Guilin and the Li River -- October 19 & 20, 2013

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Guilin & the Li River

By Chinese standards Guilin is a small city of only 1 million people. Often when you look at Chinese paintings, there are mists and steep rock formations in the background, well this is the terrain around Guilin. If you visit Guilin, the must-do is to take a cruise down the Li River. Scattered along the river and the countryside off the river are huge limestone structures (I do not want to call them hills since many are larger than hills and far more steep. They are independent of each so the best word I can use as a definition is structures.). It takes some imagination to see the images that the locals have applied to some of the structures, but that is part of the enjoyment. You will see water buffalo along the side of the river, a variety of bamboo bending with the wind, villages on the side of the river, fishermen with cormorants to do their fishing. In other words the cruise has lots to see and is relaxing.

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Photos

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The view from our hotel window of Guilin

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There is a nice park along the river with an elephant theme

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All around the world people fish for food and relaxation

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Fishermen along the Li River use cormorants for their fishing. A string is tied around the neck of the bird so it can't swallow a fish and therefore brings it back to the fisherman.

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There are water buffalo along the side and in the river

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A common form of transportation on the river

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Looks like a flea market on one of the sand bars in the river