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Published: November 4th 2009
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Zhouxi market
Ducks and old man After a day relaxing in Chengdu, we decided to head overland by buses through Guizhou. Got an overnight train on the 24th from Chengdu straight to Guiyang, then hopped straight on a bus to Kaili. We were instantly welcomed by dogs being butchered, hairs having been burnt off but otherwise intact. The noise, dirt and bustle of Kaili threatened to be a nightmare as we struggled to find a hotel, finally checking in to the Petroleum Hotel! Headed back out and were saved by Kaili's markets. The main market had everything from fruit, to combs, to electrical goods....to stalls (or at least mats) selling animal cures - antelope heads, horns, dried guts (I think) and massive paws one guy said was tiger (maybe actually bears?). We headed off in to the backstreets, tiny winding lanes stuffed full of minority tribes women, jet black hair curled up on theur heads and held by combs (originaly used Yak horn, now probably plastic). Different sections specialised in veg, meat (including pigs faces which somehow looked comical...maybe not to Rach!), wicker goods, wood bowls, chairs, tables etc., and large sections of stalls selling exactly the same minority outfits - must be demand! Before this had
Kaili market
Various 'cures' headed on a local bus for 30mins to Zhouxi - a small village with a few wooden buildings in the back fields but mostly concrete now. Again, a very busy market but less attractive - including the livestock sections with squeeling pigs being hauled around in sacs, whicker pens of chickens and ducks, chickens trussed up and carried around like bags, and least easy to stomach, puppies in whicker cages. Not great to see, but good to experience I guess would be the traveller's line!
Next morning another bus for Congjiang - Rach to the rescue! We were sold a ticket with different timne than expected, Rach got me to check with someone and through lots of pointing at tickets and the book it transpired we were sold a bus ticket to God knows where! All sorted and the bus trip continued through the mountains, steep valleys with terraces growing all sorts of crops (mostly rice, also various veg and tea), with large forested and bamboo areas. Getting bit more tropical in feel, with bananas as my main guide! Also water buffalo appearing, and people poling along the rivers on wooden boats. Every now and then come across a
high speed rail line which is being built through the mountains - amazing with huge tunnels and pillars hundreds of meters high to support raised sections. Change is certainly speeding along. In Congjiang, have diner in our room (tasty noodles and biscuits, with a bottle of wine!), then wake to rain - so abandon trip to nearby village and back on the bus to Zhaoxing (after the most confusing attempt yet to find out what time the bus is - about 5 different answers from guards, ticket office etc. - so we forget them and head to the drivers who sort us out straight away!).
Arrive in Luoxiang, then hop instantly in minibus to Zhaoxing - it really is easy to get around by bus - generally so many buses or maybe we have been lucky (certainly not due to our perfect Chinese!). Zhaoxing is a stunning wooden village, with wooden Wind and Rain bridges (covered as a meeting place) across the river which runs through the centre, and Drum Towers. Short walk out in to the rice and veg fields, including our first snake (small and brown!). Village filled by beutiful old ladies dying, drying and beating (to
Kaili night market
Food the best so far give the cloth a sheen) indigo cloths - the main ingredient for the local minority costumes.
Jump on another bus in the morning, and on to Sanjiang. Vertebrae compressing journey for 5 hrs in a minibus - think we may be shorter now - again through beautiful valleys. From there, another 30 min journey to Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge - 1912, 78m long wooden, covered bridge with no nails - all wood construction and beautiful! Decide to have a couple of days here - wandering through the nearby villages, through the rice terraces which are full of people harvesting (either bunch up a load of stalks in to pyramids and hang from their houses, or use wooden threshing machines with peddle power), up a hill (stairs up go from near the bridge entrance / ticket office) for a view of the valley, bridge and villages. Usual amazing mix of crops include all sorts of veg, rice, tea, oranges, chillies. On the second day took slightly longer path (all of 45 mins) to the village Pingtan. Obviously much poorer. When we get to the drum tower we are called in by the oldest, most wizended man bent at 90
Zhaoxiang
Drum tower degrees with an amazing smile. The tower is full of old men playing cards and watching tele, and we get a warm welcome, a cup of tea and a tour of all the photos with the old man in them....by the old man! Very proud! We give a donation and they carve our names in to a stone tablet in front of us (they do this at a number of the wind and rain bridges although we never saw it down). Really great moment and head off with a spring in our steps! Was great to have a chill for a couple of days.
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