Good Day, All.
We’e been tag-teaming posts in FB and here, as FB seems best for quick uploads of photos and nuggets.
On our second day of sightseeing here in Guilin, Miss Lily our guide led us first to Yao Mountain. There we caught the chair lift up to the peak. Major props to Mom as she is not good with heights…and the chair lift has some dicey sections. We have been using a new phrase with the kids recently: “Take one for the Team” – Mom demonstrated perfectly! She made it no sweat…well, maybe a little sweat! She did have some slight trouble disembarking at the top, but she survived that as well!
Once at the top, we walked around a bit and took in the views, which were a bit obscured by some haze. Regardless the sights of the city & countryside were incredible. We saw several Buddha statues, and a few shops as well. After the photos, we rode the chair lift back down to the midpoint, where we got off for the toboggan run. Because of their sizes, Ryan rode the chair lift with me, Dylan rode with our driver and Kyle rode with strangers (up AND down)!
Last year we rode a toboggan run near Beijing, but this one seemed to be faster. There were more straightaways on this one. (I know Aunt Rita really regrets not coming with us now!) Kyle was first up and as soon as he got seated and we got a snapshot he was off to the races! Next up was Ryan and me. Once he got the hang of it, Ryan was driving and I was hanging on taking video! The boy may not see as well as the rest of us, but he has little fear if speed…good in some ways, and bad in others. We were trailed by Dylan and our Driver – BOTH were really enjoying the ride. The Mom & Ashley show was next – they made it just fine, with Ashley at the helm.
After a short bathroom break we were on our way again. Mom & Ashley could not unlock the “handicapped (I.e. Western / Normal / Non-Squat)” toilet stall, so I took her into the boys room. The boys normal stall was locked as well, but we jimmied the handle and broke in! Crisis averted, at least for Ashley. In Guilin almost all public restrooms are the non-western variety, so it’s been a challenge for the girls. We’re surviving but hoping for better results along our future stops. No need to dwell on this topic…if you ever have the chance to visit China, you will understand.
Next stop was Daxu. The driver dropped us off and we walked down a village street to the dock. We boarded the Chinese equivalent of the African Queen for a short hop across the river to Maozhou island inhabit end by about 800 people. Lily explained that the islanders would prefer to keep to themselves and grew and harvested almost everything they needed to survive. Gardens and tree rows were everywhere. We saw melons, kumquats, taro, beans, squash, and corn (plus a bunch more I can’t remember.) The vines sometimes grew across the walkways we used and the veggies were eye- high, some large enough to give you a shiner if you weren’t paying attention!
We settled down in a small open courtyard at our mini-table and micro-stools (same dimensions as yesterday, interestingly enough…) at the home of a local islander family. I thought the meal was quite tasty – alas, I was in the minority. We had a range of local vegetables (chicken, kale, onions, carrots) and soup, along with steamed rice.
The day had gotten brutally hot again and we were all a bit moist from the humidity. Our driver joined us the house but didn’t eat with us. He ate in an adjacent room – one that we walked through when we used the restroom. Ashley, completely amused, gave us a full report after she went for a potty break (which was unproductive by the way, due to the squat-potty). Apparently, the driver (minus his shirt and shoes) was reclining comfortably in front of a fan, enjoying a local Chinese TV show…on the flat screen TV in the next room!!! So much for the rustic traditional, humble Chinese farm family you pictured in your mind. China…truly a country of contrasts!
After the ferry ride back, on the way back to the van, Lisa saw an older woman chasing a not so small lizard that was trying to steal some meat rom the table the woman used to peddle her meats and veggies. We browsed a bit, checked out a 700-year old stone bridge and then headed to our next stop, Elephant Trunk Hill Park, on the Li River.
Since it was still blazing hot (and luckily humid again – Heat Index = 104), Lily reminded us that we had borrowed 3 large umbrellas from the Shangri-La Hotel. These were for sun shade and rain, but we hadn’t pulled them out of the van yet. We grabbed them before heading into the park. We should have left them in the van! It was less than 10 minutes before Lisa and I put an end to the madness that will forever be remembered as the “Elephant Trunk Park Umbrella Fiasco.”
– “Hey, I want to hold that!”
– “Dad, you said it would be my turn!”
– “Mom, she’s walking too fast.”
Nuff said.
The park was named in honor of the rock formation that formed at the end where limestone rock meets the river. The rock formation resembles an elephant with its trunk in the water taking a drink. When seen from the proper angle, that’s what it really looks like. There was a path rising from the park street level high onto the rock face and into a small series of caves and alcoves. The climb looked tough even without the heat. Kyle was up for it, but couldn’t muster up any support for the effort. We passed – and he was OK.
Also in the park, there were various sculptures of elephants, some of which were set up in the shallow water near the banks of the river. There was a short set of wide stairs leading down to the water, where some of the locals waded to have their photos taken. Some even actually went swimming near the sculptures! Apparently underware passes for swim trunks here in Guilin.
One section of the park was set up to host an exhibit of silk lantern sculptures. These were similar to the Chinese Lantern displays that we saw back home in Philadelphia’s Franklin Park earlier this summer. Some were familiar, popular characters (Mickey, Minnie & Donald), some depicted iconic scenes (The Bow scene of the movie Titanic), and some were just…well…odd. The pictures will hopefully shed some light on this…
We also saw an ancient Banyan Tree at the park, decorated in a makeshift way with traditional Chinese ornaments and hangings. “Makeshift” because these were thrown up into the tree by those seeking the good luck and blessings of the Banyan Tree. There were several hundred that were captured by the branches of the tree.
As we made our way out to the street to meet our van, we passed a small area of kiddie exercise equipment. The kids somehow found the energy to try these out. They continue to impress with their level of energy, despite the adverse conditions.
The day ended on a quiet note as we rested in our hotel room until dinner. We braved to Buffet for dinner. Our breakfasts have been satisfying over the past few days, and the kids usually are able to find a good mix of items to start the day right. Good thing, too – since lunch has more often than not been just snacks. We scrounged up enough to fill our stomachs – and ended the meal with slices of cake from different teddy bear cakes. Apparently, the staff was trying to follow through with the Teddy Bear theme, too. They were decked out in T-shirts from the movie “Ted”, since they had pictures of a Teddy Bear!! I couldn’t tell whether they didn’t know about the disconnect, or just didn’t care because perhaps the restaurant manager was able to get the shirts at a great price? “A” for Effort, either way.
The Hotel has been pleasant and comfortable, and tries to accommodate the tastes of native Chinese, Europeans and Americans. But I’m not sure how to explain the constant background music in the hallways ranging from Chinese-version covers of: Christmas Carols; hits like “Sailing Away” (Christopher Cross); and Diana Krall (fortunately it’s her, and not a Chinese cover.)
That pretty much takes care of our Day 2 in Guilin. Thanks for following along. Comment if you wish, as we’ll try to approve when we’re able to get good Wi-FI and solid VPN.
Only a few more days til Tyler joins the family – excitement is building…
Glad you had those FUN? SUNbrellas to use !!! Soon Tyler too can ENJOY!