While expecting to wind down our travel experiences during our final week of travel, the opposite has occurred. There is tourism madness in the streets, colourful life, tasty treats, music, poverty, sadness and beauty. We have managed to fit in a Chinese cooking class with the Yangshao Cooking School run by an Aussie and Chinese partnership; and ironically a near neighbour in Oz. Local specialities included Beer fish, pork stuffed in flowers, tofu and mushrooms etc...
Then came the Bamboo rafting down the beautiful Li river with towering karsts all around...a relaxing and tourist driven exercise. An invitation by Chinese students on the streets and on an excursion from Hunan province to study English, took us to a lively Fruit Party with free local fruits and beer thrown in. Charming company was had with 20 yr olds keen to engage in conversational English. Some of them entertained with both classical and hip hop dancing on the billiard table!
Today was meant to be an easy bike ride in the countryside. After negotiating mountain bikes we ended up with a guide who took us on a 32 km bike ride! I managed a spill off the bike within the first 10 minutes then nursed my gravel rash and bruises for the next 6 hours, albeit with an occasional grin. Again spectacular karst scenery surrounded us amongst the quiet country lanes and fields. The village landscape is changing fast with 2-3 storyed buildings springing up as Chinese villagers inveest their hard earned yaun in larger dwellings. Sights included a 300 yr old house, water buffalo, farmers hand shovelling water into chestnut fields; and rock climbers scaling the steep karsts.
The contrast of the wealth of tourists with the poverty of those struggling to make ends meet is confronting at times. The disabled seem to be the worst off,often begging in the streets or eeking a living out of touting any which way they can.
Music is constantly in the air with performers entertaining guests at restaurants for payment. The vibrancy of this town is extraordinary.....
Tomorrow it is back to Guilin in preparation for our departure in a couple of days.
