GUILIN HOLIDAY

Just back from China again. I can't believe that this holiday was even better than the Yunnan one. Our group of fellow travellers were friendly, punctual and cooperative. Darren, the Malaysian tour manager was the best we have had for a long time. Susan, our Guilin guide was also very professional. Staying in 5-star hotels like the Shangrila and Sheraton was an unexpected bonus. The disappointments were the pouring rain during the Lijiang river cruise and the much touted Liu Sanjie show. After all the jostling and pushing to get to our seats from the entrance amidst the thousands of local tourists, this Zhang Yi Mou production is a real letdown in my opinion. Again, civilities in China have not changed since our last visit. Smokers were puffing their lives away everywhere, from inside the cruiseboats to the restaurants. Spitting is still rife but the toilets were a little better than the ones in Yunnan. Commercialism is raring its ugly head in China. Instead of performing her rightful duties as a tour guide on the Lijiang river cruise, the young lady was more interested in hawking her own photo sessions. Food was also cooked and sold on the boat. Despite these we will visit China again soon, ironic ?

The Crown Caves. All visitors ride these electric tracked scooters to the cave which is quite a distance away.

The rural scenery seen as one is riding the electric tracked scooter.

Notice inside cave, can't figure out what are the containers for.

The underground river was swollen because of rain so our boat ride inside the cave was cancelled.

Because of the humongus amount of water we got a rare treat, an unusual underground waterfall.  

Vegetation on the karst.

Electric cables  mar the beautiful scenery of the Crown Caves town.

Shangrila Hotel.

The lobby of the Shangrila Guilin has nice ambiance.

The Li River behind the Shangrila Hotel

Li River with karst landscape in background, behind the Shang.

Shot in the evening at the rear of the Shangrila hotel.

Note the fellow washing his motorbike at riverside.

Morning scene outside the Shang.

Drying bamboo shoots beside the track to the Longsheng rice terraces .

At the start of the climb you have an option to ascend in style.

Typical timber houses of the ethnic minority at Longsheng.

Some of these buildings are now hostels to cash in on the local tourists.

A new reinforced concrete and brick building looks out of place here.

The village halfway up the hike.

At last the famous rice terraces.

The Rice Terraces as seen from the Seven Stars and Moon lookout. Took us about about an hour to climb up here.
You have to be reasonably fit to make the ascend, descending is easier.

Passing the village on the way down.

Noveau rich BMW owner tried cutting queue at toll gate near Guilin.

Elephant Trunk Hill.

Entrance to the Xing'an Ling Canal.

Some of the local folks use the canal water to wash their stuff.

Local washing vegetables and at canal side.  

The locks regulating the water level are now modern.

Mythical creature, Pi Xiu.

This giant Gingko Biloba tree is reputed to be hundreds of years old.

After seeing how the water from the canal is being used we had already made up our mind .

Believe me they really were working. The one on the left practically chaperoned us, asked the locals to remove washed linens from bridge balustrades and chairs from five foot way for us to photograph the place.

This vehicle really makes economic sense, seats 7 or can carry hundreds of kilos, 250cc engine?

Li River cruise. It had to rain on the wrong day.

Sunrise outside the Sheraton Hotel,

The Sun and Moon twin pagodas.