Someone else back from China

[neuropteris]

Hi Folks

Just got back from China myself - a trip round the far east which also took in Hong Kong. Not a fossil related visit but they still got a look in.

Was sitting in the hotel looking at the Whats on in Hong Kong section when I noticed there was a 'soaring dinosaurs' exhibit on at the Hong Kong science museum so decided to go there. It proved to be very interesting - an exhibition of a whole range of Chinese fossils ranging from the Burgess shale age Chengjiang fauna,and Liaoning insects all the way through to tertiary mammals and including many of the recent feathered bird like dino beasties. Very good and I'm glad I spotted it in the magazine as I had no idea it was on and it finishes next month.

It was the first time I'd seen the Chengjiang stuff 'in the flesh' - interesting to see but with most of them if it hadn't been for the explanatory notes I'd have missed what they were. Luckily the entire exhibition and the notes had been photographed and put in a catalogue which I managed to pick up in the museum shop - dirt cheap aswell at 120HKD (about GBP7.50) - it would have cost a fortune in a UK museum.


Andy

[Joe Botting]

Wow, you too eh? I'm envious!
What did you think of the place? See much other than Hong Kong?

That exhibition sounds fabulous. We saw quite a few Chengjiang fossils, and we got a real sense of awe from doing so - as you say, not because of how spectacular the fossils were in basic appearance, but because of what they represented. Nearly as important as the Welsh ones, some of them... ;D

I think you've probably picked up a real rarity there in the catalogue. Is it in Chinese, and if so, can you read it? Whatever the language, though, the photos make it a really useful little volume. Nice find indeed.

You might be interested to know I've just got a job in Leeds, as a natural sciences curator, and we'll be moving up there before Christmas. Guess I'm going to have to get used to all these weird Carboniferous thingies after all...

All the best,
Joe

[neuropteris]

Hi Joe

Congrats on the new job (even if it is on the wrong side of the Pennines)! Hope the move goes ok - I presume you'll be working in a museum?

Didn't see a great deal of China - just Macau and Hong Kong and not much of them either - it was very murky. Went up the Peak in HK for the spectacular view and couldn't even see the Hong Kong Island side of the harbour let alone Kowloon and it was like that for the 4 days I was there. Will have to go again. The book is in English and Chinese and reproduces the captions that were next to the fossils on display. The information is pretty basic but the pics are good - glossy colour prints. Ended up buying 3 copies, 1 for me and 2 as presents - could barely lift the case on the way home.

Andy