China Part II - Longji and the Dragon's Back Rice Terraces

As promised we continue the journey.

• Longji

After visiting the Yao village, we boarded a small bus and started up the mountain to Longji. It was a steep winding road with lots of switchbacks.

(Click on pictures to see full resolution.)

This was a two-way road but it wasn't that wide all the time. I'm not so sure that those barriers would stop our bus from going over the cliff.

Finally we reached a parking lot where the bus could go no further.

We would have to hike to the hotel. We knew the climb would be too strenuous for mom to make. There were plenty of industrious local men willing with solve that problem, so once again we hired a sedan chair for her.

Some others from our group hired porters as well.

The rest of us decided to make it on foot and for us, there was also help. Entrepreneurial women were eager to carry our backpacks for us for about $1 to $2 each. I wasn't going to have anyone carry my backpack for me, I though, I can carry my own bag. I don't need someone to do that for me, but then on second thought, they are trying to make a living by helping tourists. Most of them were old women and it was cheap. The majority of our group decided to let them make some money and carry our bags. Each woman would strap a basket on her back that she filled with two, three maybe four backpacks and started up the pathway.

(Click on pictures to see full resolution.)

The path was made of stones or cement block in a series of ramps and stairs. Along the way we passed people and horses coming down and venders along the way hoping to make a sell. These men were making a traditional peanut candy. It was somewhat like peanut brittle broken into very small pieces.

(Click on arrow to play video.)

Mom took a picture of Bob from her chair before they separated off from us and took another route. (Maybe it was a shortcut)

This appeared to be lunch for one of the venders, adjacent to their souvenir stand.

Dee Anna snapped this next one. I assume most of you know what that is, guess they had a smoke afterword, 'nough said.

On we climbed, Dee Anna got tired part way up and decided to join those being carried up. It was hard on my knees and I thought about it too, however, I persevered and made it on foot.

Here we see peppers drying in the sun and rice drying in bundles on the rooftops.

(Click on pictures to see full resolution.)

At long last we arrived at our hotel, clinging to the steep mountainside, the Longji Star-Wish Resort.

One of the backpack porters rests after her journey and hopes to carry more bags back down the mountain for tourists checking out for the day.

We checked in to our rooms which were clean and airy. They gave mom and me a room on the first floor so that she wouldn't have to climb any stairs. It was adjacent to the lobby (a little noisy in the evening and again in the morning). We were glad to see that the rooms had western style toilets. The common Chinese toilet was not a favorite of ours. They were hard to use for older westerners who are not used to squatting. The Chinese squat regularly as a resting position like the older lady above.

(Click on pictures to see full resolution.)

The standard Chinese toilets are such a joy to use.

After getting settled in our rooms we set off for a climb to the top of the mountain for a majestic overview of the expansive terraces and villages.

Coming next: Afternoon and evening on the mountainside in Longji.