Looming giants

We survived. We survived the train ride and were a little worse for wear. We arrived in Guilin and stayed for about an hour while we waited for the bus that was late. More people were taking pictures of us but at this point we were used to it. Ho hum, life of a superstar.

Our bus driver keeps falling asleep. I did not plan on dying this way. We tell Howard who gallantly sits up front and talks to him, keeping him awake for the rest of the hours drive.

We're driving among these limestone karst mountains and agriculture fields. It's foggy but freaking warm. Beautiful.

Our hotel is less than beautiful. It's confusing. The elevator is small but we're on the second floor, so it doesn't matter. We can take the stairs up. On the second floor the layout is a mess. The rooms are in no particular order and it's entirely possible the halls zig zag. Nothing makes sense. The rooms are also damp.

Tonight's activity is going for a float down the Li River. As I am not keen on boats, I opt out and instead choose to familiarize myself with the city. It's fairly tourist friendly; there are two main streets - one that runs the length of the city and is full of restaurants and higher end shops, and West Street (Xi Jie), which is full of restaurants and shops and people and racism. It is bright and colourful and loud. There is music and people and food everywhere.  There are signs all over the place that say, "No Japanese" or "We don't serve Japanese" or "20 yuen, 50 yuen for Japanese". No one is really able to tells us why there is so much blatant racism.

We learn here that you negotiate for everything that doesn't have a printed price. Tonight we only come away with silk wine bottle covers made like traditional Chinese clothing.

Our trip the following day took us on a bike ride through rice paddies.

My bike has petal pedals!

The scenery in these parts is absolutely stunning.
It's still foggy but it is very warm. It is also muddy. So much so that it is six months later and my shoes still have orange Chinese dirt on them.

The sphere in the middle is made from limestone. It was formed by currents and glaciers and rocks when this area was under the ocean.

 "Silence is beautiful and needs no explanation."

We came on an ancient (by Canadian standards, about 300 years old) water wheel. We knew Americans had been there because, as it is said, there is a sign for a reason:

 

 Ash from Team Australia tried to catch one. He wasn't successful. They ganged up on him.

After this we were STARVING so we went back to Xie Jie and ate and ate and ate.

 "What counts is the desire to transmit. As I would like to see your face delighted."

On a baby bottle full of yogurt.

We also shopped.
We used our best negotiating skills here and I think I won. I pulled the Cancer Card and got mom a North Face jacket that would cost $350 in Canada for $35. Take that, cancer.

Hi Nana!

Next: Damn that's fast!