Hotel Grand 0773 Guilin

... food into my gaping maw had won my fellow Chinese neighbours seal of approval. So much so in fact whilst still eating the old man on the lower bunk gave me the thumbs up and inviting me to talk to him on his bed. I made a mental note that eating like the locals opens doors.


We talked using the phrasebook and the fact that his daughter and son in law could speak a little english; though it felt a bit stilted with the ...

... 1497; לא תהרס הפעם. ממזמן כבר תכננת 97; להפלי 90; על נהר הלי. הנהר הכי מפורס 01; בסין בגלל גבע ...

... to the Rice terraces which were really cool.... Mountains full of terraces growing rice but the guide for the day was **** and took for ages to get there and back but not too worry. The rice grows in water and there is constant flowing water through all the terraces with stunning views over and through the mountain valleys. Back for a couple of drinks and ready for the next journey south a liitle way to yongzhou.

... klein beetje zielig voor de beestjes dat ze niet hun zelfgevangen visjes mochten opeten. Maar ja, dit is traditie... Het touwtje om hun nek vond ik ook geen prettig gezicht. Uiteindelijk zag je wel hoe de beesten op de terugweg verlost werden van hun touwtje en de zelfgevangen visjes wel mochten opeten. Volgens mij is dit ook eigenbelang van de visser. Enerzijds omdat de toeristen het anders te zielig vinden en anderszijds omdat de vogels niets meer ...

... compartment, before he then turned towards me. What followed was my first, real conversation in Chinese. Thanks to Emily, I could at least tell him some basics about myself: being Austrian, my age and family status, my family - big topic to talk about always in China - my profession (well, a bit at least), and my travel plans. In turn, he was talking A LOT from which I only understood a little. At least, he is 54 of age, lawyer, travelling back to ...

... other reason I went was to find a camera. As usually everything in China is more expensive then in the states. I got a camera similar to the one I broke but with a lot less features for about what I paid for mine last year. I needed a camera this toy back up was not going to last me the rest of the trip. The next day we returned to Yangshuo. The evening I ran into a friend ...

... cards under shading bamboo trees and children running and playing peek-a-boo behind lifesize Pokemon sculptures. It was the size of Hyde Park but with small waterfalls, lakes, picnic areas and a zoo. The zoo made my teeth curl. The panda enclosure was ok, they had space to sleep, eat & **** and the bird sanctary was ok - there was a parrot who repeated 'Ni-how' (hello in Chinese) to you but our efforts to try and make him repeat Bum ...

... Hill is located at the confluence of Li River and Peach Blossom River in the southwest of Guilin city. It looks like a huge elephant stretching its trunk drinking water hence the name.

... those stories, this water-eroded cave, bathed from inside in surreal multi-coloured lights, is a spectacular realm of stalactites, stone pillars and rock formations. Roughly one hour later we were out in the open again. Around the cave they built a park with zigzagging paths, pavilions, ponds, bridges, plants and other ubiquitous garden structures. But we had no time for it any more. The dark was getting closer, so we sought out our cab driver. When we found him, the guy was calmly ...

... t always drive on the side of the road that they are meant to. It is quite frightening driving in a taxi at night and seeing on-coming traffic coming on both sides of the vehicles. No-one panics. When it is time to get out of the taxi, the driver just stops - no indicators, not even pulling over to the side of the road. There is no way I would even drive 100m here - way to scary. And in amongst all this 'confusion', they drive along talking on phones! When you cross the road ...