Didn't put the alarm on today for the first time this trip. We still awoke at 6:30am but didn't feel any pressure. Mum got a quick, hot shower but mine lasted 1/2 minute and the water completely stopped coming out once I had the shampoo on! Mum boiled the kettle so I could finish my hairwashing in the sink. We took a taxi into Yangshuo town for our first wander around. With lovely cobblestone lanes to follow, there are a few streets set up just for the tourist market but lovely all the same. Great cafes, shops and stalls, with hotels/guesthouses every few metres. Also, our first time of seeing constant backpackers although more Chinese visitors. The area is well known for adventure activities so there are many touts and tourist offices selling thrills on the river, in caves etc but the biggest drawcard is the climbing - as you would expect with the 100's, maybe 1000's, of mountains around here. Climbing and outdoor adventure offices/shops are everywhere.
We found a recommended hostel (through Tripadvisor and Lonely Planet) though they showed us their sister hotel in a quieter area which we were happy with at $13AUD a night - 2 beds, bath(!!!), TV etc so we booked it for the next evening. In the China Cafe (set up by an Australian), we met 3 Australians- one here to teach for a year and a woman with her daughter from pomona - who has a stall at Eumundi Markets. We realised we knew a lot of the same people from that area- mainly muso's. For lunch we tried cabbage rolls filled with pork and mushrooms covered in a congee sauce. After a few purchases we hailed a taxi and headed back to the Retreat so we could book tickets to the famous light show. The cheapest tickets had sold out so we ordered the next level ($35AUD)- a little steep but many people had raved about it. After dinner of lemon chicken, fries and garlic bread (for $6AUD all up), we took a taxi yet again to the other side of town in very cold conditions (seemed under 10C) and mist which turned into a constant, light drizzle once the show began. We had every layer on possible- I had 6 on top with stockings under my pants and Mum had one layer less. Raincoats were handed out for free (as it was outdoors) which looked quite interesting in the audience - a little spooky actually. The terraced arena was nearly full on the banks of the lake/river and surrounded by ragged mountains. The 1 hour show was like a Woodford Closing Ceremony only much, much better. It was directed by the man who devised the opening ceremony for the Chinese Olympic Games just a few years ago. There were 100's and 100's of performers with traditional and grand costumes, including some that lit up like robotic skeletons. Rafts were used as moving stages as well as a large screen that emerged from the river. It was a blend of traditional and modern with a powerful and moving soundtrack. Magical - you could see why you should pay that amount of Chinese money for it. Mum nearly had to get her hankie out. The photos won't do it justice as they don't show all the extra effort that went into such as bullocks and people on bicycles riding around on an island behind to give it a village atmosphere. It was all in Chinese so we had no idea what was going on but I think we got that it was mainly love stories.
We, luckily, found our taxi driver again outside after the show despite being amongst the stampede of visitors leaving.
