Gumdrop mountains and Li River

Saturday, October 19, 2013
Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang, China
This by far is the best day of the tour. Perhaps it was due to a full 8 hours of sleep : )
What I imagined China would be like is what we saw today . Disney has it's own boat for touring the Li river that took 9 months of negotiations with the Chinese government to obtain.

On the bus ride to the boat tour, our local guide Jenny, told us that the expression for telling someone that they are your close friend is that they are your "dogmeat'  and if you would lay your life down for that friend you are "blood dog" friends.

My love of the Chinese infrastructure does not extend to their bathrooms or sewers. The "eastern" style is the squat style where good aim is critical. "Western" bathrooms are difficult to find and if you do, you'd better have your own toilet paper.

The river cruise photos will speak for themselves. Exquisite! (I apologize for the number) We had a box lunch from the hotel, as the boat uses river water to cook the lunch they serve on board. Good call Disney! We ended at the small village of Yangshuo. This looks the same as it did for hundreds of years. We were given 20 Yuan ( $3) to bargain and purchase a white elephant gift for the event after dinner tonight. We learned "Duo Shao Qian" or How much? and "Tai Gui" or too expensive. If the vendor starts at 380 Yuan, you take a zero off and start there. Bargains can be had by those that can walk away.

On the ride home, we learned about rice paddies, that bus drivers are crazy, about Chinese health care and that vehicles don't pull over for police or emergency vehicles.

We enjoyed an outdoor dinner followed by a white elephant exchange that was unique in that there were no duplicate gifts. We also discovered that rubber chickens are quite valuable!

Comments

Myriam Marshall
2013-10-19

Looks amazing! We wish we were with you, adventurers!

2025-02-07

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