Day 19 Xi'an

Up breakfast in the hostel and out into another chilly day with fresh snow on the ground.  Although the Shaanxi provincial history museum sounds interesting, our experience both in Changchun and Xi'an suggested that it might be cold inside, even for hardy northerners in their long underwear. 

So we set off on foot for the drum tower which is about 1km from the hotel.  We've passed it many times on the way to the Muslim quarter.    35 yuan each and up the stairs to a porch that went around the whole building with a view West to the Bell tower. Big drums in the tower were at some point in history used for communication.  First at sundown when the city gates closed,  then midnight and again at sunrise when the gates opened.  Daytime communication was done using bells in the Bell tower. 

Inside at that level was an interesting display of drums, many of the type used by taicho drummers.  Lots of photos can be added here.   Then upstairs two more stories to a large room full of various old pieces of furniture,  dark and solid.   Also notable, a desk lion looking a lot like a papier macho sculpture painted in new bright new year colours. There was also a desk rat. 

Brief aside.   New Year decorations are everywhere.  The holiday season continues until February 15, Lantern Festival day.   These include happy cartoon horses, fuzzy toy horses and horse sculptures of every imaginable material outside stores and malls. I wonder what last year's snakes looked like. 

Back to the drum tower.   There was another,  narrower porch with even better views of the city.

At 11am there was a concert downstairs in the drum museum. Five young men and a woman performed  taicho music on drums on a stage.   David has photos and a video. There was also a set of tubular bells,  in this case tuned pieces of wood hanging from a frame at two levels. At the back of the stage there were about 15 brass bells also hanging from a frame.  We saw some bells like these yesterday at the museum. David explained that the discovery of bronze bells  gave ethnomusicologists information about the sound of music at that time. 

Coffee break with some of the amazingly delicious cookies we bought near the Mosque yesterday. 

The Internet descriptions of the Grand Mosque did not really match the one we happened upon yesterday afternoon.  So, we set out a bit more intentionally to find it.   With D's very good sense of direction we did after walking down a series of increasingly narrow but still store lined alleys. 

Photos  here.  As Marguerite said, very peaceful, especially with snow and more men heading to prayer than tourists.  One gateway is said to resemble a Phoenix taking off.  I hope the photo turns out for Nykka. 

Then the two cold adventurers returned to the hostel for a break, late lunch and a rest. Although hiking/biking/running around the 14 km city walls was something we had intended to do,  the cold winter windy weather and icy footing made this less appealing. A quick look at China Daily in Starbucks showed that this snow weather system effectively shut down transportation in several provinces just as people we returning from holiday.  We are scheduled to fly to Taiyuan tomorrow at 1 with a car waiting to take us to Pingyao.  

Day 18 Xi'an

Xi'an south of the city wall  (David)

This morning we are both a bit more relaxed because the trip to Pingyao has been largely sorted out Some details remain, but we are mostly on top of the situation and in better spirits. We organize a laundry and then go downstairs where we both enjoy the French breakfast.

Upon return we hang up the laundry and decide to go to the Smaller Flying Goose Pagoda and the museum attached.

Elizabeth gets us on to Bus #46 and we get pretty close to our destination. After two smiling policemen (!?!) help us refine the search we arrive without incident and are admitted - - just 50rmb for the two of us.

The museum is three stories and dedicated mainly to Xi'an and is role in Chinese dynastic history. Much of the basement is given over to a model of the city when it was China's capital and to artifacts of the Qin , Han and Tang periods However there is a fair amount of material from the Zhou and intervening chaotic times (Warring States. etc.) as well as some ceramics from the Song and Yuan. There is also a display of modem painting incorporating traditional brush work of mountain, water and mist with popular themes such as equality of women and men or rural electrification. The jade collection is also well worth viewing.

After over three hours (during which we saw some great Zhou bronzes including a couple of gu vessels labelled "ritual wine cup" we decided to skip the pagoda itself and retreat to somewhere warm.

[Comment by Liz in November 2016. David's simple paragraph above is a typical DEA understatement.  Although the first to affirm and praise others, he did not do that for himself. David published a book Alcohol and Altered States in Ancestor Veneration Rituals in Zhou Dynasty China and Iron Age Palestine, better known as “Drinking with the Dead" based on his masters thesis in Biblical studies. The picture on the front cover is a gu vessel. One of the main ideas in his book is that the gu vessels were used in a particular important ritual. At the time there was no scholarship in English or translation confirming this.  The simple inscription in that context, showed that David had been right.  That was possibly his most important moment in China.]
 

So back onto a bus and down town for coffee then into the Muslim quarter. Islam has been in China for a long time (the old capital was the terminus for the silk road after all) and there is a strong local community) . We end up back at the same place we had lunch yesterday and the food is a good as we remembered. I'm certain of this because we ordered exactly the same things as yesterday.

Afterwards we tour the market streets north and west of the Tourist Information Office. Elizabeth is quite taken by the range of delicious looking and smelling items, trying to hold my hand while muttering snippets of sentence fragments. "Oh! Deep Fried!" and "coated in sugar!" To be fair, I am excited too , especially when we find a stall that sells the dried fruit I like so much. The bakeries are also pretty spectacular and Elizabeth purchases a few items in case we get snackish later.

We come across a mosque and venture into the grounds. As the big doors close behind us we are delighted to hear that the noise of the street is gone. Here is the music of birds and human voices. The general design is that of a traditional Chinese feudal home with two courtyards of carefully tended trees, lovely rocks placed in appropriate spots, circular arch ways., stone walks and patios, hanging bells and, at the back, a large traditional looking house with a sign identifying it as the Prayer Room. On the roof of this building is a small crescent moon. The successful blend of Chinese and Islamic elements is lovely and demonstrates yet again how different cultures can come together in beauty. We walk back to the hostel. Inside our room we discover a control which, when manipulated enthusiastically, emits warn air. We settle in to bask in our new knowledge. By early evening Elizabeth has settled the issue of Ground transportation to Pingyao and all is well with the world. We decide to slip dinner completely and I doze off while Elizabeth times in the Games in Chinese. It's warm in the room and the future is pleasantly drowsy...

Day 17 - Xi'an

Xi'an walkabout (David) There is a musical clock in the old city! Six a.m. is heralded by a faint and strangely appealing sound which I finally realize is a marvellous time piece. I decide to collect a sample of its  voices in the wee hours. Today we eat breakfast in the hostel before trying to find train tickets to our next destination. The "American" which consists of orange juice, bacon, sausage, potato medallion, two fried eggs and today with butter and jam works well, as does coffee. We hang up our laundry and venture to the train station outside the wall on the north east corner. Snow is coming down and there is a current in the air insisting that winter is not done with us just yet. We are edge\y. I am still not sure how to get around in this city and unconfident of my footing in the slush; or maybe it's the other way around. Elizabeth seems extra cautious of my footing too. For their parts, our fellow pedestrians seem distracted too, which also has me uncomfortable. North of the Drum Tower is a well run market with all sorts of unbeaten things. Here there is substantial light, energy and human purpose which parts the otherwise gray and indifferent sky. Tourists abound, many looking bewildered as they keep turning to closer examine the next wonder. I don't appreciate all the befuddlement as much as I could, but mark the spot for future reference. If I survive the day, I will return to enjoy the spectacle. And the pomegranate juice calls or to me. We reach the north gate and turn right. Going east we can clearly see the magnitude of the fortifications, which are equal to or perhaps even greater than those of the forbidden city. The walls are at least 20 metres thick, high, and crennelated. There is a wide and deep finished moat. Between these formidable features lie a clear killing ground which is narrow enough to concentrate any force with the strength to have made it this far. This was a seat of raw power. Reaching the station we discover that the greatest migration in human history is in full swing and we are unlikely to get the help needed to join in, at least in the immediate future. This discourages is and we retreat somewhat dischordantly. Reentrance to the city is through the north east gate and we make our way to a Starbucks for badly needed sustenance. Two large coffees and a pastry to share brightens the day a bit Things get even better when we text friend E. who assures us that the long distance bus is a viable option. This is tremendous weight off of us, so make our way back south and through the Muslim quarter feeling much better about the world. On the way we warm up on a huge shopping mall with a four - storey long escalator carrying hoardes to the IMax cinema. Impressive! Outside our hostel we see the local temple is open and pause to look inside. It seems to be a happy mix of Buddhist, Taoist, imperial and ancestral elements. Very nice. I could spend much time there. A snack downstairs of sandwich, popcorn and beer before we come upstairs, track down new towels, and have a little rest before undertaking the heat task of eating dinner. Out the front door, hard left and down the street perhaps one hundred steps is a little hope on the wall that yields a warm comfy family restaurant with bilingual menus and a delightful combination of foods. We have two vegetation dishes - a spicy one with hot oil, garlic and eggplant,and a three mushroom bowl that Mars the standard portobello preparation taste like sawdust. Magnificent again. Back to the hostek where we bush teeth carefully and go to bed in anticipation of the adventure tomorrow.

Day 16 Xi'an

(This entry was part of a letter to my step-mother Marguerite, herself an old China hand.)

Today we went to see the Terra Cotta warriors. The highway was closed because of snow and ice that had accumulated over the past 24 hours.  Nothing like the storms in North America, but, given the driving here we were glad to be travelling slowly.   Our little bus held a guide and eleven people picked up from our hostel and two others. 

Did I mention yet that it was cold? Good thing we had our Changchun winter layers which seemed ridiculous last week in the south. 

First  stop was the terra cotta factory where we saw how the figures were made.  This led, of course, to a sales room where replica figures were available, of any size up to100%.  Packaging and postage included, buy a set of soldiers and get a free emperor,  20% off this week only.   Fortunately,  you and Harry  gave us a set many years ago so we were not tempted. There were also beautiful carpets, other ceramic items and more souvenirs. We were given enough time to consider and resist then back to the bus.

First stop at the site,  an hour later,  was the mausoleum of the Emperor Qin. We had 20 minutes so were able to walk briskly to and on the mound where it is located but not to the actual site.   David, as you know, spent about ten summers working on archaeological digs in Israel,  and also wrote a book about ancient pottery  so he knew a lot about what we were seeing. 

By the way,  it was cold.   Blowy and snowy. Walk, walk, walk on slippery marble paths for half an hour. People were sliding as if on a skating rink. There were people with twig brooms effectively clearing snow. 

Bathroom stop then the big show.  The weather must have discouraged many people from coming:no lines or crowds 

You've seen the photos. (Marguerite,  of course you have seen the real thing!) It is still an amazing sight.  Hard to believe that the first artifact was discovered in 1974. (Also hard to believe that the old guy signing copies of the official guidebook is really the farmer on whose land they were found.) Huge building and rows of clay warriors.  Of course,  by this point we had already seen hundreds at the factory,  for sale at outdoor markets along the road,  at the hostel ...you get the idea.   But it is still amazing. David had knowledgeable insights about the process of excavation and, despite the fact that our hands were frozen, said that his fingers were itching to hold a brush or trowel. 

There are three buildings with excavations underway and very good explanations.   At no time did we have to wait to see the displays.   The last stop was a short film in a 360 degree theatre,  the kind where you stand and lean on a bar for  support.  Very  Expo 67, or the Canada pavilion at Disney World. Then another walk back to the bus, and an hour later, back to the hostel. Very glad we had each other to lean against during that chilly ride. 

We changed then had dinner downstairs in the inviting eating, drinking and chatting area. 

Tomorrow's plans will depend a bit on the weather.  Hopefully they will include a meal or two in the Muslim quarter  which is a 15 min walk away. 

Almost forgot.  During one of the many times today when we had to wait outside,  David kept first me,  then many of the group,   warm and entertained by teaching us some simple martial arts moves. A man of many talents. 

Day 15 Yangsho - Guilin - X'ian

After a quick breakfast we were picked up by our driver. Gary came to say goodbye. They had been concerned that end of New Year traffic might make it harder to drive through ttown and get to the airport on time It was not a problem and we made the 70 km trip in good time. It was a grey and foggy day. This made it a bit easier to leave.  [Gary told us later that the following week was cold and rainy, with temperatires below 10 degrees. We were lucky!]

The airport was full of young families: mothers and fathers and one or sometimes two young children along with grandma and grandpa.  The children are very sweet and calm there is none ofhte running, fussing and loud noises we expect with western children. It is increasingly clear that children are well loved with most of their needs catered to, but with very clear behaviour expectations.  They seem very happy. 

The flight to X'ian is fast and quiet. After the small airport and relaxed atmosphere in Guilin, the airport seemed huge. Without checked baggage we were able to quickly leave, find and then board the airport bus. The Hostel World web site contained good instructions and we made it to the hostel without too much delay. 

Day 14 Last day in Yangshuo

Day 14 February  3 Last day in Yangshuo (EE)

After watching the sky brighten behind the mountains, I got up around 7 to go for a walk. Not really early by school day standards. Nor for Chinese tourists.  The bamboo rafts must start up from the town docks as soon as it is light.  There were five fully loaded..  driver and six passengers...on the river as I walked to the right, past the bike rental house to the slightly more main road. 

The road led to a couple of villages. What does that mean? A large patch of land subdivided into many plots,  each about the size of the old NCC  garden plots.  Many rich and green with mustard,  cabbages,  carrots, some peas blooming and many orange and kumquat trees.  There are deep rectangular basins made of concrete that fill up with water during the March to May rainy season.     Other plots are untended and weedy. Alf explained that farmers are making more in a month as landlords (or more) than they ever made farming.   Many of the tall, simple houses are being converted to guest houses or hotels.    (I have some photos to illustrate this.) 

Quite a few people in the fields picking mustard and cabbages and loading the into baskets on their three wheeled bikes,  or baskets which they then carried with a yoke over their shoulders.  

The road turned west and led to the outskirts of Yangshuo.   There are about eight four storey apartment buildings there. There will be more soon, I imagine they will be done by the end of the summer. 

Then left on one of the main roads in to town.   By now it was 8 and the day well underway for Chinese tourists.   Families were pouring out of the many hotels, into cars,  onto rented bikes,  into the many storefront restaurants selling breakfast noodles and just wandering.   I joined them, although not for noodles today.  Instead I stopped at a restaurant by the river and had a "Dutch Breakfast." Juice, coffee, yogurt, scrambled eggs, bacon and toast for 28 yuan. It was already over 20 degrees, warm enough to eat outside. 

Then wandered among the river front, watching people live up for raft rides, try their two or three days rented bikes, pose beside the cormorants who were tied (Not nailed) to their perch and generally have a good time on holiday in warm weather.a

A note about restaurants here.  When you sit down, the server hands you a menu then stands there until you order.  It can be a bit intimidating at first.  In this tourist town they are more used to westerners, so will give you time of you need it.   In many places you also pay right away. The food is almost always delicious. 

The whole walk was about 2.5 hours and I arrived back in time for a second cup of coffee at the hotel. It was a superb start to a very satisfying day. 

Day 13 - Li River Retreat

Day 13 February 2 Li River Retreat Sunday a walkabout day.

The sun is behind the mountains when we awake this morning and the mist has a glow like the translucence of a candle through thin white ceramic. We widen the curtains and sit up on the bed watching the three mountains materialize out of the most while birds chitter away in the warmth of the emerging sun

We breakfast downstairs where the windows are wide open and the wooden wall to the terrace has been opened. We share a fruit plate and order oatmeal in anticipation of a walk this morning. A large mug of coffee each fulfils our needs.

We collect our walking gear and Alf, who leads us northward along the river road through farmland and down to a secret beach. Here we can see how low the river is at this time of year. There are oxbows where the water has meandered on recent seasons and the high water line is a full 1.5 metres above the, ahem, current level.

This is well-ordered land. Fields are carefully tended with a wide range of seasonal crops including mustard greens, some sorts of bok choy, nuts, garlic, onion, carrot, passion fruit, bamboo shoots. sugar came, peppers mild and hot, cabbage, rice, kumquats, oranges and pomelos amongst other things. The food you get here is almost all local, which is great.

Alf tells us that he has a home in Guilin because he and his wife don't want their children in a local school. He says that the new influx of wealth into the area is all tied to rentierism and formerly peasant farmer landlords see no value in education, an attitude they transmit to their children. So his kids go to a big city school, though from the sounds of things it is demanding and hard on the students and their parents. It must be difficult to have to discipline children to do three hours of homework every night when what you really want is to play with them..

As the three of us continue our walk, Alf tells us that his landlord has ambitions to tear down the present hotel building and put up a new one. This will mean a lot of work, expense and inconvenience for the family but would also mean that they can design the new place from scratch and have a new 20 year lease. Such an outcome will bring them right up to retirement age So win-win as they say in these parts. I for one will mourn the passing of our room, which in my mind just might have the best view view in China. Sigh.

Back to the hotel where I shower and wash some clothes. 
We take a few minutes to experiment with the beautiful koto on the second floor. It seems to be tuned A B C# E F# and A again. A perfect pentatonic scale for leads in A. chording is trickier.

we walk into town to reconnoiter the Friend Hotel across from McDonald's on West street. They know how to book train tickets, which is encouraging.

Town is busy. The ferry terminal is bustling with merchants who are too intent on getting ready for the incoming ships to pay attention to us. Elizabeth observes that this makes for a very peaceful stroll , and I agree.

The river walk is a different matter entirely. The place is crowded with vacationers and those who live on us. River cruises, coolie hats, postcards, intriguing pastries or possibly fried tofu, photographs of myself standing with a man in traditional peasant outfit and
cormorants on each end of a long pole, silk scarves, Mao hats with traditional red star and much, much more are there for the discerning spender. We find the Friend Hotel without problem. We find that the staff can't figure out where we need to go so we stop for lunch at a little place called Lucy's where we share a plate of mustard with garlic, spicy chicken , small rice and beverages. Tasty.

We find the park but I am getting tired so Elizabeth navigates is back to the terminal - - which is starting to look a bit like a buffalo jump - - and back to the hotel. We arrive at about 4 pm and take a bit of a break.

Well actually I take a bit of a break. Elizabeth confirms our hostel reservation in Xi'an and gets on to the computer in the lobby to try to figure out why the camera on her tablet is not working.

When I find her in the lobby she has found a solution to the camera problem - a bug related to resolution on scenery shots - and we are ready for dinner

During her hamburger and my robs in black bean sauce Alf tells us that his wife is playing the koto so we turn off the dining room music and listen in while talking quietly amongst ourselves about the joys and complexity of families.

The impromptu concert is over at around 7, so we retire to our room. Elizabeth plans to read ; I may do a bit of writing. 



Day 12 Kayaking on the Li River

Day 12 01 February Kayaking on the Li River (DEA)

We wake this morning at dawn and breakfast well. Elizabeth has oatmeal with bananas and a large coffee : I am a more moderate fellow and settle for a medium coffee with just a few sides : two eggs, two toast, two strips of bacon and too many French fries. Elizabeth helps me choke down my freshly squeezed orange juice and we are ready to face the morning, or at least that portion of the day which features the Li River.

Our driver arrives promptly at nine and we spend the next thirty minutes carrining about town collecting coadventurers for our epic voyage. Two French bankers and am Egyptian engineer later we arrive at the Li where a bamboo raft carrying five little kayaks, a bunch of paddles and assorted pfds chugs into view. Thus equipped we are launched onto the Li.

This part of the river is devoid of the larger craft that carry tourists and local travellers between Guilin and Yangshuo and all points between. Nor does it have the armada of bamboo rafts we were amongst just two days ago . Rather, the river seems to be not very populated with local traffic. There are fish traps or farms composed of net tubes running parallel to the shore in the shallows, all marked with water bottles as buoys. There are small family owned docks with moored rafts and playing children. Men and women can be seen on the shoreline washing, fishing, or just throwing stones into the water and laughing at the splashes. The sky is blue, clouds fluffy white, wind gentle and temperature warm. I am smiling like a maniac; Elizabeth seems happy too, and I smile even more.

The Engineer, whose name is Mia, is quite inexperienced with water craft so I tell her to listen to Elizabeth and follow her advice in case of uncertainty. The French bankers are experienced water rats and completely comfortable with their new boats. The company guide putts ahead on his raft, seemingly relaxed but in fact keeping a careful but unobtrusive eye on us all.

So we paddle into the middle of the day. There is some fast water to our left which Elizabeth tackles with joy. I take a more leisurely approach, first reminding Mia to continue paddling regularly and steer into the open tops of the V shapes. Of course I get drenched, but hey, that's what water is for!

I turn back upstream to watch Mia and also to get a sense of the current. At this point I have to make a major effort to stay stationary relative to the shore. Perhaps Elizabeth could make some headway here, but not me!

At this time of year the water is low and there are sandbars. Close to the shore is shallow and in some places quite weedy
The French legation has taken to standing on their boats and seem to be doing quite well with this approach.

We pass a little village where there are apparently n natives in bright local costumes ready to dance and sell us lunch, but we stay on the water. This is too much fun to stop, even briefly. Elizabeth takes a stab at stand up Kayaking and manages brilliantly.

Some more quick water and the landscape is slightly different - somehow almost like the Gatineau hills just south of Ottawa along the river. Of course, there are some minor differences including karst mountains off to the side, huge stands of enormous bamboo, the ubiquitous Chinese rafts, and a gentle whiff of gunpowder on the breeze.

I am getting tired but still making reasonable progress when quite suddenly a large bridge drifts into view and we are at the end of our excursion. I have the wobbles getting out of the boat - 4 hours cross legged can do that to me - - and am feeling parts of my arms that I didn't know I own, but still wholly overjoyed by the trip. Elizabeth remarks that this may be the highlight of our vacation :she may well be right.

At 1:30 we pile back into the van and are returned to our hotel. I am quite wet, including my shoes, but we dry off quickly and head downstairs to lunch.

We are both quite in need of carbohydrates so Elizabeth orders some sort of macaroni dish and I opt for the Sheppards pie. It is tasty but not my favourite incarnation of this dish. Elizabeth has a large coffee and I order a second beer

Afterwards we head upstairs but are distracted by Alf, one of the hotel owners. He is an Australian of Spanish descent who trained as an electrician before travelling much of the world as a bartender and tour guide. He and his wife (a local girl) have owned this place for seven years. They have two children and business seems to be working for them. He is apparently a devoted walker so Elizabeth and I agree to meet him tomorrow morning for a ramble around the neighbourhood.

Finally upstairs I decide that my image has suffered quite enough. In addition to trying to walk in new and unfamiliar mule sandals, I am still shaky from the last two days activities: these, combined with the remainder of my beer clenched firmly in hand convey a strong image of the indolent foreigner who is drunk by noon. So enough! I take the blow drier to my poor abused shoes and spend a few moments organizing my laundry. This turns out to be a good idea because we have new neighbours. In fact, lots of new neighbours. The hotel is filling up. All good., as Lucy might say.

We spend the balance of the daylight on the balcony or on the room doing small tasks, writing, or looking at email. I send a note to Janet giving her or return to Canada schedule, and we start talking about when we will eat again.

Downstairs once more, this time for a simple garlic pizza which we consume with gusto on the terrace in front of the hotel. Every room is booked tonight and the staff are working to fill capacity, with smiles all around. Alf is quite excited by all the action and the simple villagers of Yangshuo are burning enough gunpowder to inspire envy in the most cacophilic artillery brigade. Hooray

We retire upstairs weary and content. 



Day 11 New Year's Day Yangshuo

Day 11 Jan 31 New Year's Day 

After distant fireworks for a few hours it was quiet until about6. I got up and sat on the balcony looking toward Yangshuo.  The fire crackers started then and continued for about three hours.  But it just sounds like,  well,  distant fire crackers about 2 km away.  David slept peacefully through it all.  Breakfast,  porridge for me and Mexican breakfast for D. We are unabashedly enjoying some Western food, for the first time in a long while. 

Gary arrived at ten and we walked soon the hill to the bike rental place.  Imagine a small brick one storey building with a side yard full of healthy chickens and a healthy rat.  Phone Ecalls were made and a young couple with soon arrived on a  scooter followed shortly afterwards by an older couple on another scooter.   Doors were unlocked and we were fitted with bikes.  Well used.  David's had a range of high hard,  mine one low heat and Gary's has one speed. 

Then set off into town where we had walked the previous night. As it is a holiday,  traffic was light   to start.  OK,  let me qualify that. Traffic circle, vehicles in every direction. Cars, yes of course,  and bikes too.   Then every imaginable variation on two  and three wheels,  all doing the gentle ballet that is Chinese driving.  David adapted right away,  weaving with ease and confidence past whole families on scooters,  and taxis,  and grandmothers with freight trikes full of mustard greens.    Inspired by his ability,  and because there was no choice, I soon got into the rhythm as well. 

As usual,  sensory overload.  The photos  will help...  They are on the camera and will be downloaded when we get back to Changchun. 

Traffic jam caused by some lion dancers with drums.  They go from store to store dancing until the owners give them a red envelope.  

A man sweeping away piles of red paper,  the remnants of fire crackers,  using a broom made of bamboo. 

Town turning quickly to country..  Biking along roads that reminded me of roads atop the dikes in Germany and the Netherlands. 

Sunny day feeling like midsummer in Ottawa. 

Women washing clothes in almost any available water. 

Older design bamboo tags, of real bamboo,  propelled from the back like a punt,  the driver using a bamboo pole. 

Lots of new year greetings called. 

Amazing views of karst mountains, stretching into the distance, the morning fog burned off. 

Gary leading us into a cattle field,  the inhabitants wearing bells and not disturbed by the three crazy people yelling "sing nyen how" at the top of their lungs to hear the echo. 

Making up stories to go with the shapes of the mountains. 

Tiny hamlets with houses using pumps for water and big screen TV 's visible through the open front walls .... many ground floors have garage type doors leading into a room which can house a business or scooters or a living area or all of these. 

Groups of people sitting and eating. 

Children wearing their new year clothes. 

Many Chinese tourists. 

Gary loves the area and being a guide. He was a teacher for 11 years and it shows. 

After about 3.5 hours we were pretty saddle sore. Back through Yangshuo with  much more traffic this time, but we sailed through. 

Got back at 3and had a drink before staggering the 38 (but who is counting) stairs for a nap and showers. Dinner at the hotel,  Skype visit with Lucy and Nykka,  this writing,  and so to bed. 

Day 10 Li River Retreat, Yangshuo

Day 10   Li River Retreat Thursday 30 January. New Years Eve and a raft trip. (DEA)

We are aware of the morning light that starts to brighten the room at around 7:00, but stay under the covers for another half hour. Elizabeth gets up first : she goes onto the porch and listen to the birds. Most of the sounds are avian in the morning here, though of course this close to New Years there are fire crackers going of at all hours.

We have a lovely breakfast of oatmeal with bananas, toast and coffee before preparing to meet Gary (from Win-Win Travel) and Mr Zhou, the driver.

The front of the hotel is decorated with pictures of the guardian generals and couplets expressing hopes for fortune in the coming year.

We are driving south along the river and soaking in the view. The plan is to take a bamboo raft down the Li River.
We are told that today is not an official holiday but most people are leaving work early 
so our first stop is a market which is scheduled to provide essentials for families for the New Year.

A great way to start the morning! In addition to the usual foods and domestic appliances available in any Chinese market there are also whole rows dedicated to posters of the aforementioned generals, happy scenes, horses (as in The Year Of) happy children, and couplets. We take a moment to watch a skilled calligrapher brush felicitations onto red paper with black ink. Nice to see that the old ways have survived the Cultural Revolution! The are also premade couplets with gold lettering and paper cut out, red clothing - - some of it pretty racy - - New Years may be very Happy for somebody and special candies, baked goods and beautiful fruit. Everyone is excited and there is an air of good willed expectation throughput the market.

We continue by car to the river where we are ushered aboard a rustic - looking vessel, issued pfds, given powers to much on, and then at our onto the River

The raft is based on a classic design of eight longitudinal bamboo logs bound together and with a small motor on the stern. The deck is light planks with seats affixed and there is an awning for sun protection but the weather is so perfect and is function is primarily decorative.

The trip down the river leaves me adjectivily challenged. We take some good pictures, but the landscape is so impressive and the day so lovely - - warm and clear - - that we are caught up in the moment. Elizabeth spends some time calculating that this might be the perfect place to set up a dragon boat tour company, but for the most part we ate just content to view this extraordinary world.

We return to land and take a walk through a small town market that is mostly closed for the day. Everywhere is sign of new year :the generals, couplets, shreds of red paper where a mass of firecrackers had been discharged and simple candles and joss-sticks are placed in front of a many places. The ancestors are not forgotten in modern China.

We drove back to the hotel. The roads are lined with people selling live chickens, geese, ducks and fish along with the more usual vegetables and fruit. Families three or four to a scooter and driving along and the lines at filling stations are pretty dense, though everyone seems good natured about the press. Two men ride by on an electric bike ; between them is a large screen television. A small scooter has a mother driving with a toddler standing in front of her on a wooden stool (!). The only thing I didn't see was a unicycle, but that just may be a function of my poor eyesight.

It is our little glimpse of the largest migration in human history.

We return to the hotel to back in the sunshine and take in the relative calm.

We nap and shower. The firecrackers are more frequent now and there is a wood of gunpowder in the breeze.

The walk into town is quite nice. The city is crazy; families walking about, mall streets open with vendors of all descriptions selling laser lights, glowing tops and other less identifiable trinkets. Restaurants are all open (as are special massage parlors where fish nibble on your toes) and jewelry, clothing, housewares a well as alcohol by the bottle or the snort are for sale.

Elizabeth finds a tourist information centre and we procure a map of the city before stopping for dinner. Dofu with chestnuts, mustard greens with mushrooms.

We walk back to the hotel. Elizabeth had brought her headlight and I have my wand so we make the trip without incident. To be fair, the road is really dark and I wouldn't want to try it without illumination :there is real potential for leaving the road and ending up in the river...

Home before 10pm. The fireworks are almost continuous by now and the sky is ablaze with coloured florets and streaks of light.

The hills are alive with the sound of fireworks.

We sit on our patch for perhaps an hour and are lulled to sleep by the echoes of a great Chinese party. Happy New Year Everyone! 


Days 8-9 Yangshuo

Day 8 Beijing to Yangshuo (EE)

So,  we arrived at Beijing airport with lots of time to spare.  Line for security less than half an hour. We were met at Guilin by a man with a sign  that said Elizabeth.  About an hour drive in a nice van to a very quiet and nearly empty hotel. 

OK.. Our room has a private balcony overlooking the river... see attached, and bathrobes! I clearly am used to budget accommodation if the bathrobe ranks with the best view in China.  Dinner at the hotel. 

Day 9 Yangshuo and rice paddlies (EE)

This morning guide Gary and driver picked us up at 7:30 for the 3.5hr drive to the rice terraces. That was an amazing ride. So many motorcycles of all descriptions ;many caring full families and New Year gifts. In one village there were about 50 men lining the road,  each with a wicker basket containing some kind of fowl.  People were walking away caring ducks or geese or chickens by the neck.  Because we left without breakfast we stopped for hot soy milk and steamed buns.   Also stopped for a toilet break at a well maintained but extremely basic toilet. Once again glad that we have been in China for a while and that our friend E has prepared us for many things! 

Too many images to describe now.... Everyone is cleaning because tomorrow is New Year's Eve.   

We drove on switchback roads up mountains.  

Then we arrived at the Longli rice Terraces. 

Imagine a steep rock path up a hill, initially lined with tables and little booths that would usually house people selling souvenirs or food or drinks or a chance to look at the women 'so very long ...to the ground... hair.  But, because of the holiday most were empty as was the parking lot.  The path continued upwards, past houses and little hotels and restaurants and places where you can have your toes nibbled by goldfish 

The path continued up. We walked, and stopped for breaks,for more than an hour and saw mountains full of rice terraces. The photo only begins to show them, better to look for photos on the Internet. 

At the end of the trail at the top of a hill, suddenly a nice new flush WC. ????? 

The walk continued on the edge of one of the hills through a fir and bamboo  forest.   David got some great photos on his Canadian phone which he can download when we get back to Changchun. 

The forest smelled like home.  We were actually on one of the terraces. The rice here is planted in May, so the ground contained the stalks of last year's crop. 

It's 9:30and we just heard fireworks . Apparently there will be non stop fireworks day and night for the next week.  Today we saw several young children lighting and throwing fire crackers, a pleasure that those of us over 50 will remember. 

Then down to the gate. We stopped with Gary for lunch at one of the many tiny eating places. Local specialty is bacon and bamboo, with a side of mustard greens  and tea. 

Then the long drive home. We all, except the driver, doze 

 a bit. Most of the chickens and ducks were gone. So many people by the side of the road selling powers and small oranges. We were travelling  through orange and kumquat orchards. 

Home,  too tired for the walk into town, so ate at the hotel.   Then stargazing and looking forward the hills above Yangshuo. 

Time for sleep. Tomorrow we will visit villages and have a private bamboo raft ride and maybe go into town to greet the new year. 

The trip Day 8 South to Guanzi Province

T 28 January South to Guanxi Province day 8.

Today is a time for travelling.

We wake at seven and go to breakfast of toasted egg, bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich with cucumber slices and tea. Back at the room we complete our packing and get to the east lodge common room at almost nine. A few moments conference with the staff and we are on our way to the airport. The driver is our musician friend who seems to manage that portion of the operation and along the way we tells us that he has been at Red Lantern since 2007, that he is a long term resident of Beijing (40 Years! ) and that living in Beijing is expensive : perhaps 2500 rmb for room and board. These he gets a part of his pay, so 4,000 rmb is enough to live comfortably.

He drops is of at terminal 2 and we take the elevator to the 2nd floor (domestic departures) where we get our tickets in about ten minutes and then line up for security.

The line is quicker than I anticipated and the staff are efficient and good matured. Once more I am impressed by the professionalism of the security checkpoints-- there is none of the intrusive confrontation one gets from the Americans, rather just a thorough and gently apologetic demeanour which goes a long way to keeping people happy.

Through security we discover that the departure gate had not yet been assigned so we slip down to the lower level for coffee. Elizabeth has a cappuccino and I down an Americano. Very quiet and laid back. After this respite we return to the main floor and camp at gate 38 until departure.

Luggage stowed, we have a bit of a wait on the tarmac and actually takeoff at about 1:10. At cruising altitude Elizabeth is fascinated by the mountains and the glaciation thereon . China is so dry that there is less atmospheric humidity than we are used to (hence the pervasive dust) but it makes for great visibility if there is no pollution in the way. It is becoming clear that global warming and melt offing the Himalayas will have a major negative impact on Chinese agriculture and life. No wonder they are trying to buy up huge swaths of sub Saharan farm land They are probably counting on increased heat and regional increase of rainfall in those areas, which will discourage the local maize production but work for a lot of Chinese dietary items.

Lunch is a small carrot and pea salad, a hunk of chicken , noodles and red sauce for Elizabeth and rice with mild curry for me. There is also bread, and yogurt for dessert. Yum. By the time we have demolished this meal and cleaned out the rubble we have only about ninety minutes before we land. So far, so good.

Landing is smooth and we deplane without incident. A driver for Win-Win is waiting for us :a tall young chap with a nice new van. We roll south to Yangshou through a rich agricultural belt of orchards, vegetable farms and grain fields. The vehicles here have their own character - - especially the old - style home made three wheel pickup trucks with the motor mounted in the low above the front wheel. Cute and efficient. There are many more has powered bicycles and scooters and lots of honking and smiles, 
It's warm here and we are excited by the thought of being outside without thermal undies but try not to get our hopes too high.

The Li River Retreat is simply delightful. We have a room with balcony on the third floor and we are excited and pleased as we unpack and settle in. Showers!

Dinner in the dining room becomes a bit of a victory party. I accidentally order more wine than we planned, but we make it upstairs without incident and fall in to bed