We are sadly combing to the end of our 4 nights at the Village Retreat. It has been refreshing to stay here in this quiet spot about 2km from Yangshuo.
We are surrounded by the striking karsts. Striking - not in the sense that the karsts are on strike - but they are striking us visually with their unusual shapes and verticality.
yesterday we cruised up the river Li for 4 hours and the views Just kept getting better and better. While on the initial boring part of the cruise they played an old musical set in this area, and one on which the nightly light show is based. The music is somewhat unattractive to my ears but it was interesting nevertheless. We also ate some crispy sardines from the river. Once is probably enough.
we are really enjoying it here. The evening meal here is very tasty and inexpensive. We have resorted to australian wine - great Wall red is not really to my taste.
today we ventured out on a motor scooter. At one point there was a bus, a truck and a tractor all coming towards us side by side - and this was on a two lane road (theoretically one lane each way). Nevertheless we survived and made it out to Silver Cave. After a bit of language based confusion, we got a ticket and went inside this very interesting cave. The Chinese had somewhat overdone the coloured lighting, and it was a bit surprising to find a shop deep in the cave, but nevertheless well worth our risking life and limb on the scooter.
we then meandered back through the countryside on surprisingly quiet roads and eventually got back to our retreat.
tomorrow we head up to the dragon terraces and I am not sure if they even have electricity up there, so I may not be writing.
now for a glass of Tall Trees red.
