The trip out was along a well-traveled bike path that cut thru some farm fields. Along the way, various enterprising humble households had little shaded picnic tables and signs that cold drinks were available to purchase. People were out working in their fields, with many water buffalo trodding flooded fields for the rice crop. Li Jingfeng pointed out one farmer who was doing it by foot himself because he had no water buffalo (the market price for a water buffalo is 3000 yuan, or about $400).
The karst hills were just as striking and beautiful as on the river trip, and a rain shower was not enough to keep us, in our rain gear, from traveling on, in wonder at the sights.
The rain got heavier, and we were close by to the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat, where Dick and I will check in tonight (Thurs). We decided to get out of the rain, grab some tea, and check out the place. It looks like we'll be very comfortable there.
Li Jingfeng suggested that before we get to our ultimate destination of Moon Hill, I should see the "Buddha Water Cave". The promotional pages emphasized happy people splashing around and getting muddy, and I told her I didn't think that was my thing, but she insisted there was a substantial "dry" route thru the caves and I should see them. So, for 128 yean (less than $20), I gave it a go. This is clearly a local-run site hoping to become "real" in the future. I was picked up by a shoddy van, leaving Ji Jingfeng and the bikes behind; we lumbered across the highway, with cars coming the opposite way just missing us, and wound thru the narrow way into a small village. A rather unimpressive and completely unassuming entrance marked the way into the caves. I thought for a minute I'd been duped into some alternate caves and with some skepticism put on my yellow hardhat (thank goodness they gave me that!) and followed a guide holding a flashlight, as well as another person with both a flashlight and a camera. (Now, what do you think that camera was for?)
It was not quite the easy walk thru caves that I had been believing, in fact it was rather tight and uncomfortable in a few places, particularly for someone my height loaded up with cameras, etc. And my hardhat kept slipping down over my eyes as I contorted myself to negotiate some of the narrow spots. But, my skepticism was ill-founded. I soon saw the rock formations that were advertised on the flyer, and there were some amazing spots in the cave. There were a few bats in the caves with us, but fortunately bats are nothing new for me since we're glad to have them behind the shutters at home. Below is the 'famous' Buddha rock.
Of course, all along the way, I was being asked to smile as I poked my head out a narrow passage or was able to stretch to full height in a chamber containing formations named after a god, an animal, etc. etc. But you just have to go with the flow, right? Anyway, at the end, they loaded the pictures onto a computer and for 15 yuan ($2), I picked one that didn't make me look like a complete buffoon. So, back to the bikes and onward to Moon Hill.
Moon Hill has a 885-step climb to the base of rock formation (right below the hollow). Li Jingfeng again was happy to let me go solo, but I had a follower, a 50-year old woman from the village carrying a fan in one hand, a basket with water and coca cola in the other. I didn't ask her to follow me, but it seemed like I was "hers". Not being completely comfortable, I sped up and really attacked the climb up the path at high speed. She didn't match me but clearly was doing her best to keep up with me. I stopped at a couple mid-points to catch photos, and she caught me. Out came the fan to cool me off. "Bu shi, bu shi" I insisted, smiling, but she smiled back and told me "no problem". I kept going at a high clip all the way up, and I had my "conversion moment" where the woman stopped being a nuisance and became part of the experience. So, I got her chatting, to learn that she was from the village at the base of the hill, that she was 50 years old (I expressed my surprise, little diplomat that I am, and told her that walking up the hill obviously kept her young. She chuckled.) She took the picture of me, and then helpfully steered me away from a path she insisted was slippery and dangerous, and onto a path that I was glad she did, because it wound around the hill to a clearing where I got the photo above, all previous shots having some amount of trees obscuring the view. I didn't buy the coke, but I did give her some money (10 yuan) for assisting and fanning me.
After an excellent lunch at a cafe at the base of the hill (chicken with pineapple) and a can of the local beer, it was back on the bikes heading back to Yangshuo, stopping at the park of the "Big Banyan Tree". The tree itself, while nice, underwhelmed the 20-yuan price. But, there is a nice park around it, a small river (large creek) where the operators had set up bamboo rafts for people to take out poling, a crowd of town elders hawking all sorts of goods, various exotic animals (camel, white horse, peacocks) on display, and tourists. Lots of them. Mostly Chinese, I think. Watching them was half the fun, as they took photos with some girls in traditional costume, went out on the rafts, chanted "yee ar, yee ar" (one two, one two) marching a friend/victim toward the raft, and otherwise had a marvelous time. Walking around the grounds and getting up close to the village was the other half of the fun.
And then it was back on the bikes to Yangshuo, probably 10 miles or so round trip.
I fell asleep right after dinner, exhausted from a good day.
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