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Published: November 5th 2009
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Pingtan (Chenyang)
Old geezer in Drum Tower (belongs in previous section) The journey to Sanjiang and the Wind and Rain Bridge had brought us in to Guangxi province (forgot to mention that before!). On the 30th we were up early again to catch a minibus from Chengyang back to Sanjiang, and from there on to Longsheng, and then another bus to Ping'an - our target destination and gateway to the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces. All so smooth? Not really - turned out the helpful bus lady wasn't that helpful and our third bus was not bound to Ping'an but another nearby village - no probs but we did have to jump off and wait at a car park for an hour or so for another local bus. Finally arrived at Ping'an and after the 15 minute walk up to the village itself, settled on the first hotel we came to - we were getting a bit sweaty!
Spent a couple of days in Ping'an, the first for some gentle walks in the village and nearby terraces, and the next day on a fantastic 8hr round trek to the village of Dazhai. the terraces are outstanding, massive amount of work (started 18th C I think) to create incredibly neat terraces perfectly following
Chenyang
Harvest (again belongs in previous) the hills contours and with perfect irrigation systems to ensure terraces can be water-filled when needed - very similar to Machu Pichu. Unfortunately the rice had already been harvested but still stunning views. The trek also took us through some very peaceful wooded valleys, and areas of much less 'pristine' terraces with areas of woods and also what we assumed were graveyards on small hillocks, with scattered 'tombs' (we assumed). Went through one very poor village where we think they were preparing for a funeral, and on the way back were met on a very narrow, steep path through the village by a line of about 20-30 of the villagers, all pissed, coming the opposite direction. Was quite surreal. One guy started taking the piss out of the local ladies by mimicing their calls of 'long hair, long hair, photo photo' for us! To explain, the village has a bit of claim to fame as being in the guiness book of records for most people with very long hair (due to the local minority traditions) - we were badgered by the local ladies quite a bit on the walk offering to charge to have their long hair photographed, as well
Ping'an
Cunning old geezer - he asked for a photo, then charged us - fair play! as offers of beds, food, goods etc. Got quite annoying as we trekked through the otherwise peaceful conuntryside and we may have snapped a bit - so when on the way back we bumped in to the ladies again the named Rach 'NO NO'! With good humour luckily.
The area was obviously a massive tourist pull, and Ping'an itself was a sea of (very pretty) hotels, restaurant and shops, with large numbers of tours passing through briefly or staying one night. But it is undertandable why, the area really was stunning which I don't think the photos quite capture.
From Ping'an we headed off on the 1st Nov, by bus, directly to Guilin. From there got another bus to Yangshou. And now we are seriously talking tourism central! The town/city (or at least the centre) is awash with tourist shops, hotels, restaurants including loads of pizza places, bars and clubs with happy hours, and waves of tourists, including far more western tourists than anywhere else (including our fine selves of course!). Again, there is a great reason why - the stunning and bizzare kast landscape with rocky outcrops and hills all around, everywhere you look, jutting out od
Ping'an
Terraces wrapped around village the rice fields, in all shapes and sizes as they've been whittled down by the rivers, rain and wind.
We did a fair amount of mooching here, psyching up for our departure from China, but also got out and about. Once we arrived (mid-afternoon) we did eat some pizza I admit! The next day we hired bikes and headed off in to the surrounding countryside which was great - pootling along mostly quiet dusty tracks through the immaculate fields of rice and veggies, the rocky hills looming over us all the way. We couldn't get to the village we were heading to (for a market) as the river boat crossing (over River Li) was cancelled due to high winds, so we continued on wheels in to the fields. At one point, at my suggestion perhaps, we followed a very small farm track through the fields, the track getting narrower and narrower between incredibly thorny hedges. We were forced to stop and turn around, and I may feel responsible when one of the thorns went straight through Rach's sandle in to her foot. A look at our sandles showed many thorns threatening the same. We got back to the road,
Ping'an
View around Ping'an and then I may also feel responsible when both Rach's tyres got punctures, the thorns we pulled out were quite large! Luckily at that point we were near the river crossing and the bamboo rafts were running despite the wind. So at presumably a massively inflated cost, we put on our bikes and got polled back to Yangshou in (some sort of) style - was a lovely way to travel, thank God for thorns!!
The next day was more of the same. We cycled off, following our guide and a rather large american woman ballanced precariously on a motorbike, to a bamboo raft launch point on the River Yulong. On the way our guide called in at his home in a village to proudly feed us his buns (these were filled with red bean, others with sugar or seseme seed paste) and soya milk which he sells and is the finest in Yangshou (the american lady translates!). We see photos of his daughters and then off to the bamboo raft for a very gentle float (being poled) down the river for 1 1/2 hours, again through the hills. Relatively quiet, but obviously massive tourist draw again, with enterprising floating
Ping'an
Burning rice stubble restaurants and bars, and floating 'photo booths' armed with digital cameras, computers and printers all floating on bamboo rafts and ready to catch you as your raft teeters over one of the weirs....fairly gently! We didn't buy any....cause we're cheap. At the end, our bikes await and we cycled over to Moon Hill. Get to the top, fairly knackered, for amazing view.....and massive group of Chinese school girls who gleefully pounce on any westerner, giggling maniacally and asking if they can have their photo taken with us - bit odd really, but had to oblige, one must you see!
3rd was also our 1 month wedding anniversary! Didn't we do well! Had amazing meal in a vegetarian restaurant (which we may have tested the previous night!!) - stuffed our faces with tofu and veg based goodness - Pure Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant if you happen to be there. Was all lovely.
And the next day....off we saunter, out of china and on to Vietnam where more adventures await....presumably also involving much eating, buses and wanderings!
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siobhán
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hi there
great narrative Pete, look forward to reading it in full when time allows! All sounds just too good and what can i say - its grey and raining here in Keele and I am in work boo Looking forward to Vietnam instalment xx