Hey Hey and a Big G'Day toya,

I woke up this morning and outside the weather was ferocious!

There was lightening, there was thunder and most of all there was heavy rain so no need to tell you that I’m not one for bus travel in China during such conditions….so I continued sleeping!

Most of the day was spent sleeping, waking, listening to the rain, smiling and then sleeping again but by around half past two I’d had enough of it all so I jumped on the computer and had a short chat to Canadian Chris and then thankfully the rain slowed as by now I was starving.

I grabbed the trusty umbrella and off I went in search of noodles.

The rest of the afternoon the thundering and lightening continued to dance and play above me but thankfully the rain stayed at a slow drizzling which allowed me to visit the inner workings of a few of the city blocks that surround my hotel. What I found though bewildered me as yesterday I travelled across to the other side of the city in search of Hakka Peoples villages and yes I did find them and had a wonderful day.

So why am I bewildered?

Mainly because I asked several people around my hotel area and they all said they couldn’t be found here and even the Chicken Girl after calling several people sent me to the other side of the city. But what I actually found today (within two to three blocks from my hotel and the main shopping district) was exactly what I was searching for yesterday. Today though I actually found some of the half circle houses and was warmly welcomed into two of them that were empty and awaiting renovations for future tourism that they will bring to Meizhou city.

Anyhow just in case it rains again tomorrow and I don’t get to go on my surprise adventure then its best I add a little information on the buildings in this blog as if it does rain (not storm) then I’ll grab a bus back to Guangzhou…..BUT…..if it is not raining then I am hoping to visit a small village/town around fifty kilometers away where I have been told the grand daddy of all this areas Hakka Peoples Earth Buildings sits waiting for me.

From what I can gather here the HUGE houses I am after are not known locally as Tulou.
I found out late last night that the local people know them as Weiwu.

I went down stairs late last night to grab a beer and started chatting to the latest reception girl and I thought I’d give it one more go at trying to find out where the huge buildings were in this area. After a short time and showing her my photos of my Yongdong visit she said 'Weiwu’ and I said ‘Tulou’ and she said they are the same thing but here the BIG ones are called Weiwu (big dragon house…I think) and not Tulou which I believe the little ones are still known as.

Today though during my adventure several of the small Tulou owners also called the big ones Weiwuliou. So tomorrow maybe I will finally get to re-visit the large Earth Buildings no matter what their name.

EARTH BUILDINGS

Earth Buildings are found in the rural province border areas of Fujian, Jiangxi and Guangdong Provinces. In the southwest of Fujian Province there are supposedly thousands of them scattered throughout hundreds of villages. Built out of earth and wood and most without a single nail they have been proven to be fire, damp, earthquake and heat proof. Some are round and consist of one to five rings, others are square or squares within squares and yet again others are half moons or spirals but it doesn't matter what their shape is, all are simply put...unfreakinbloodybelievable!

The Culin Building in Nanjing County is the smallest found so far and has an interior of only nine meters.

The Fengzou Juening Building in Pinghe Country is the largest found with a diameter of seventy seven meters. Earth Buildings range from two to five levels in height and he Legui Building in Nanjing County is the highest found so far and is five stories high and measures over twenty one meters in height. The Fuxin Building in Yongding County is the oldest known building and was built in the Tang Dynasty (AD618 to 907). The widest is known as the 'Eight Diagram Fort' which is actually many small Earth Buildings built in a spiral that forms five rings.

So here’s to hoping that the rain rain goes away and comes again some other day.
All of the photos are almost at my door step and I’m in the main shopping part of Meizhou city.

Beers N Noodles toya…..shane
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The soundtrack to this entry was by the lovely Doro
The album was ‘Love Me In Black’
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