hystericwallaby (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} hystericwallaby) wrote,@ 2009-01-01 23:25:00 |
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Day 4 was a pretty laxing day, with us cruising down the Li river in ILLEGAL RAFTS. Apparently the government operates ferries and to maintain their monopoly on this route, they ban all other commercial rafts. Which basically leaves a loophole since locals can just operate their rafts while claiming it's for personal use. So DOWN to 400RMB ferries, here's an equally good one for 120RMB.
Looking at the number of rafts on the river, it's not easy to tell that the local authorities probably don't give much a damn about them too.
Along the way, of course, we sailed across rocks with names ranging from TURTLE CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN, OLD MAN GUARDING AN APPLE, NINE HORSES PEAK, and more wonderfully, LION EYEING AT NINE HORSES PEAK. I sometimes wonder whether there are professionals in China who go around identifying what rocks look like what, and what kinds of perverse dreams they have. It's like their minds are on a constant high, seeing images spring out from every rock and boulder.
We took photo with some karst which can be found on the back of every 20RMB note.
As usual, Yonghao looks damn delighted.
The boatmen dropped us at some rocky shore a distant from the jetty so he won't get spotted, and we found ourselves face to face with a herd of cows benignly chewing grass. However, this was a precursor to more hostile meetings with cows in the coming days.
We found to our dismay we were at the wrong side of the river, and that to cross the river, we need to take a ferry which costs a blood-curdling 64 RMB per person. Of course, no one ever takes this shit because with this money you can probably build your own raft, so the jetty's really deserted and in a state of zibeiness. We paid a local villager 10RMB per person to bring all 4 of us across, and they readily agreed to do so.
Child labour no? But low pay is better than no pay: we cross the river, they get 40RMB, and everyone is happy. Except maybe those darned ferry operators.
That night we went back to Yangshuo and as per every night in Yangshuo, we either drank (ok THEY drank. I sipped milkshake.), played cards, eat ice cream or some forms of desert, or all of the above simultaneously. Total hippiness.
Next morning we headed to the big town of Guilin. Well we basically just visited all the MUST SEE tourist site in Guilin, including this absurb little concoction called Reed Flute Cave. As any visitors to China caves will know, they simply will not let sleeping dogs lie. It is a given that lights be installed, a MYSTERIOUS music be played in the background, and stupid names given to limestone formations that simply want to just continue developing innocently for the next millions of years, not be christened an embarrassing MAGICAL LETTUCE or something.
But oh wells, so many things in China are so bad it's good, and as we put down our rationality and be full fledged TOURISTS, one actually can learn to enjoy them. Especially those caves. So with a very un-self-conscious tour guide pointing out absurb limestone formations like a park ranger spotting wild animals, except 50 times stupider, we managed to catch glimpse of LION BIDDING FAREWELL TO GUESTS, DRAGON CURLING ROUND FIR TREE, DRAGON KING PALACE, among others. However, when the laser shows started in the cave, we knew it has gone to far.
But nevertheless, here's a photo of REFLECTING POOL IN DRAGON KING PALACE, which from afar, also resembles either THE BUND, VICTORIA HARBOUR or GUILIN CITY.
To me, it looks like limestone with tortured illuminated souls.
We then went up some FOLDED BROCADE HILL to have a view of the whole Guilin city. It was then that the cold front came down from Siberia, and suddenly the temperature dropped to almost zero and wind speeds reached apocalyptical level. They didn't even wait for us to come down from the fecking hill. But oh wells we saw how Guilin would look like before doomsday, which queerly included the river being blown by the wind in the opposite direction. Cute.
And since we bought the FOUR ATTRACTION PACKAGE (which is so rarely bought in low season that it sent staff scrambling to find the tickets), we managed to go to the ICONIC Elephant Trunk Hill before it got too cold and dark.
Lonely Planet actually specially mentioned that Elephant Trunk Hill does look like an elephant. Er watever. Looks like Fat Boy Leaning Down To Show Ass At You Hill also what. 肥娃秀臀山. Sounds good enough for me.
At night went to shop around Guilin, which has bigger shopping malls and streets. But being poor budget travellers, we just browsed CD shops and looked at shops selling sexy lingerie.
Next day we visited the SEVEN STARS PARK, which is this park just filled with man-made attractions that appeal specifically at China tourists. So instead of spending half a day as the taxi driver had suggested, we just spent one hour, looking at the kitschy lanterns, and the small zoo which is in severe need of, i quote, "investments and visitors". Seeing bears kept in small cages and deers wallowing in overcrowded mud-filled enclosures, you do feel pretty sorry for the animals. And then you walk further and you see the PANDAS having their own RESEARCH FACILITY, BRAND NEW ENCLOSURES and FRESH BAMBOOS, you kindda feel pandas are really exploiting their status a bit too much.
Stop giving us those innocent eyes, you greedy brat. I say stop it, you're making me melt. Awww just stop it will you. Come on you know your eyes can kill. Stop purring so innocently. Ok FINE here's some bamboo shoots and a new enclosure with personal kitchen and laboratory.
And in a final testament to its brattiness, it proceeded to shit three lump of panda shit in front of us. So i guess when you are the national animal, you can have the leeway of pooing in front of guests.
Looking at the number of rafts on the river, it's not easy to tell that the local authorities probably don't give much a damn about them too.
Along the way, of course, we sailed across rocks with names ranging from TURTLE CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN, OLD MAN GUARDING AN APPLE, NINE HORSES PEAK, and more wonderfully, LION EYEING AT NINE HORSES PEAK. I sometimes wonder whether there are professionals in China who go around identifying what rocks look like what, and what kinds of perverse dreams they have. It's like their minds are on a constant high, seeing images spring out from every rock and boulder.
We took photo with some karst which can be found on the back of every 20RMB note.
As usual, Yonghao looks damn delighted.
The boatmen dropped us at some rocky shore a distant from the jetty so he won't get spotted, and we found ourselves face to face with a herd of cows benignly chewing grass. However, this was a precursor to more hostile meetings with cows in the coming days.
We found to our dismay we were at the wrong side of the river, and that to cross the river, we need to take a ferry which costs a blood-curdling 64 RMB per person. Of course, no one ever takes this shit because with this money you can probably build your own raft, so the jetty's really deserted and in a state of zibeiness. We paid a local villager 10RMB per person to bring all 4 of us across, and they readily agreed to do so.
Child labour no? But low pay is better than no pay: we cross the river, they get 40RMB, and everyone is happy. Except maybe those darned ferry operators.
That night we went back to Yangshuo and as per every night in Yangshuo, we either drank (ok THEY drank. I sipped milkshake.), played cards, eat ice cream or some forms of desert, or all of the above simultaneously. Total hippiness.
Next morning we headed to the big town of Guilin. Well we basically just visited all the MUST SEE tourist site in Guilin, including this absurb little concoction called Reed Flute Cave. As any visitors to China caves will know, they simply will not let sleeping dogs lie. It is a given that lights be installed, a MYSTERIOUS music be played in the background, and stupid names given to limestone formations that simply want to just continue developing innocently for the next millions of years, not be christened an embarrassing MAGICAL LETTUCE or something.
But oh wells, so many things in China are so bad it's good, and as we put down our rationality and be full fledged TOURISTS, one actually can learn to enjoy them. Especially those caves. So with a very un-self-conscious tour guide pointing out absurb limestone formations like a park ranger spotting wild animals, except 50 times stupider, we managed to catch glimpse of LION BIDDING FAREWELL TO GUESTS, DRAGON CURLING ROUND FIR TREE, DRAGON KING PALACE, among others. However, when the laser shows started in the cave, we knew it has gone to far.
But nevertheless, here's a photo of REFLECTING POOL IN DRAGON KING PALACE, which from afar, also resembles either THE BUND, VICTORIA HARBOUR or GUILIN CITY.
To me, it looks like limestone with tortured illuminated souls.
We then went up some FOLDED BROCADE HILL to have a view of the whole Guilin city. It was then that the cold front came down from Siberia, and suddenly the temperature dropped to almost zero and wind speeds reached apocalyptical level. They didn't even wait for us to come down from the fecking hill. But oh wells we saw how Guilin would look like before doomsday, which queerly included the river being blown by the wind in the opposite direction. Cute.
And since we bought the FOUR ATTRACTION PACKAGE (which is so rarely bought in low season that it sent staff scrambling to find the tickets), we managed to go to the ICONIC Elephant Trunk Hill before it got too cold and dark.
Lonely Planet actually specially mentioned that Elephant Trunk Hill does look like an elephant. Er watever. Looks like Fat Boy Leaning Down To Show Ass At You Hill also what. 肥娃秀臀山. Sounds good enough for me.
At night went to shop around Guilin, which has bigger shopping malls and streets. But being poor budget travellers, we just browsed CD shops and looked at shops selling sexy lingerie.
Next day we visited the SEVEN STARS PARK, which is this park just filled with man-made attractions that appeal specifically at China tourists. So instead of spending half a day as the taxi driver had suggested, we just spent one hour, looking at the kitschy lanterns, and the small zoo which is in severe need of, i quote, "investments and visitors". Seeing bears kept in small cages and deers wallowing in overcrowded mud-filled enclosures, you do feel pretty sorry for the animals. And then you walk further and you see the PANDAS having their own RESEARCH FACILITY, BRAND NEW ENCLOSURES and FRESH BAMBOOS, you kindda feel pandas are really exploiting their status a bit too much.
Stop giving us those innocent eyes, you greedy brat. I say stop it, you're making me melt. Awww just stop it will you. Come on you know your eyes can kill. Stop purring so innocently. Ok FINE here's some bamboo shoots and a new enclosure with personal kitchen and laboratory.
And in a final testament to its brattiness, it proceeded to shit three lump of panda shit in front of us. So i guess when you are the national animal, you can have the leeway of pooing in front of guests.
