13 days in China

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Day 10

I not sure where to even start on todays adventures....Wow! What an amazing day! I feel like I'm Anthony Bourdain or Samantha Brown from the travel channel. We are doing some pretty amazing stuff.

Today we started off with breakfast at the hotel. I just was not in the mood to be pushed and walked in front of with no regard. I think I was feeling a little tired from the trip. In China there is no such thing as personal space. I always thought Asian's were so rude when they came to America. What I realize now is that they are not being rude it it just their way of life. Survival of the fittest lol. It's funny even when you drive a car their is no such thing as your own lane. You typically drive in the middle of the road and then just give a little honk and let them know you are coming. The pedestrians do not have the right away either so it is every man for himself! So like I was saying I just wasn't feelin the no personal space thing this morning but I got over it and everything was fine. Everyone is allowed a little grouchiness every once in awhile right?

Next we went to several small Dai villages. The first village we went to was way back off the road where you would have never guessed they would be. Which is exactly why they were not even known until the Chinese government found them in 2006. You could tell that they have not been around people very long they still seemed quite primitive. I will post a pic of a woman that we saw and right after I walked by her she slapped me in the butt. It was a little shocking but very funny at the same. ( I'll consider it a love tap)

The next village we went to was interesting as well. There were 28 families living in that village. When a family has children the girls stay with the families forever and the boys go to the temple at age 8 and never return home they find someone to marry and move in with her family. Also there are only two surnames in the village, the girls get one and the boys another. The houses were so primitive ( yet they have cell phones) as you will see by the pictures. They are built on stilts and the kitchens are dirty and nothing like our modern kitchens at home. So we went into their house and had tea with one of the family members and after our chat and tea we had the opportunity to buy some of their handcrafted jewelry that her husband had made. The villages are run sort of like a co-op. When someone sells something it is split up between the village. The village owns all the house too. Very interesting for sure! This villages were in the middle of a banana plantations. Pretty cool! I have never had a banana so fresh, right off the tree.

The next village we went to was a lot bigger. I got to go inside my first real Buddhist temple. It was so cool! It was so neat to see real monks. Tracy and I gave a donation and i n return one of the monks gave us a cloth bracelet that was dipped in blessing water. The best part of this village was the HUGE green coconut that they cut a hole in and we drank the water inside with a straw.

The whole drive back was along ( I stress the word long...I so had to pee after al l that coconut water) Lijiang River, the one that goes through were we are and cambodia and Vietnam. I think that is why it doesn't feel like we are china because that river has brought many people and influences here.

This has been such an amazing trip everyday is full of adventure and going where not many americans have gone before.

Oh ya......I forgot to write about the restaurant we went to for lunch. When we walked in they told us that they had no menu, that we needed to come into the kitchen and pick stuff out. I think if it had been the first day in China I would have been freaked out but I'm sorta used to my surroundings and it wasn't so bad. When you see by the pic's you will not believe that we are not doubled over lol. Actually the food was really good just not the kitchen.

Until tomorrow...next stop White elephant village. Maybe you will see a pic of us riding one of them.

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Photos

13 Days in China
House in second village

13 Days in China
Woman that slapped me in the butt

13 Days in China
Kitchen in second village house

13 Days in China
Wash area

13 Days in China
Second village house outside

13 Days in China
Banana plantation

13 Days in China
kitchen were we ate lunch

13 Days in China
Temple

13 Days in China
Coconuts..loved them

13 Days in China
Suspended bridge

13 Days in China
House in second village

13 Days in China
lunch kitchen...kinda gross huh?

13 Days in China
First village

Comments

[Russell]

Amazing Blog
Love the stories and pictures. Keep up the fantastic blogging. Safe travels to you both.