Three Weeks With My Brother(s): Part 7

January 22, 2016

At the big breakfast buffet in the cold lobby of the Grand Link Hotel in Guilin, there were a few things I was unable to identify.  One dish was marked "Grains," and the only thing I recognized in it was corn on the cob.  I watched a woman who'd taken one of the other "grains" to see how she ate it.  She peeled back the black outer skin the small, potato-sized morsel, and ate the white inside, almost like an ice cream cone.  Our guide, Tony, showed up, and I asked him about it.  The other items were water chestnuts and taro.

"grains"

Bob and I mailed some postcards, then we were on our way to the Li River Boat Cruise.  The drive to the boat dock was very scenic - the area is adorned with ubiquitous (that's for you, Ron) limestone formations in every direction.  The first two cities we visited were all about historical, man-made wonders, but this city was full of natural wonders.

Along the way, we came upon a van that was driving with the back hatch opened, and the passengers inside were throwing firecrackers and yellow slips of paper out the back.  I thought they were being terrible litterbugs, but then Tony explained the significance.  Apparently, these people were transporting the body of a deceased loved one.  The fireworks are to alert people and to keep away evil spirits, and the yellow papers represent money that the deceased will need in the afterlife.  Fascinating.

The boathouse was crowded with Chinese tourists, and a few others.  It was a bit smoky, and we could see that the "smoking room" was just off the main room.  Tony said the smoking laws are much less strict away from the big cities, and we would find that smoking was allowed in many establishments.  Allowing the Chinese to push through the doors ahead of us, we followed Tony to our vessel.

the dock

Our boat had three levels:  the top level for viewing, a seating/dining area on the lowest level, and a combination level in the middle.  Everyone had reserved seating here, with long tables and benches that sat eight people.  The boats are flat-bottomed, as the Li River is only about one meter deep, at least in winter.  We found our seats, and the boat was soon began the four- to five-hour trip downriver.  Hot tea was brought to each table.  The sales pitches began immediately: a photographer offered to take professional pictures of your trip and put it into a photo album for you.  Passengers could also order fresh seafood, in addition to the basic lunch that was included in the price of the ticket.  When I say fresh, I mean the fishermen would go catch the fish and bring it directly to the boat en route!  The boat has a kitchen area at the back where all the food is prepared.

ready to sail!

the "national" boat's kitchen

The scenery is lovely from the start, but our guide said that the middle third of the trip is the most scenic.  The river is very clean, thanks to environmental efforts, and many people swim here in the summer.  I thought I heard the announcer say, "Don't feed the small children in the water," but that can't have been right!  We did see lots of little ducks along the river's edge, which brought to mind a favorite children's book, "The Story of Ping."

Ping and friends

The limestone formations that are the highlight of the tour were under water four million years ago.  These rock formations along the river are a soft stone, allowing trees to grow in the cracks and holes, and creating lots of compelling cave openings along the route.   Beautiful bamboo decorated the riverbanks from time to time, some with great, feathery leaves like weeping willow trees.  I think Tony called it "peacock tail bamboo."  Tony said it is illegal to cut down any trees along the river.

"Dragon's Tooth Cave"

Sibs!

stand of feathery bamboo

We went up to the viewing platforms in intervals, returning to the lower deck to warm up before venturing back up again.  Everyone was bundled up against the cold.  The temperature was a topic of conversation in many languages.  An older Chinese gentleman caught my eye, and said, "Leng!" (cold!)  It was soon time for lunch and, as we had become accustomed, the Chinese tourists quickly pushed up to the food tables in a disorganized mob.  We waited for the crowd to dissipate, then gathered our own meals of rice, vegetables and stir-fries.  We were warned by the tour company that the food might be inadequate for westerners, and that we should bring some snacks to supplement the meal.  But we found the meal was quite adequate - nothing special, but good and filling.

food mob!

Before we had finished our food, we were told we should go up to see a certain rock formation - the Nine Horses.  So we all climbed the steps, but we weren't exactly sure what we were supposed to see.  When we returned to our tables, all the plates and food had been cleared away.  Perhaps this was the easiest way to do their cleanup, chasing us all upstairs!

We passed numerous orange, kumquat and pomelo groves on the hillsides.  Many of the trees were covered with tarps to protect them from the cold, but we could see some trees with fruit in this sub-tropical climate in winter.  I imagine it must be very beautiful in summer.

tarps covering the fruit trees

Our guide, Tony, and me

The most famous stand of rock formations is viewed looking back from the boat once it has passed.  This view is printed on the back of the twenty-yuan note, an iconic scene familiar to all Chinese citizens.  It really is a stunningly beautiful scene, even on a misty, cold day in winter.

At some parts of the river, sacks of sand were stacked along the shore.  It is illegal to take sand from the river, but Tony said the farmers believe this is their land and they should be able to gather the sand to sell.  We saw many locals on narrow rafts; most of them were not made from bamboo, but from PVC piping that was lashed together.  Many fishermen had black cormorants on their rafts; the birds are trained to fish, and bring their catches back to their masters.  Sadly, they are prevented from swallowing the fish by a ring that is placed around their necks.  The fisherman have demonstrations for the tourists in the evening.  They shine their light into the water to attract the fish, then the bird goes fishing.

an old fishing village

Before we knew it, we had arrived at our destination - Yangshuo.  Rain greeted us as we climbed the concrete steps from the boat.  We entered the city onto West Street, or as the locals call it, "Foreigner Street."  This street is lined with souvenir shops, and we enjoyed browsing to get out of the misty rain.  I bought some sweets to bring back for friends, and was excited to find a nice Chinese checkers set for Tim.  We play a lot of Chinese checkers, and I thought it would be cool to have real Chinese checkers.

motorcycle taxis with umbrellas

West Street ("Foreigner Street)

At the end of the street, Tony led us through town to a nice hotel where we used the five-star restrooms - what a treat!  The driver was waiting for us, having made the two-hour drive from Guilin.  We drove into the countryside to explore "the authentic rural China experience," passing by rice fields that didn't have rice growing this time of year.

We stopped at a small building on the corner of a small street.  This was "Pan Fu," or the Pan family.  The Pan family had lived in this home for fourteen generations.  The current residents were two women and a man, all over the age of seventy.  One woman was the widow of one of the other one's brother, I'm not sure which.  Their children have all "moved to the city," away from the hard, rural farming life in search of easier lifestyles with better incomes.  To raise money to maintain their home, this elderly family opens its doors to tourists, allowing a peek at the disappearing traditions of country life in China.

At the entrance to the home, Tony pointed out the Chinese sayings hung on the doorposts.  Each Chinese New Year, residents hang new sayings on their doors, with their hopes and prayers for the future.  These remain on the doors for the whole year, and many were quite faded and worn as the old year was coming to a close.  Tony also showed us the door gods hung on the door, signifying their beliefs in both Taoism and Buddhism.

Inside the entrance is a fairly small courtyard, primarily for drying food and grains without the threat of animals.  A huge, stone soy bean grinder at one end was demonstrated by the weathered, tiny, 79-year-old widow with her beaming, gap-toothed smile.  She let us each have a try at working the grinder; it was surprisingly easy to work the mill by pushing and pulling a long handle attached to the top.

M expertly working the mill

Also in the courtyard, we saw a couple of bamboo cages.  Some of the birds inside were for food; one was more of a pet, acting as the family alarm clock, and doing flips as the old man counted to ten in English.  Lovely tea rose bushes provided leaves for their tea, and an old-fashioned hand pump brought water up from underground.  The old woman modeled her traditional straw rain hat and coat, showing how it would provide shelter while working out in the fields.

The modest home is raised up from the courtyard.  The main gathering room was quite sparse, with just a wooden table at one end, under a wall decorated with photographs and artwork, and a high ceiling.  We were invited to sit in one of a few wooden chairs along the wall.  Our hosts gave us kumquats and peanuts from their farm.   One painting was an ancestor from the second generation, a beloved general to the emperor who was allowed to have the exclusive, royal dragon emblem mounted on the house when he retired.  It was a rare and cherished honor.  On the table was some osamanthus wine, and a big jar of snake wine - yes, there was a snake floating in rice wine or grain alcohol.  The snake is left to steep for many months before the wine is ready.

my awesome traveling buddies!

snake wine on the left

The main room had four small rooms off to the side, and we saw a tiny bedroom with an antique bed and wood stove.  The little kitchen, complete with kitchen gods, was stacked floor to ceiling with firewood.  To one side of the kitchen was a small work area with chairs surrounding a coal-burning heater with a bamboo-lattice cover, where we were invited to warm our hands.

firewood stacked in the kitchen

charcoal heater

Over on the other side of the house was another room where a cherished possession was kept.  The older woman had a beautiful, black wooden casket waiting for her.  Traditionally, when one turns sixty, one visits the casket-maker and the tailor to make preparations for one's own funeral.  This casket was clearly a source of pride, and the old woman pantomimed going to sleep in it with a big smile on her face.  Even though all land belongs to the people's republic, farmers are allowed ninety years of farming, and are granted a small plot for burials.

her beloved casket

Our visit with the Pans was enchanting and humbling.  They seemed quite happy with their simple, quiet life, and were very warm and welcoming to their foreign guests.

We made a quick stop in a farmers' fields - divided into sections, each family received so many mu (a mu is about 666 sq. m.)  The field was green with winter crops, although no rice was planted.  Rice has two seasons here - the first from March to July, and the second planting in August is harvested in December.

We dozed on the two-hour drive back to Guilin.  Hoping to escape the chilly lobby, we walked into the city center searching for a warmer place for some refreshments, but had no luck.  We even thought we might just buy something and bring it back to our room, but we couldn't make out what anything was from the labels.  So it was back to the hotel, and another round of Thai food for dinner.  Another amazing day in China.

motorcyle truck with load of pomelos

the "Big Chill" hotel

*Thank-you to my traveling buddies for their photo contributions!