Kunming to Guilin...chalk and cheese

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Geo: 25.28, 110.28

A leisurely start this morning because really the activities are just a "filler" until we make our way to the airport which is about 40 minutes out of the city.

The museum visit this morning included a beautiful porcelain display. Figurines, pots and vases in every shape and thickness and in the " priceless" price range are on display. We sauntered through the various levels inspecting art work and ethnic costumes, bead word and jewels from the rule of various empowers. The feature we liked the most was that no-one asked us to buy anything at the end of the visit.

Lotus has an amazing general knowledge. And brings the artefacts to life by sharing stories and insights. She takes particular pride and joy in sharing the stories of the Tibetan minority and shares with us stories of similar pieces she has in her collection - a skirt, a pair of shoes and embriodery. Again, we have enjoyed the company of our "friendly China guide" and will be sad to say good bye.

Next stop is the Green Lake, an expansive people's park in Kunming and filled with children on a very warm Saturday morning. The park is a beautiful collection of trees, shrubs and flowers and features a statue dedicated to the city's sister city Wagga Wagga! The lake itself is filled with carp - humongous carp in fact - which seem to know exactly where the fish pellets are distributed by the children and congregate in feeding frenzy knots as the food is thrown their way. The other feature of the lake is an endless carpet of lotus flowers - just stalks and leaves at this time of year - but in summer, the lake surface will be ablaze with colour with these naturally floating floral bowls.

The park was a children's paradise. There were hurdy-girdy rides and sideshow alley games, performances and lots of sweet treats and hundreds of paddle boats and motor boats.

In contrast to the children's activities the park also boasted the Kunming meeting place for the now aged local members of the Red Guard. There were a number of elderly men congregated in a Pavillion - right next to China's version of the Zorb. They were smoking, playing cards and performing elements of Chinese opera. A weary lot indeed.

We have heard so many stories of the irreversible destruction to the "four olds" by the students of the Red Guard. In that short period of time from 1967 to 68 the Red Guard marched across China in a campaign to eradicate old customs, old culture, old habits and old ideas. Old books and art were destroyed, museums were ransacked, and streets were renamed with new revolutionary names and adorned with pictures and the sayings of Mao. Many famous temples, shrines, and other heritage sites across the nation were attacked.

Our guides have commented on the positives that Mao initiated - but also comment on the "mistake" that was the cultural purge of the Cultural Revolution.

And so it was off to lunch at the lakeside restaurant. And we were still marvelling at the lack of "shine" on this venue. Mac said that the written description of the lake referred to "blue water" - this was definitely not on view. In my cynicism, I thought that naming the area "Green Lake" allowed for the days when the water pollution that is characteristics of Kunming "bubbled" to the surface. It was certainly a green seething pond on our visiting day.

We had already been to Kunming on our stopover to Shangri-La so felt that we could handle our security check solo. So we said a hasty good bye to Lotus and made our way to the waiting gate 7 of "Lucky Air". We were called to the flight on time but were delayed after the late arrival of a group of passengers - and then sat for another 15 minutes as the Captain announced we were waiting for "one more" passenger. Finally airborne for an easy, uneventful flight to arrive about 15 minutes late to be greeted by the wonderful Wendy and our driver Chen.

Guilin is absolutely beautiful - plenty of rain, lower altitude combine to present a city lush with vegetation and surrounded by hundreds of teeth like mountains. This city is the meeting of water and mountain and no building in the city can be above 10 storeys to protect everyone's view. So different, so beautiful and only 800 000 people - it feels a little like home.

Our hotel is perfect and can you believe this - features a SOFT, yes that's right - a SOFT bed and feather pillows. We are on the top floor (the ninth) and have our own balcony. And @MrsAngell if you ever travel this way - the Guilin Bravo is for you .... I have never seen so much purple.

With arrangements made for tomorrow - we were on our own and headed towards town to find the McFound restaurant that featured a menu with pictures and English script! We ordered our own banquet - tucked in with gusto - and enjoyed the challenged of capturing the rice noodles.

Another great day completed....and thrilled to have an early night. We were done and dusted at 9 pm and after a Chinese local beer (all 750 mls of it) I was dead to the world by 9.03.

Pedometer Reading: 16 654
Temperature: Kunming 30 C Guilin 26 C

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Photos

The Museum
According to Mac, China invented paper AND the first set of spikes.

The park
New attraction...The Zorb

Comments

[@MrsAngell]

I will have to add it to my bucket list