Return from Guilin

I got back to Shanghai very late last night (or very early this morning) exhausted, but incredibly pleased with my little excursion. The 5 nights I spent out west in Guilin and the smaller backpacker-touristy town Yangshuo were Uh-mazing.

I arrived in Guilin late on the night of Wednesday the 14th. The next day I took a day trip a bit north to some smaller villages and saw the terraced rice patties, literally mountainsides completely terraced, each one filled to the brim with water and rice plants in full bloom, just about ready for harvesting. I do think it would have been cooler to come at a different season when the terraces are just filled with water, and it would look way more dramatic, but as it was, it was amazing. They called the particular area where I was the Dragon's Backbone because the terraces along the ridge of the mountains look like a spine. I could see it. Also in one of the villages lived some of the Yao minority, whos women are famous for their long hair. Long, long hair, about 2 m long. They cut their hair only once in their life, when they turn 18, and they save what is cut to weave in later. The way a woman wears her hair tells something about her- if she is not yet married, she wears her hair wrapped around her head but covered, and her husband is the first person to see her hair on their wedding night. Once she is married, she wears her hair wrapped around her head like a snake or a snail (I actually couldnt tell which they were actually saying, but I think both describe it pretty well), and then once she has had a child, she wears it around her head in a knot. Their hair was amazing, so long, and strong, and so black, even the very very old women still had completely black hair, no grays, longer than their own body lengths. Genetics, eh? On that trip I met a guy my age named Lin who was from New Hampshire but his parents were from Taiwan. He spoke some Chinese and was traveling just for 2 weeks, visiting a relative. Surprise surprise, we happened to know one or two of the same people, and enjoyed each others company for the day. Traveling alone, I've gotten pretty good at taking pictures of myself places, but its nice to have someone else take some every now and then.

So that was a beautiful (hot) day, and the next day I left at 8 am on a boat down the Li River to Yangshuo. It was a 4 hour cruise including lunch, which was really satisfying. The scenery was amazing, really unbelievable. I wish I could post pictures, this places looks like another planet (and was actually used as another planet in Star Wars Episode III and also in Avatar I think..) and it actually exists and yes I went there. I got some amazing photos...these huge karst mountains jutting up around the river, incredible shapes worn away by wind and rain, and covered in such lush greenery. It really was beautiful, and I got quite a bit of sun as well.

We arrived in Yangshuo around 2pm and I checked into my hostel. I then joined some people on (another) leisurely river cruise, this time on a tiny bamboo raft, two people per raft. We drifted through tiny villages, got out and did some exploring on foot, and watched fisherman with trained cormorants catching fish in the river, which was pretty cool. They tie a string around the cormorants neck so that when it catches a fish, it cannot swallow it (I think its actually choking on it, cant breathe), and so it must return to its owner who then squeezes the fish back out its mouth. They said one cormorant can catch up to 50 kg of fish a day.

We relaxed a little more on the bamboo rafts before returning back to Yangshuo. The next morning in my hostel I met some other travelers and spent the day with 3 Israelis, two girls traveling together, one guy on his own, and another American who knew the Israeli guy. We rented bikes (10 RMB for the day = ~$1.50?) and rode about 20 minutes to a 'secret' beach. We swam and hung out for most of the afternoon and met some other people, and started to head back just before it started pouring rain. We got soaked on the ride back but it felt great and was a ton of fun. Later we all went out for some dinner and checked out the night scene.

It was clear that Yangshuo had kind of exploded in just the past few years. The town itself is very small, maybe 3 main roads? which no cars drive on, just people and bikes, and little alley ways here and there connecting them. All the streets are pretty much packed to the brim with kiosks and stands selling all sorts of stuff, silks and jewelry and bamboo things and wood and bone things and all that stuff- 'curios', and behind all of those tables are restaurants, clubs/bars, hostels, proper stores, etc. with not an inch of space wasted. Whatever room left on the streets was typically filled up by people, so many tourists. Tons of Chinese tourists and tons of foreigners as well, I was surprised by how many families with young children there were. Things were super cheap, though you had to haggle, and there were so many fun activities to fill your days with when you werent being attacked on the street by little old ladies peddling all sorts of things. Actually, they called West Street, the main street, the "Hello Market" because as you walk down it all you hear is hello lady silk! hello lady necklace for you! hello 10 kuai for this hello that hello hello! hello hello helloooo it was fun. It seemed like they spoke more English there than in Shanghai, as even the older people spoke it pretty well, and not only English, but a little of some other languages as well. I was walking around with Allon, the Israeli guy, and some woman stopped us and looked at him and said "You are from Israel! Yes?" We were so shocked she could tell right away haha, she said it was his eyes...whatever it was, she was dead on. Very impressive! But we still didnt buy anything from her.

The next day I got up and rented a bike and went out on my own to explore the country side. I left town and passed a mountain face that was a popular spot for rock climbing. Yangshuo is actually known for having the best climbing in all of China, and there were several places in town where you could arrange to go climbing for a day. If I had had more time, like a full week there, and if it had been a little cooler out, I definitely would have gone for some of that. Oh well, next time, I say.

As I was riding, two British fellows who I had spent most of the boat ride from Guilin chatting with passed me by on motorbikes. They waved. I had actually seen them the morning before as well, at a breakfast spot. Like I said, it is a small town. I saw them again later as I was hiking up Moon Hill, a small peak that has a hole worn through it. You could hike up to the hole and see an amazing few, and then you could also hike to the very top, where the view was I guess slightly more amazing (enhanced probably by the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction of making it all the way up there in such weather. I dont think Ive ever sweat as much in my life). I made it to the top in...something like an hour? Maybe a little more... and came down in 20-30 minutes, my legs feeling quite wobbly by the end. I rode a little more to the Moon Water Caves, which was my main destination that day. I like caves, and I entered this one on a small boat with about 4 other Chinese people and two guides. They pulled the boat along by ropes attached to the very low roof of the cave, and then we got out and hiked a little ways under and through 3 mountains, crouching and squeezing through some tight spaces, but also wandering through some huge ones. We had worn our bathingsuits so we could enjoy the mud baths that were in there, then rinse off in the underground rivers and waterfalls that came next, and finally we relaxed in these hot springs, IN THE CAVE! It was awesome and the formations were amazing, I took some cool pictures before the air started getting too moist and I worried my camera would get messed up. Although we barely communicated, I had a good time with these 3 Chinese girls, and we took some pictures together. It was cute.

Feeling much refreshed, the bike ride back to the hostel was very enjoyable. The air felt cooler, I felt cooler, the ride seemed shorter, and I took some more amazing pictures. These mountains are everywhere, they march right into the city. At night, the ones surrounding the town are lit up and they tower over all the buildings, it was so beautiful. You can see them from everywhere. That night I went out with the Israelis and some other people and we went to some cool bars, where of course I ran into the two Brits again. We spent most of the evening on some rooftop bar where we could see all the mountains lit up and met a lot of other travelers, a Dutchman, a Dane, some Austrians, some French Canadians, it was good fun, good people.

The next morning (Monday, the 19th) Allon and I caught a bus back to Guilin since we both had flights from there that day. I forgot to mention that our hostel in Yangshuo, the Bamboo Inn, had possibly the best banana bread I've ever tasted. If you ever go, stay there. Apparently some Canadian taught them how to make it a few years ago. 10 RMB for a mini loaf. Deeelish.

I returned to my hostel in Guilin where I had left some things and chilled for a few hours with some people I had met earlier in my trip. I hitched a ride to the airport with some other people to save money but unfortunately my flight was pretty delayed...I finally got back to my hostel in Shanghai at 5 am, this morning.

So all in all, Guilin was Amazing. If you ever come to travel in China, there are so many places to go but if you have any time to spare outside the big cities, go to Guilin, absolutely. It is a place so many backpackers go planning to spend 3 days or so, and then they decide to stay a little longer, and then a little longer...

This morning I woke up, stopped by Bennetts to say hi and get some things I had left there, and then headed to the Fabric Market on Lujiabang Rd where I had gone about 10 days ago. I was returning today to pick up some clothes I had made- some cashmere/wool suits and jackets. They came out amazing! So gorgeous, they fit perfectly, and looked great (and in the end were damn cheap compared to what it would cost in the states to have custom made). I also got some extra bulk cashmere to make some things at home, as well as some silk for the linings. It was very convenient that I was pretty much the exact size of all the models and mannequins every booth had their products out for display on, so it was so easy for me, I could look at any dresses I liked and try them right on and they would be a perfect fit! I got one for cheap because it was already made. I'm wearing it now.

Now I have exactly 7 days left here in China! Its a little sad but I think it will be good timing. Besides a few day trips from Shanghai (Suzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing), there isnt much more on my list to do here. The only thing I think I need now is a larger bag to bring home all the stuff I've bought!