Our plane left XIAN airport about
9:00 am Wednesday morning for the City of Guilin which is located in the
southern part of China on the LI RIVER. It is said that Guilin is
located in the most beautiful part of the entire country of China and after
visiting there and traveling along the LI river by boat, I have no argument
with those who say that. At least from that part of China which I
experienced on our trip.
The flight was scheduled for 2
hours, however, we must have had a heck of a tailwind as we landed in
Guilin at 11:00 am. Waiting for our luggage to be unloaded so that we
could identify it before it was loaded to transport to our hotel and
getting to our bus took about 1/2 hour so we arrived into the center of the
city at about noon. We drove along the river front which had a lovely
park located between the road and river. They told us that in the
evening this park is turned into a huge thriving outdoor night Flea Market
every evening.
First stop was lunch at one of the
hotels overlooking the River. This lunch was the finest of the many
lunches on the tour. It was served buffet style and was excellent with many
finely prepared choices.
After lunch, we checked into the
Sheraton Hotel which was just down the street and again overlooking the
River. (A personal note: In my opinion, the Sheraton Hotel in Guilin is a
fine hotel as far as service, location and public areas are concerned.
However, they do need to reinvest some of their funds into refurbishing the
entire room block area from the bare floor up.)
About 2:30 we boarded the bus and
headed out of town through the old and narrow streets of central Guilin to
visit the famous REED FLUTE CAVE. The country side around Guilin is
described as "KARST" which means the area is dotted with pockets
of limestone which in many instances have been isolated into small mountain
like individual hills making the entire landscape very beautiful.
Some of these hills are also pocketed with washed out areas or caves where
through the years water has slowly washed away the soil to form limestone
and mineral caves. REED FLUTE CAVE, so named from its' location along
a stream by which a type of reed grows profusely that one may easily make a
Reed Flute, is said to be the most beautiful and accessible of them
all. What with discrete lighting the many stalagmites and stalactites
and mineral rocks exposed from the constant washing of running and dripping
water are beautiful.
Dinner that night was on our own
so we ate in the hotel and went to bed early as both of us were feeling the
effects of our colds or what ever it was we had.
Next morning we had another fine
buffet breakfast at the Sheraton and then about 8:30 we loaded up the bus
and headed towards a dockage about 28 KM from Guilin where during the time
of year we were there what with the low levels of the LI RIVER the small
tour boats departed for YANGSHOO. After the rainy season begins and
the river rises, usually by July, these boats leave from the city of Guilin
making the distance on the river 83 KM instead of the 55 KM which is the
distance we would travel on our trip.
I will never forget this boat
ride. It was a voyage in contrasts! The things I remember are.
The total lack of apparent order
in getting the 40 - 50 boats on the river from the dockage at the same
time. It reminded me of "Bumper Cars" at the old Daytona
Beach boardwalk.
The small boat, bouncing from
river boat to river boat selling live items to the Food Chefs at the stern
of each vessel. Things like live chickens, fish, mussels and such. We
bought a small turtle for the turtle soup.
The gallon jug of miscellaneous lizards,
snakes and such that they brought around along with the bottles of SNAKE
WINE which they tried to peddle by the bottle and give us a shot of
as a sample.
The farmer, plowing with his Water
Buffalo in his fields along the side of the LI RIVER.
The ladies washing clothes on the
rocks and the small children playing in the water along the rocky edge of
the stream.
The goats, sheep and cattle
grazing lazily in the fields along the river.
The farmers sitting on the waters
edge awaiting the boat that would take their goods to market.
Looking down into the crystal
clear water as the captain gently and gracefully steered the boat over and
around the rocks and rapids of the swiftly moving river.
And most of all the wonderful
KARST LANDSCAPE of the limestone hills which were around us for the entire
55 km in all directions. Some green, some rocky, some pocked with caves yet
every single one of them totally different in size, shape and covering.
It was a marvelous trip and I
totally agree that the area around Guilin is very, very beautiful indeed.
On arrival at YANGSHOO we shopped
in the flea market before boarding our bus which joined us here for the
trip back into Guilin. (It was pointed out that about 5:00 pm the vendors
at this flee market would hastily pack up and rush to Guilin where they
would set up along the river for an evening market).
Along the road on the way back
someone spotted a farmer walking along the road with his Water Buffalo so
our driver stopped and those who wanted to got off and took their picture.
That evening we enjoyed a Special
Dinner and colorful local entertainment.