Incomparable China: Urban/Rural & Islands
Jan 31st, 2013, 05:53 AM
#22
Here is a link to my photos from Beijing and the Great Wall. Lijiang will follow soon. Please let me know if you have any problem viewing these.
http://barefootbeach.smugmug.com/Tra...7796545_4dt2Gx
http://barefootbeach.smugmug.com/Tra...7796545_4dt2Gx
Jan 31st, 2013, 03:20 PM
#24
Thanks, Bob...glad you looked at them.
Here's the link to the Lijiang photos:
http://barefootbeach.smugmug.com/Tra...7801509_xJWvDR
Here's the link to the Lijiang photos:
http://barefootbeach.smugmug.com/Tra...7801509_xJWvDR
Feb 6th, 2013, 05:47 PM
#28
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Wonderful report, great photographs.
We also always enjoyed ice cream bars---Magnum mostly as we craved something sweet after meals.
Often a meal would end with a plate of watermelon. Enjoyed that too, but still craved something real sweet as we have a sweet tooth!!
Would love to know what were your special purchases in various regions besides tea.
We bought all sorts of tea--a lichee tea has been a favorite as it is aromatic and kind of sweet without adding sugar.
Have a great day.
We also always enjoyed ice cream bars---Magnum mostly as we craved something sweet after meals.
Often a meal would end with a plate of watermelon. Enjoyed that too, but still craved something real sweet as we have a sweet tooth!!
Would love to know what were your special purchases in various regions besides tea.
We bought all sorts of tea--a lichee tea has been a favorite as it is aromatic and kind of sweet without adding sugar.
Have a great day.
Feb 6th, 2013, 06:09 PM
#29
thanks for your comments, ileen....they keep me motivated to continue!
I will get to some of our purchases shortly when I cover the region I bought them in, but overall, I'd say I was disappointed in the shopping, despite doing a lot of research ahead of time. Could be that we already have "enough"...or even " too much" and something really has to be something special I think I could use...of course, had to get souvenirs for grandkids and nieces/nephews as well. But, so much of the shopping I saw, especially in Shanghai and Hong Kong were of the high end designer type with prices to match that I wasn't interested in even looking.
However, I should have bought more tea! (altho I'm a coffee drinker at heart)
P.S. Forgot to mention that we had toured a silk embroidery "painting" school in Baisha that displayed some of their work in a little attached art gallery. Some of it was really beautiful but prices reflected the amount of time that goes into these....so I just bought two smaller, "student" pieces that weren't expensive.
I will get to some of our purchases shortly when I cover the region I bought them in, but overall, I'd say I was disappointed in the shopping, despite doing a lot of research ahead of time. Could be that we already have "enough"...or even " too much" and something really has to be something special I think I could use...of course, had to get souvenirs for grandkids and nieces/nephews as well. But, so much of the shopping I saw, especially in Shanghai and Hong Kong were of the high end designer type with prices to match that I wasn't interested in even looking.
However, I should have bought more tea! (altho I'm a coffee drinker at heart)
P.S. Forgot to mention that we had toured a silk embroidery "painting" school in Baisha that displayed some of their work in a little attached art gallery. Some of it was really beautiful but prices reflected the amount of time that goes into these....so I just bought two smaller, "student" pieces that weren't expensive.
Feb 9th, 2013, 05:10 PM
#31
Hi Shanghainese, No, we just saw a lady with some wares spread out on a table....DH wanted to find a small jade carving but settled for some little bronze casting of a double dragon that was pretty cheap. We really didn't have time to wander freely through town because we had to get to Lijiang. Sorry I haven't had time to proceed with the next segment...but I will get to it!
Feb 10th, 2013, 06:38 AM
#33
Thanks dgunbug....it was a great day but much too short as we didn't want to venture too far in the downpour. I can only imagine those colors would have looked like on a clear sunny day.
Feb 12th, 2013, 02:31 PM
#36
OK laurie_ann, your wish is my command.
After a good breakfast of eggs made- to -order, pancakes, banana bread, yogurt and fruit, we met Andrew and Pema, a delightful staff woman of Naxi heritage, to start our morning walk at 9a through Xizhou (pronounced she-joe) and it’s market. Xizhou used to be a major trading village as it was strategically placed on the tea and silk routes alongside Erhai Lake. It’s known for it’s traditional Bai minority culture and many well preserved courtyard homes. The Linden Centre actually enjoys the same cultural preservation status as the Great Wall, and since it was used by the Communist Government as a headquarters, did not suffer the destructive fate as many other properties did during the Cultural Revolution. The walk through the lanes was very pleasant and we visited a woman who made fresh cheese in her courtyard, similar to fresh mozzarella, and wandered through the fresh market and along the main shopping street observing the locals going about their daily business.
Then, at 11:30, we had a cooking class in the Linden Centre’s kitchen with just us, the chef, and Pema and Andrew to translate. We had picked out what we wanted to cook from their menu the night before. Pork Kanpao, Broccoli with mushrooms and a braised eggplant dish. We chopped everything with the large Chinese cleaver and then stir fried the dishes in a wok over a very large flame. This was our tasty lunch, but I had to watch out for the fatty pork....a common preference in China.
At 2p, Andrew took us on a horse drawn cart from the Centre to Erhai Lake to observe cormorant fishing. Initially, I wanted to skip this, but it was the best way to get out on a boat on this beautiful lake. The sunny, warm afternoon was perfect and we set out on a private boat with a woman Bai rower. The other boats that came to observe the fisherman’s show were crammed with tourists, so we appreciated having the boat to ourselves and Andrew. Basically, the show consisted of two fishermen in a row boat with 12-15 cormorants perched on the side....they came too close to us (I dislike birds) to show off, and then would beat the water with their paddles to attract fish and the birds would dive down and come up with a modest size fish in their beaks. Apparently, there’s a narrow ring around their necks that don’t allow them to swallow the larger fish. I just enjoyed the lovely lake scenery surrounded by mountains.
The horse drawn cart ride is bumpy, so we decided to skip going on and seeing some temples.
At 5pm, we took a tour of the Linden Centre with some other guests. It truly is like being in a living museum. The Lindens also own an Asian art gallery in Door County, Wisconsin, and the centre is filled with antique art treasures that they’ve collected. We heard the story of the original owner who was a prosperous trader and built his home in 1948....unfortunately, he only got to live here one year because he was cast out when the communists took over in 1949.
That night for dinner, we had a whole local fish and bundt cake, that had to be ordered 24 hours in advance. I’d say they were both just OK. I also didn’t care for their noodle dish that was too chewy. I LOVED their spring rolls though. The Vina Maipo Cabernet Sauvignon was delicious and we had it every night.
We enjoyed talking with the other guests, many of them expats from Australia or England who work in Beijing or Shanghai. One woman told me that staying at The Linden Centre is on a lot of expats' Bucket List. I think there are 16 rooms maximum.
After dinner, we went to observe the Chinese Painting that was being offered in the Library. A pretty full day.
Tomorrow: Dali
After a good breakfast of eggs made- to -order, pancakes, banana bread, yogurt and fruit, we met Andrew and Pema, a delightful staff woman of Naxi heritage, to start our morning walk at 9a through Xizhou (pronounced she-joe) and it’s market. Xizhou used to be a major trading village as it was strategically placed on the tea and silk routes alongside Erhai Lake. It’s known for it’s traditional Bai minority culture and many well preserved courtyard homes. The Linden Centre actually enjoys the same cultural preservation status as the Great Wall, and since it was used by the Communist Government as a headquarters, did not suffer the destructive fate as many other properties did during the Cultural Revolution. The walk through the lanes was very pleasant and we visited a woman who made fresh cheese in her courtyard, similar to fresh mozzarella, and wandered through the fresh market and along the main shopping street observing the locals going about their daily business.
Then, at 11:30, we had a cooking class in the Linden Centre’s kitchen with just us, the chef, and Pema and Andrew to translate. We had picked out what we wanted to cook from their menu the night before. Pork Kanpao, Broccoli with mushrooms and a braised eggplant dish. We chopped everything with the large Chinese cleaver and then stir fried the dishes in a wok over a very large flame. This was our tasty lunch, but I had to watch out for the fatty pork....a common preference in China.
At 2p, Andrew took us on a horse drawn cart from the Centre to Erhai Lake to observe cormorant fishing. Initially, I wanted to skip this, but it was the best way to get out on a boat on this beautiful lake. The sunny, warm afternoon was perfect and we set out on a private boat with a woman Bai rower. The other boats that came to observe the fisherman’s show were crammed with tourists, so we appreciated having the boat to ourselves and Andrew. Basically, the show consisted of two fishermen in a row boat with 12-15 cormorants perched on the side....they came too close to us (I dislike birds) to show off, and then would beat the water with their paddles to attract fish and the birds would dive down and come up with a modest size fish in their beaks. Apparently, there’s a narrow ring around their necks that don’t allow them to swallow the larger fish. I just enjoyed the lovely lake scenery surrounded by mountains.
The horse drawn cart ride is bumpy, so we decided to skip going on and seeing some temples.
At 5pm, we took a tour of the Linden Centre with some other guests. It truly is like being in a living museum. The Lindens also own an Asian art gallery in Door County, Wisconsin, and the centre is filled with antique art treasures that they’ve collected. We heard the story of the original owner who was a prosperous trader and built his home in 1948....unfortunately, he only got to live here one year because he was cast out when the communists took over in 1949.
That night for dinner, we had a whole local fish and bundt cake, that had to be ordered 24 hours in advance. I’d say they were both just OK. I also didn’t care for their noodle dish that was too chewy. I LOVED their spring rolls though. The Vina Maipo Cabernet Sauvignon was delicious and we had it every night.
We enjoyed talking with the other guests, many of them expats from Australia or England who work in Beijing or Shanghai. One woman told me that staying at The Linden Centre is on a lot of expats' Bucket List. I think there are 16 rooms maximum.
After dinner, we went to observe the Chinese Painting that was being offered in the Library. A pretty full day.
Tomorrow: Dali
Feb 13th, 2013, 07:26 AM
#37
First, that should have been Chinese Painting "class" from the previous paragraph. Tonight we just watched, but the next night we tried our luck with the black watery paint and calligraphy type brushes. It's harder than it looks
Day 10: Dali
Got up to watch the sunrise at 7:25a...because China only has one time zone, you really notice the difference in sunset and sunrise times between Beijing in the east and Xizhou in the west. I walked up the spiral iron stairs to the lovely roof top terrace that overlooks the farmer’s fields, the village, and the mountains behind. The farmers were all in position, but it wasn’t until the sun actually rose that they started their little tractors and the charming “putt putt” sounds came from all around the fields.
This morning at 10a, a driver took us to the Old Town of Dali and dropped us off. We had chosen to explore on our own without a guide. It was fun to walk along the shopping streets filled with small restaurants surrounded by Chinese tourists. In fact, we never saw a Western face the whole time we were there.
I had read that the Bai people do beautiful indigo blue batik embroidery work and I bought a large embroidered table cloth from a shop. If you buy the batik without the white stitching, the cost is less, but I loved the stitching handiwork. I also got a tie dye cotton loose top that was a perfect gift for my teenaged granddaughter.
We walked through the town to the decorative, massive Southern Gate and looked inside the Catholic church decorated in Bai style. We watched women preparing street food and uniformed school boys walking home for lunch. As a snack, we tried some Rose Petal ice cream that Andrew recommended in a coffee shop, but I found it too icy. For “lunch”, we stopped at Sweet Tooth for excellent chocolate mint pie, carrot cake and cappuccino’s and took some chocolate chip cookies back for later...finally, great dessert!
Sweet Tooth is run by a deaf family...and they were our contact to take us for our Deaf Massages at 2pm. I handed a note to the cashier that Andrew had given me, who smiled broadly, and motioned for us to follow. We followed her several blocks and then went to the second floor of a massage parlor where people were lying all over on beds getting massages. (Remember, you keep your clothes on for a Chinese massage) My husband had this older lady as a masseuse and I had a younger man. I’m telling you, this was one of the most heavenly massages I’ve had. Our driver was waiting to drive us back at 3:30pm.
When we returned to the Linden Centre at 4p, we had a Tai Chi lesson scheduled with Robert from the UK. He ended up teaching us mostly Quigong, using breath and balance to move in a meditative way. I think he realized Tai Chi was beyond our capabilities. He was interesting to talk to and did that until 5:30. He commented that when people complain about the Chinese pushing and shoving to get to the front, they forget that "politeness" is really a luxury of the affluent. During communal living and dining, there was limited food, and if you didn't get to it before someone else did, you went hungry.
With a bottle of our favorite red wine, we climbed to the upper terrace to watch the sunset. Andrew joined us for some great conversation. Dinner tonight we chose to sit in the bar again, and I loved the fried Naxi cheese and wonton soup. The guests here have all been pleasant to chat with.
Tomorrow: Tie dye, bike ride, my melt down
Day 10: Dali
Got up to watch the sunrise at 7:25a...because China only has one time zone, you really notice the difference in sunset and sunrise times between Beijing in the east and Xizhou in the west. I walked up the spiral iron stairs to the lovely roof top terrace that overlooks the farmer’s fields, the village, and the mountains behind. The farmers were all in position, but it wasn’t until the sun actually rose that they started their little tractors and the charming “putt putt” sounds came from all around the fields.
This morning at 10a, a driver took us to the Old Town of Dali and dropped us off. We had chosen to explore on our own without a guide. It was fun to walk along the shopping streets filled with small restaurants surrounded by Chinese tourists. In fact, we never saw a Western face the whole time we were there.
I had read that the Bai people do beautiful indigo blue batik embroidery work and I bought a large embroidered table cloth from a shop. If you buy the batik without the white stitching, the cost is less, but I loved the stitching handiwork. I also got a tie dye cotton loose top that was a perfect gift for my teenaged granddaughter.
We walked through the town to the decorative, massive Southern Gate and looked inside the Catholic church decorated in Bai style. We watched women preparing street food and uniformed school boys walking home for lunch. As a snack, we tried some Rose Petal ice cream that Andrew recommended in a coffee shop, but I found it too icy. For “lunch”, we stopped at Sweet Tooth for excellent chocolate mint pie, carrot cake and cappuccino’s and took some chocolate chip cookies back for later...finally, great dessert!
Sweet Tooth is run by a deaf family...and they were our contact to take us for our Deaf Massages at 2pm. I handed a note to the cashier that Andrew had given me, who smiled broadly, and motioned for us to follow. We followed her several blocks and then went to the second floor of a massage parlor where people were lying all over on beds getting massages. (Remember, you keep your clothes on for a Chinese massage) My husband had this older lady as a masseuse and I had a younger man. I’m telling you, this was one of the most heavenly massages I’ve had. Our driver was waiting to drive us back at 3:30pm.
When we returned to the Linden Centre at 4p, we had a Tai Chi lesson scheduled with Robert from the UK. He ended up teaching us mostly Quigong, using breath and balance to move in a meditative way. I think he realized Tai Chi was beyond our capabilities. He was interesting to talk to and did that until 5:30. He commented that when people complain about the Chinese pushing and shoving to get to the front, they forget that "politeness" is really a luxury of the affluent. During communal living and dining, there was limited food, and if you didn't get to it before someone else did, you went hungry.
With a bottle of our favorite red wine, we climbed to the upper terrace to watch the sunset. Andrew joined us for some great conversation. Dinner tonight we chose to sit in the bar again, and I loved the fried Naxi cheese and wonton soup. The guests here have all been pleasant to chat with.
Tomorrow: Tie dye, bike ride, my melt down
Feb 19th, 2013, 06:50 PM
#38
At 10a, our activity was to go to the village of Zhoucheng to try our hands at tie-dye taught by an older Bai woman. With about a 12” square piece of cotton, we were either given a pattern like a flower or could do our own free form piece...I picked the flower and DH did his own fish. We stitched along the pattern, either single or double thread, and then pulled the strings tight into knots. These pieces were then placed in a vat of boiling water dyed a dark blue from a local mountain flower.
While we waited to see the results of our inept handiwork, we looked around a 2nd story shop displaying batik pieces. I was glad I had bought my tablecloth in Dali because I didn’t see anything comparable. Just bought two typical Bai headdresses that depict elements of snow, flower, wind and water reflection for two granddaughters and a pink chinese style dress for another. Our little exercise made me appreciate the skill and time that went into creating the large tablecloths
.
Afterwards, we wanted to bike to Erhai Lake without a guide, and were given a map and instructions how to get to the lake. So, at 1:30 we set off...me on a very uncomfortable bike that forced me to lean too far forward and put all my weight on my wrists. After riding over bumpy roads, we found the smooth lake road and enjoyed biking awhile along it’s length, admiring the scenic vistas of many rowboats lying in a flooded coastline area, fisher-people beating small fish out of larger nets into smaller ones, a mother and daughter doing their laundry on the banks, farmers working their fields right up to the edge of the placid lake, and lots of small kids cheerfully yelling “hello”. It was a beautifully sunny warm day, but the air was getting somewhat smoky with all the burning. We rode back up to the “Tongue of the Lake” and decided to go back another way in hopes that the road would be less bumpy. My back and wrists were pretty uncomfortable by then so I just wanted to get back.
So, we set off with the help of our map, but couldn’t seem to find the Linden Centre. We kept trying different streets and trying to ask people who didn’t speak English to no avail. After at least an hour of this, we discovered that we had just ridden in a circle and were back to where we started, so I was getting upset. We came upon a small snack stand and tried to ask the woman to call the Linden Centre for us with our cell phone and tell them we were lost. During this transaction, a horse cart driver came by and said he’d take us back for 10 rmb. The Linden Centre people said to do this, so the driver put my bike on the cart, I climbed in, and DH followed us on his bike. This time, we traveled on a narrow raised path between two farm fields for quite awhile before coming to the Linden Centre in an entirely different town than where we thought we were. No wonder we were lost. DH had decided to give him 20rmb for his trouble, but he started yelling that he said 40 rmb, and the staff came out to sort it out. We got back at 4:20pm....3 hours after we had left for a short ride! I was quite cross at this point, but DH brought up a bottle of wine to the terrace to soothe my ruffled feathers.
Tonight, we had to eat in the dining room, but it was quite pleasant with warm, subdued lighting. We were the only folks there for awhile but really enjoyed talking with Helen, from Northern China, and again with Pema....I’m impressed with the very nice, intelligent way they have about them. The spring rolls and chicken cashew with broccoli and garlic were excellent but I didn’t like the sweet & sour soup. We retired into the bar for a glass of their excellent plum wine and chatted with an Australian couple who informed us that another guest had been bitten by a horse in the market and would have to go get rabies shots in either Beijing or Hong Kong. What a pain.
I forgot to mention that the previous night we were treated to a Dongjing music performance in the courtyard with Bai costumed locals performing songs from the ancient Nanzhou Kingdom with instruments I hadn’t seen before. We really enjoyed the music and dancing by several Bai women.
Day 12: Guilin
While we waited to see the results of our inept handiwork, we looked around a 2nd story shop displaying batik pieces. I was glad I had bought my tablecloth in Dali because I didn’t see anything comparable. Just bought two typical Bai headdresses that depict elements of snow, flower, wind and water reflection for two granddaughters and a pink chinese style dress for another. Our little exercise made me appreciate the skill and time that went into creating the large tablecloths
.
Afterwards, we wanted to bike to Erhai Lake without a guide, and were given a map and instructions how to get to the lake. So, at 1:30 we set off...me on a very uncomfortable bike that forced me to lean too far forward and put all my weight on my wrists. After riding over bumpy roads, we found the smooth lake road and enjoyed biking awhile along it’s length, admiring the scenic vistas of many rowboats lying in a flooded coastline area, fisher-people beating small fish out of larger nets into smaller ones, a mother and daughter doing their laundry on the banks, farmers working their fields right up to the edge of the placid lake, and lots of small kids cheerfully yelling “hello”. It was a beautifully sunny warm day, but the air was getting somewhat smoky with all the burning. We rode back up to the “Tongue of the Lake” and decided to go back another way in hopes that the road would be less bumpy. My back and wrists were pretty uncomfortable by then so I just wanted to get back.
So, we set off with the help of our map, but couldn’t seem to find the Linden Centre. We kept trying different streets and trying to ask people who didn’t speak English to no avail. After at least an hour of this, we discovered that we had just ridden in a circle and were back to where we started, so I was getting upset. We came upon a small snack stand and tried to ask the woman to call the Linden Centre for us with our cell phone and tell them we were lost. During this transaction, a horse cart driver came by and said he’d take us back for 10 rmb. The Linden Centre people said to do this, so the driver put my bike on the cart, I climbed in, and DH followed us on his bike. This time, we traveled on a narrow raised path between two farm fields for quite awhile before coming to the Linden Centre in an entirely different town than where we thought we were. No wonder we were lost. DH had decided to give him 20rmb for his trouble, but he started yelling that he said 40 rmb, and the staff came out to sort it out. We got back at 4:20pm....3 hours after we had left for a short ride! I was quite cross at this point, but DH brought up a bottle of wine to the terrace to soothe my ruffled feathers.
Tonight, we had to eat in the dining room, but it was quite pleasant with warm, subdued lighting. We were the only folks there for awhile but really enjoyed talking with Helen, from Northern China, and again with Pema....I’m impressed with the very nice, intelligent way they have about them. The spring rolls and chicken cashew with broccoli and garlic were excellent but I didn’t like the sweet & sour soup. We retired into the bar for a glass of their excellent plum wine and chatted with an Australian couple who informed us that another guest had been bitten by a horse in the market and would have to go get rabies shots in either Beijing or Hong Kong. What a pain.
I forgot to mention that the previous night we were treated to a Dongjing music performance in the courtyard with Bai costumed locals performing songs from the ancient Nanzhou Kingdom with instruments I hadn’t seen before. We really enjoyed the music and dancing by several Bai women.
Day 12: Guilin
Feb 20th, 2013, 12:39 PM
#39
Here's the link to my photos taken at Linden Centre, Xizhou, Dali and Erhai Lake:
http://barefootbeach.smugmug.com/Tra...8093220_3ZNCXP
Please let me know if you have trouble viewing.
Next report really covers Yangshou since we only spent the night in Guilin.
http://barefootbeach.smugmug.com/Tra...8093220_3ZNCXP
Please let me know if you have trouble viewing.
Next report really covers Yangshou since we only spent the night in Guilin.
Feb 21st, 2013, 07:58 AM
#40
Day 12 & 13: Guilin to Yangshou
It was an hour’s drive to the Dali airport where we caught our flight to Guilin, with a layover in Kunming. We arrived at night in a downpour and our guide from China Highlights picked us up to transport us to the Sheraton Guilin for the night. I didn’t care for this guide and I was glad we didn’t have any tours with him. He would just transport us to Yangshou the next morning. The Sheraton Guilin was a huge, western style luxury hotel on the river. Since it was dark and raining, we just walked a couple of blocks to the Rosemary Cafe for pizza and chocolate cake...both just OK.
For most of our trip to China, we’d booked through China Highlights for guide services. However, I caught an earlier review on TripAdvisor which mentioned how she had switched to Jack’s Private Tours for her tours in Yangshou, as he excelled at providing photo ops and getting you on the road less traveled. That was an excellent recommendation, so we booked him for two days in Yangshou. He turned out to be a very friendly, accommodating, reliable and enthusiastic guide who speaks English perfectly.
He responded promptly to my email request, provided a detailed summary of what we could do at a fair price, and helped me decide between two inns I was looking at. II decided on the Yangshou Mountain Retreat, which was perfect with amazing views of the karst mountains and located on the Yulong River where we could watch the bamboo boats glide by with their double occupants being poled by a boatsman. We had a large balcony room 202 on the second floor...basic rooms but comfortable. Meals are served in a homey room with blue batik tablecloths and both western and chinese food, but I’d avoid the hamburger.
It had been raining hard for a few days before we arrived and that morning, so Jack modified our original itinerary so we wouldn’t be slogging through muddy fields. The first thing we did was taxi upstream the Li River to Yangdi and got on a small, private motorized bamboo boat that we glided on down to Xingping past amazing karst formations on both sides of the river. The original plan was to do this at 6am to see the karsts mysteriously emerging from the mists. Frankly, despite the fact I’m sure the photos would’ve been great, I didn’t mind rescheduling to avoid the early wakeup. The sun was peeking out through the clouds and the temperature was very pleasant..
Enroute to Xingping, we got off the boat and Jack walked us through the farming countryside pointing out the abundance of produce...cotton, persimmons, huge pomelos, sesame seeds, soybeans, potatoes, orange and lime trees, as well as water buffalos. With the looming karsts surrounding the verdant fields, it looked like a veritable Garden of Eden. There was a farmer and his wife harvesting rice in a wooden, foot powered thrasher who was very friendly and let Jack and then my husband try their hand (and foot) at it. After walking through a small village of nice farmer’s houses and exchanging greetings with some, we returned to the boat and continued our cruise. This up close and personal experience would never have happened on the typical large tourist boats that ply people from Guilin to Yangshou. Jack also timed this so we avoided the masses of large boats that make the river rougher and less serene.
At Xingping, we walked up it’s ancient street and tried a rice snack cake that Jake bought, that reminded us of a Rice Krispie bar.
Because we started and ended later, we had him drop us off in Yangshou (about 15 min from inn) on West Street where all the the action is...restaurants, shops, and throngs of Chinese tourists. He’d recommended Cloud 9, where we got an excellent table on a second floor balcony overlooking all the lights and sounds of West St. We especially got a kick out of watching the diners in the outdoor restaurant across the street downing group shots....(Ganbei!), singing karaoke and marveling at the girls selling lighted small disks that soared into the air and they deftly caught. The food was good (chicken with cashews, clay pot eggplant, and fried green beans with nuts), but this was the first restaurant where the menu listed dog, palm rat, and eels. We took a taxi back to the inn.
Next: Yulong River Cruise, another trying Bike Ride & " Impressions of Liu Sanje" show
It was an hour’s drive to the Dali airport where we caught our flight to Guilin, with a layover in Kunming. We arrived at night in a downpour and our guide from China Highlights picked us up to transport us to the Sheraton Guilin for the night. I didn’t care for this guide and I was glad we didn’t have any tours with him. He would just transport us to Yangshou the next morning. The Sheraton Guilin was a huge, western style luxury hotel on the river. Since it was dark and raining, we just walked a couple of blocks to the Rosemary Cafe for pizza and chocolate cake...both just OK.
For most of our trip to China, we’d booked through China Highlights for guide services. However, I caught an earlier review on TripAdvisor which mentioned how she had switched to Jack’s Private Tours for her tours in Yangshou, as he excelled at providing photo ops and getting you on the road less traveled. That was an excellent recommendation, so we booked him for two days in Yangshou. He turned out to be a very friendly, accommodating, reliable and enthusiastic guide who speaks English perfectly.
He responded promptly to my email request, provided a detailed summary of what we could do at a fair price, and helped me decide between two inns I was looking at. II decided on the Yangshou Mountain Retreat, which was perfect with amazing views of the karst mountains and located on the Yulong River where we could watch the bamboo boats glide by with their double occupants being poled by a boatsman. We had a large balcony room 202 on the second floor...basic rooms but comfortable. Meals are served in a homey room with blue batik tablecloths and both western and chinese food, but I’d avoid the hamburger.
It had been raining hard for a few days before we arrived and that morning, so Jack modified our original itinerary so we wouldn’t be slogging through muddy fields. The first thing we did was taxi upstream the Li River to Yangdi and got on a small, private motorized bamboo boat that we glided on down to Xingping past amazing karst formations on both sides of the river. The original plan was to do this at 6am to see the karsts mysteriously emerging from the mists. Frankly, despite the fact I’m sure the photos would’ve been great, I didn’t mind rescheduling to avoid the early wakeup. The sun was peeking out through the clouds and the temperature was very pleasant..
Enroute to Xingping, we got off the boat and Jack walked us through the farming countryside pointing out the abundance of produce...cotton, persimmons, huge pomelos, sesame seeds, soybeans, potatoes, orange and lime trees, as well as water buffalos. With the looming karsts surrounding the verdant fields, it looked like a veritable Garden of Eden. There was a farmer and his wife harvesting rice in a wooden, foot powered thrasher who was very friendly and let Jack and then my husband try their hand (and foot) at it. After walking through a small village of nice farmer’s houses and exchanging greetings with some, we returned to the boat and continued our cruise. This up close and personal experience would never have happened on the typical large tourist boats that ply people from Guilin to Yangshou. Jack also timed this so we avoided the masses of large boats that make the river rougher and less serene.
At Xingping, we walked up it’s ancient street and tried a rice snack cake that Jake bought, that reminded us of a Rice Krispie bar.
Because we started and ended later, we had him drop us off in Yangshou (about 15 min from inn) on West Street where all the the action is...restaurants, shops, and throngs of Chinese tourists. He’d recommended Cloud 9, where we got an excellent table on a second floor balcony overlooking all the lights and sounds of West St. We especially got a kick out of watching the diners in the outdoor restaurant across the street downing group shots....(Ganbei!), singing karaoke and marveling at the girls selling lighted small disks that soared into the air and they deftly caught. The food was good (chicken with cashews, clay pot eggplant, and fried green beans with nuts), but this was the first restaurant where the menu listed dog, palm rat, and eels. We took a taxi back to the inn.
Next: Yulong River Cruise, another trying Bike Ride & " Impressions of Liu Sanje" show
