China Part III - Afternoon and evening on the mountainside in Longji

Longji, Exploring the Rice Terraces

We started out walking west from our hotel past the shops of the souvenir vendors hawking embroidered goods, silver, artwork, carvings, traditional candies and more. We walked on past unique stonework walls and quaint wooden houses, with their tile roofs and red lanterns, that cling tenaciously to the mountain slopes and climbed up the the steep and narrow steps and pathways.

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This is as far as mom cared to go. You can see her in light blue sitting on the rock wall near the umbrella at the center of the picture.

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Along the way there were young women in traditional costumes. Some embroidering by hand who would pose with us tourists for photos (for a price). Their outfits were very colorful and beautiful.

The embroidery girl posed with me. In the words of Stevie Wonder, "Isn't she lovely".


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In amongst the rice paddys I spotted some colorful decorations. They turned out to be memorial tributes left at a grave site. The stone graves can be seen just to the left of the decorations.

The rice had been harvested, there were piles of black ash on the terraces. This was the remains of the shaft that was now being burned. The ash would be mixed into the soil as a fertilizer.

I only made it to this overlook (the hiking was just more my knees could take after the initial climb to the hotel.)

Just up ahead was the top of the mountain marked with three red Chinese flags. Bob & Raylene did make it to the top and the photos from there are courtesy of them.

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Bob found a lovely girl to pose with him as well. Did you notice how smoggy it is.

After taking in the vista and snapping about a zillion pictures, it was time to head back down.

Just before reaching the hotel we came across this puppy scratching an itch. (Was he tomorrows dinner?) No. He belonged to this sweet little lady who was weaving shoes from reeds. She had advanced cararacts in both eyes and was weaving basically through touch. Dee anna bought a pair from her for about $1.50.

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Soon nightfall came and the red lanterns were burning throughout the village. While some of our group went out to experience the local night-life and find some dinner and entertainment. For us it was an ice cream bar and then it was time to climb the stairs to the hotel lobby and go to bed.

Tomorrow we would descend the mountain and move on to Yangshuo to further adventures on the senic Li Jang River.

Coming next:
Sunrise in Longji and descending the mountain.