Guilin

This the hotel that we stayed in Guilin

A bridge across the Li river where later at night we would see a display of traditional cormorant fishing.

We were amazed that these boats, probably Raft is a more suitable name, didn’t sink.

The bridge at night on the way to see the cormorant fishing.

Seven Stars Park

Located on the banks of the Li River, the Seven Stars Park is home to some of the most beautiful karst scenery which Guilin is famous for, as well as two delightful Giant Pandas.

Below the panda’s, other animals were available, lie the seven stars caves. The lighting gave some stunning displays, it felt more like a firework display.

Ronghu Lake

One of two lakes originating from the Tang Dynasty when they made up part of the city moat, as Guilin Expanded in all directions the moat became a lake within the city area.

This is the entrance to the Lake area.

In China there are many people who follow the Buddhist religion, this can be seen by the numerous statues.

Sun and Moon Pagodas – Known as the Gold and Silver Pagodas because of their colours at night, the sun and moon pagodas sit on top of the Chinese Fir Lake but are connected underwater by a glass tunnel.

We climbed 500 steps to the top of a hill where there were wonderful views of the city.

Cormorant Fishing

A traditional fishing method used for centuries in both China and Japan, skilled fishermen have trained cormorants to dive into the water and catch fish in their mouths without eating them. The cormorants then give the fish to the fishermen. Usually, after the cormorant has caught a certain amount, the fisherman will reward the bird with a fish to eat.

Li River Cruise

Joining the twin beauty spots of Guilin and Yangshuo, the Li River offers a leisurely tour through some of the area’s most stunning and dramatic scenery. Pass karst mountain landscapes and unhurried cormorant fishermen as you chug along on your river cruise ship.

As in most parts of China there’s a traffic jam.

Allegedly there is a picture of a horse.

Yangshuo

Yangshuo is home to some of the best scenery in the world. This quaint town is renowned for its breathtaking vistas and peaceful country life. Surrounded by stark karst peaks and attractively located on the Li River, Yangshuo, alongside Guilin, prides itself in being the most sought after beauty spot in China.

A pretty stone bridge crossing the river.

The dining room of the Yangshou New Century hotel.

Impression Sanjie Liu

We went to the Impression Sanjie Liu show, part of which was performed within the lake. It had been performed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics .

In the foreground there is the stage and in the background there is a pontoon which features another stage.

It was difficult to get any decent pictures because it was so dark, hopefully this gives an idea of the scale of the show.

Rural China

We were lucky to be able to see the “Real Rural China” which most people on trips don’t see.

Traditional Chinese Rural House

The is the outside of a house the only resident is an old Chinese lady, no age given.

Inside is very basic, as a westerner it is hard to imagine that someone can actually live here. One question that we didn’t want to ask was where are the toilets?

Simple home cooking.

Water is from an outside tap presumably it is pumped and not mains.

Buffalo

In many parts of China people keep buffalos, in the same way that we might keep a cow.

A lady was taking her Buffalo for a walk, it felt a long way from home.

Then it became clear that the Buffalo are taken down to a local stream or river to be cleaned

The streams run through the rice paddy fields. When you stand here it’s hard to believe that China is so populated, there wasn’t a sole about.