Gulang Yu and Fu Manchu

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Yesterday, I went on a most amazing excursion to Gulang Yu, a small island off Xiamen. Big surprise, we all arrived sopping wet. Like Spongebob. I've expanded with all the wet--oooooo expansion is never good! LMAO! But if I were SpongeBob Squarepants, I would have to kill myself if I had to be wet like that all the time.....course, he IS a sponge, but it's no wonder he and Patrick are such FREAKS! LOL
Ah, I digress...back to Gulang Yu, this is, by far, the most intriguing place I have ever visted, and I don't think words are gonna cut it and so I'm gonna let the photographs and the video do the 'splainin', capiche? Many thanks to Elise for shepherding us all over there, and being our translater, when we needed someone to speak or understand Chinese...which was a lot! And I got myself some pretty things at the pearl market--I bought myself a beautiful, beautiful, genuine pearl necklace and earrings for such a cheap price it was almost like stealing. Except it wasn't. Funny how that works! LOL The ferry is a clever scam--free to go over but 8 Yuan if you ever wish to see the city again. Enjoy the photos and video.

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Comments

[Sandi]

EWWWWW
I will NEVER go to China as long as I live! what you wrote about the country and the lack of toilet paper and sanitation is so disgusting! But I am happy for you for the wonderful experience you are having! Enjoy! I miss you!

[Jean & Greg]

McD is everywhere! Were those various live sea food items?OMG Were the tiolets any better at this island?:} Did you bring paper with you? Carolyn The BraveHeart :) I am just so entertained by your blog. This island looks somewhat cleaner; quaint cobble stone streets. Is it an older city?

[Spirited Northern]

In response to Jean and Greg
Hey, it is very much like living in a sauna here at times, of late, it is much, much more bearable with the end of the rains! Gulang Yu is an older island, of the colonial era, so yes, very much from a bygone era. TOilets were horrible on Gulang Yu and yes, Jean, yesterday I threw a roll of toilet paper into my backpack and it has saved my a--, literally, since! LOL I am still working at not peeing on myself. Sadly, McDick's is everywhere as is KFC, these are not really great food icons of the western world to be sharing with China, but over this I have no control, and I'm not running the world yet, LOL! Yes, the buckets you saw were all live seafood, the Chinese have this part down to a science, and it's all so fresh, the taste is amazing. I would give anything to be feeling and smelling autumn at home--it is one of my favourite seasons, and it was very hard to breathe sometimes when it was so hot and muggy. Thanks for your compliments. I am enjoying sharing all of this with all of you very, very much! Xo