Our visit to "Earth Buildings"

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On Nov 26, 2006, we have finally started our "real" walkabout. We went from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, China.

We took the sleeper train from Shenzhen to YongDing, in Fujian.

The main purpose to visit YongDing is to see the Hakka classic earth buildings.
The Hakka people are people who originated in northern China. The moved to southern China over the years, and were called "Hakka" -- meaning "guests" (or "foreigners"), and it also means they do not have a hometown.

http://destinations.ctrip.com/Destinations/DistrictIntroduction.asp?district=366

They built some spectacular buildings, mixing earth and some kind of sticky soil. Some buildings stood for over 500 years.
Some buildings are round in shape, with over 400 rooms. Some are rectangular, with 5 wings (they called it 5 phoenix building).
Some of them are set next to the river and are set in beautiful scenery.

After a night of uneventful sleeper train, we arrived in YongDing at around 7:00 AM.
Phyllis failed to make contact with a local cabby/guide who claims he can sneak people in tourist attractions
without paying fees. So we are sort of lost at what to do after we get off the train. Luckily there was a travel agent at the exit gate.
After a hard negotiation, we agreed on a day tour with a car and driver for RMB$160 (about US$23, down from RMB$200).
Our driver is Mr. Wong, who is a tall guy, and dressed in army camouflage pants. He speaks Mandarin and Hakka dialect.

We first visited the Nanjie (South creek) group of buildings (admission RMB$40 each).
However, there are two buildings in the same complex that required additional "cleaniless fee" of RMB$10 each.
We only entered one of them, at a discount of 2 for 1.

Then we visited GoaToa (High Head), with similar buildings. One of them charge at hefty RMB$30 each and we managed
to get a discount of 2 for 1.

Our third and last group is the "Yong Ding Cultural Village" and our driver contacted the guesthouse owner
and we got a discount of 2 for 1 (at RMB$50 for 2). We are now staying at the guesthouse, which is one of the classic
earth building (RMB$60 for the night).

We found travelling in China is getting more expensive, especially with the ever rising admission fees.
With regard to food, we ate at places recommended by the tour guide, and therefore more expensive than normal.

Tomorrow, we will leave the guesthouse and go to Xiamen, where we will stay until Nov 30.

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Photos

ChunFoo building
We are outside of the first Earth Building we have visited

Hill Top view
a hill top view of a small group of both round and square Earth Buildings

Phyllis inside big round house
Phyllis on the fourth level of the largest round Earth Building

Center view
Center view from 4th level of the largest Earth Building