Friday, January 29, 2010

China Part X - Touring The Countryside

Touring the countryside and lunch at a village restaurant near Yangshuo.

After the farmhouse we were on our way to get some lunch.

As was the case all around this area of China, the scenery was spectacular.

We stopped at a small stone arch bridge that led to a large expanse of rice paddies.


After taking in the view and the obligatory photos we made our way back across the bridge.

Waiting on the other side was a young lady with her water buffalo.

The guides provided flower wreaths for most of the ladies made by the local farmers.

Then we got back into our jitneys or on our bikes and resumed the journey to the village restaurant. We soon were bouncing our way into a small farming community.

Traditional red lanterns marked the entrance to the restaurant.

We were invited to visit the kitchen to see our lunch being prepared. We walked around the building to the back entrance to the kitchen.

As we left the kitchen there was a stairway we were allowed to ascend to get a view of the local rooftops of the village.

Back in the dining room which was an open air courtyard we selected our tables and awaited our lunch.

From our table the view looked back out the front entrance.

Lunch was served in the traditional family style, with several dishes set on the table to be shared by all at the table. We did not have a menu or choice of entrees. The menu was preselected by the restaurant. Dee Anna particularly liked the fried fish-heads...not. The eyes were especially enticing.

The food really wasn't bad. How can you go wrong with fresh sauteed
vegetables, orange chicken and fresh melon and fruit for desert?.

Back outside, stuffed and ready to board our jitney for our return to Yangshuo. Winding our way through the narrow streets and multi-storied farm houses. They build the houses on a small footprint to preserve the farmland. China although about the same size as the USA, has much less arable farmland, yet needs to feeds about five times as many people.

More small rice paddies.

And the ubiquitous mountain peaks of the region.

The scenery was stunning in spite of the haze and pollution.


We left the bikes and jitneys behind and were soon back on the bus passing out fresh bottles of water and before long we were back in Yangshuo.

Time for a breather in the hotel then dinner and off to the night show 'Impressions' on the Li river.

Outside the window of our hotel room we could see the light was beginning to fade on the sheer rock wall behind the hotel.

Everyone went their own separate ways for dinner. Bob and I went down to West Street and picked up some KFC Chicken nuggets for mom and ice cream cones for ourselves. Then waited for the bus to take us to the night show.


Up Next:
The 'Impressions' pageant on the Li River.