what's going on with their trunk.

So it starts with thin roots hanging from the branches. Once they reach the ground, they take root and grow, eventually becoming new trunks, sometimes far away from the main trunk.

The tree uses this strategy to expand horizontally - the new trunks serve as physical support for the distant branches.

I had seen the small hanging roots and the multi-trunk formations and never realized it's part of the same process !

The strangler fig is a type of Banyan tree, which grows around a host in a dramatic way.

- A bird drops a seed in a crack of another tree.
- The fig grows downward roots.
- The roots surround the host tree.

Over time,
- The fig strengthens.
- The host tree weakens
- The host may die and rot away.
- You’re left with a hollow, cage-like trunk made entirely of fig roots.

On Chinese new year's Eve, at midnight, I hear fireworks and rush out on the balcony to check it out.

As the balcony door closes, I realize the handle on the outside is missing. Without it, I can't open the door to get back in !

It is a bit cold, I am on the 25th floor. Nobody is going to see me until tomorrow morning.

Thankfully, I had my phone in my hand and my landlord answered the phone at midnight. The building people came in to open the door from the inside.

The first pic below is literally the pic I took while stuck on the balcony.

I rarely have a full kitchen when I travel. Here I had a great kitchen + access to european products, so I cooked a lot of easy home comfort food !

Pasta, salads, more pasta, and even crepes !