Yangshuo Jan 2004 (Chinese New Year)

Helen and I spend Chinese New Year together in China. We went to Guilin, or more correctly Yangshuo and Longji - both close to Guilin. Yangshuo is a very touristy place - one of the first places foreign people came to in China. Many of the business there have English names, and more restaurants serve western food. Still, it is a very nice place to be, with very interesting mountain formations. We spend 5 days total, with 3 days in Yangshuo and two days in Longji. In Yangshuo we went sailing on the Li river, we visited caves, and we rented bikes to cycle around in the area. We also took a ride on a bamboo boat on the Yulong river (a side river to Li river).

In Longji, we hiked around in the area of the famous terraces. We stayed there one night in a town on the mountain. It was a nice place, but rather cold - they had no heat in the hotel. The first day we hiked around and enjoyed the views, and the second day we took a longer hike down to the bottom of the valley. This area is still not that touristy, but I believe that it is just a matter of time - It is a beautify place, and you feel the place is getting ready for a lot of tourists.

We used all the local means of transportation, and we even had a little trouble getting back to Guilin - the busses were full, but we managed to find another bus, so we also had a little time to spend in Guilin.

Yangshuo

Helen and I at the Li river in Yangshuo

People are using the river for everything

The famous bird fisher men are everywhere

The mountains are the middle of the town

Yes, it was Chinese New year - fire crackers everywhere

Typical "Western" restaurant in Yangshuo

Li River

There were lots of boats

Picture from boat ride on Li river

Helen and I on the boat

Picture from LI river

And another

Helen on the boat

Most towns are surrounded by mountains

Helen and I at the most famous place to take pictures - it is the scenery from the back-side of the 20 RMB note

Everyone needs their picture taken there

There was not a lot of water in the river

After the trip, we had something to eat at a local street restaurant

Cute kid at the restaurant

We hiked to the top of a mountain - view on the way to the top

View from the top

Yes, we both made it to the top - it was a little challenging hike

Another view from the top

They grow oranges in the area

People trying to sell everything here

Lotus Cave

We were very lucky to see Lotus cave

It was closed, but a tour came as we were ready to leave, and they allowed us to follow

The famous lotus formations

Another picture without flash

Silver cave

Silver cave is an old cave - very nice, but they have added colored lights everywhere, and in my mind it spoils the beauty

Helen and I at the entrance of Silver Cave

Colored lights everywhere

Very nice formations though

Another nice picture

Your could have your picture taken special places

Very nice formation

and another one

Helen and I in front of a colored formation

Another picture

Yet another

We saw a funeral after the visit to Silver Cave - an old person, so people were almost happy

Small town we visited

Interesting tree

We had to take the local ferry to cross the river

Everything is on the boat - even a pig

Interesting way to store hay

Bicycle trip

People transporting the boats back up the river

We rented bikes to ride around the area

Decent bikes made it easy to ride - we saw a lot of nice sceneries

We also took a Bamboo boat trip on the Yulong river - the cycles were also on the boat

The Yulong river is very nice

This is what the bamboo boat looks like

We were biking on narrow paths among the fields

Helen on the boat

We had lunch in a small restaurant out in the open

Here is Helen at the top

Moon hill - we hiked to the top

It is a pretty amazing mountain

Helen and I at the top

Longji

(Longshen)

Narrow hiking paths allow you to get around

View from our Hotel window

Out hotel - the best in the city

View over the terraces

Another view

Helen and I at the top of the mountain

The local people traditionally have long hair

We had to pay to take a picture

Afterwards they tried to sell Helen some jewelry

Sunset in Longji

View over the terraces

Another view with the hiking path

Yes, the mountain is fully utilized

and, yes the fields are in use

Even animals are walking around

View on our hike down to the bottom of the valley

Another picture of Helen

There are large rocks in some of the fields

We met this local man, who told us a lot of interesting things - he was on his way to another village to visit his wife's family

Lots of small fields on the mountain

We also got into some forest like area

The path got narrower on the way

Helen on top of the boulder path

Picture at the river running through the bottom of the valley

Another view of the terraces

Local people enjoying the sun shine

People trying to sell stuff to tourists

Me on the way to the bottom of the valley

Another view of the terraces

Another nice view

Yet another