| The Marco Polo Bridge has 250 balustrades supporting 485 carved stone lions. There was actually an official inventory made in 1964. Some of the lions are cubs and some are carved into the approaches to the bridge. It is considered good luck to count the lions. In 2005 (below), a fence had been added so one must count the lions at a distance. It is still worth counting them, because another count in 1979 turned up 17 more, which would make the total 502. Maybe there are more babies? Well, actually there are lions that aren't part of the "bridge" but sometimes get counted. Thus, the mystery of the lions continues.
The umbrellas seen below are a common sight during the summer months in China. They have nothing to do with rain. The temperature was in the nineties and the shade of an umbrella improves your mood dramatically.
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