Yangshuo Trip!!!

OMG I can't believe it's been a month since I posted something last! I am getting so bad at keeping up with this blog! Well, the past month has been pretty busy for me, I've been traveling, applying to graduate schools and doing lots of tutoring at work.  So let me fill you in a little about what's been happening...

At the beginning of April, I traveled to a place called Yangshuo in the province of Guangxi, which is in southern China.  It was kind of a last minute trip, where I got invited by some friends from Shanghai to travel with them to Yangshuo.  I left on a Friday and was there until Monday but felt like I could have stayed for a couple more weeks because I enjoyed it so much!  This was probably my favorite place in China so far.  

Yangshuo is known for it's karst mountains, rivers, clean air and water, farmland and just the traditional Chinese countryside.   We stayed at this place that was called an eco-lodge, which was situated between the river and the mountains.  It was truly tranquil, eating breakfast on the riverbank, exploring the countryside on bicycles and just taking in the beautiful scenery.   

The air in Yangshuo smelled like sweet perfume from the blossoms of the many fields of  mandarin orange trees.  

We did a river boat tour one afternoon where we cruised down the Li River for a few hours on a private boat.  Then explored the old towns and in the evening we went to this famous light show which was designed by Zhang Yimou, who directed the Beijing Olympics.  This light show was like nothing I have ever seen before.  It was composed of thousands of people in choreographed formations that looked as if they were floating on the water.  The only problem was that it was pouring down rain that evening so we got soaked, but it was definitely worth it!

Another day we did a cave tour where we explored the caves inside the karst mountains.  There was even a waterfall inside the cave with huge stalactites.  The highlight of the trip was at the end of our cave tour when we got to jump into a huge mud pit and have a mud bath!  It was kind of cold at first but after awhile I was rolling around like a little piglet!  After the mud bath we hosed off and then walked to these hot springs in another part of the cave.  Here there were these little hot spring pods that you could lay in and warm up.  It was a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

On our last day in Yangshuo, we rented bikes and explored the countryside.  Monday was a Chinese holiday called Tomb Sweeping Day.  This is when all the people go to their ancestors graves and clean the grave sites and light off firecrackers and fireworks to keep the evil spirits away.  So while we were riding,  we would pass these stone tombs that were nestled into the mountainside and would hear the firecrackers going off.  This bike ride was like being teleported back 30 years ago in China.  I saw barefoot farmers tilling their rice paddies with their water buffalo, I had to use a bamboo raft to cross a river and I saw some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen before.  This trip was so relaxing yet inspiring because I got to see and experience so much beauty in this little town in the country.