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Published: June 11th 2007
Landscape
Some of the landscapes we drove through on our mountainbikes Rain is pouring down as if the sky itself is being emptied. Outside the dity window villagers, with their charateristics hats, are working risefields, laying like blankets between those lonely majestic mountains dominating the landscape. We are sitting in a bus driving on a muddy road towards Yangshou. A small city (by chinese standars, about 60.000 citizens) famous for its beauty and relaxed atmosphere. After days in Guilin, we're heading for the countryside to experience the chinese at the very core of the peoples republic.
The rain is still falling heavily when we arrive. Our rapid search for the hostel leave us no chance to enjoy the picturesque views. Alexander is having trouble with his throat, and the rest of the day is just devoted to relaxing, which is quite perfect when you have cheap beer and dvd with surround sound.
In Guilin we met Terry, a kung fu trainer, who wanted to go with us to Yangshou to train Alexander. So next day the two was training in the early morning by the riverside, while I was laying in my bed wishing I hadn't drunk those 6 beers. Alexander was very tired after the combination of kung fu and
Landscape
Some more of the landscapes we drove through on our mountainbikes throat-pain, so this day as well was devoted to movie (and water).
The dawn of the 3rd day brought us hope of excitement. The sun was shining from a clear sky, Alexander was better and the storytelling could begin. We rented some bikes and took the road to moon hill (explanation follows). Keeping a slow pace we had time to enjoy the surroundings properly. There were huge bambooplants in lines stretching through the landscape and mountains in all sorts of shapes covered the view for miles and miles. We saw the villagers walking the road with their animals and other tourists driving past us in small group. After the road came the narrow paths filled with pools of water. The mountainbikes abilities came in good use. We ate lunch at a, compared to the rest of china, very expensive local restaurant. But for the 150 yuan we got the famous yangshou beer-fish served with chicken, fresh spinach and a big bowl of rice. Afterwards we climped to the top of the moon hill. The moon hill got its name from the formation looking like a halfmoon when you see it from far away. The views were great.
On our way
The guide
Terry, the kung fu trainer and tour guide back to the city we saw a 1400 year old tree and crossed a river on bare feet.
When we got back to Yangshou, Terry invited us out to a local place not known by tourists. It was in the other end of town so to get there we took a bikeride. Neither of us have ever tried to ride a motorbike before, but even if we had it would still have been a experience of a kind. The traffic in china is crazy. That says it pretty much.
The food was good and very cheap. Hot pot with lamb, to the lame price of 20 yuan for each. During dinner we discussed massage, so Terry agreed to find a massage-clinic. There is a thing you should know about massage-clinics in China. There is massage and then there is prostitution, which both can be bought at a massage-clinic. The price difference is big, but you should still know where to go, or otherwise you might get something you didn't ask for, so it was good to have Terry with us. He found a good massageclinic, with proffesionals and at the price of 50 yuan for an hour. The massage
More landscape
Mountains in the horizon was just amazing, they worked from head to toe with a surgicals precision.
Next day we took a boat up the li river, which we had planned to do in guilin, but due to the heavy rain it would have been dangerous. So we got a short, but beautiful trip. The rest of the day is beer and movie, and what comes out of it, we'll just see.
Next time will be Hong Kong
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