Eastern Thrills: Guilin and Yangshuo

We left Shanghai for Guilin. Guilin is a Southern "small" city of 5 million people. The city itself was not that interesting, but the surrounding areas were amazing. 

Yangshuo Village.

It was soooooo green.

These are multi-family houses for villagers.

Yangshuo Craft Market. Beware if you don't buy anything.

Yangshuo lady fiends I met. 

Matriarch.

They did a performance for us. Okay, I know what you're thinking, "Erin, are you exploiting rural villagers for touristic entertainment? " Well, yes, I guess I was.  It was really interesting though. These females have VERY long hair (yes they are extensions). They wrap it around their head dependent on their marriage status and the number of kids they have.

I think these were the un-maried girls.

This was some seriously primitive sh#*t.  

We then went to the village center and had lunch. 

We then traveled to the Dragon's Backbone Rice paddy terraces.

We had to climb up a mountain (via pathway).

Along the path were markets and restaurants. 

Mid-day snack.

Charred bats and rats, hmmmm...

The mountains surrounding the Dragon's Backbone were glorious.

I was tempted.

Terraces.

This landscape reminded me of the Sri Lankan tea fields. This was way more breathtaking though. Similar feel also to vineyards in Italy and CA.

Old lady sitting in front of a grave.

Lo ciento perrito.

Stunning landscape.

The three of us on top of the mountain. What do you think the sign says? 

They don't recycle in the cities but they sure did here!!

Harvesting.

Longhorn Sheep?

The long way back down.

Our next day's adventure outside the city was to a small town about two hours west of Guilin. 

Elephant Trunk Hill and Karst.

Market with Karst in background.

Li River.

Confucius Temple.

Next to come, our final destination: Hong Kong.