Daming Lake

Jinan only has a few sites that find their way into the guide books. Daming Lake is one of the them. It is a lovely lake in the middle of the city that is connected to the natural springs for which Jinan is famous. We decided that it would be our first official "Saturday Field Trip," and two weeks ago we took the bus there.

The east end of the lake is dotted with small islands covered in lush vegetation and connected together by small bridges and walkways.

The kids love all the little paths. It makes them feel like explorers.

The western part of the lake is more expansive. You can rent tiny little motorboats that seat about six people and that you drive yourself. Definitely a must for our next visit.

We asked Lutece to take a picture of just us. She's getting better at taking pictures. Of course, there were three others that I had to dump, but at least she knows to take several pictures.

These larger boats tour the whole lake. So picturesque.

We all had a really nice time and we'll be heading back again before the weather gets too cold to really enjoy the outdoors. We were pleasantly surprised to find that the majority of the Lake was free to the public, since we had expected to pay for entrance. Peaceful AND free? We'll definitely be back!