River View Hotel Yangshuo

... naturellement; "lookie, lookie", "hello", "ok-ok"!! Ouf, c'est un petit village de 300 000 (petits aux standards de la Chine) qui s'est recement developpe tres rapidement autour du tourisme avec les cotes moins agreables qui viennent avec. Nous nous promenons dans le centre de la ville et une dame qui offre de cirer les chaussures nous poursuit a chaque tournant. C'est un peu harcelant.<br><br>Ici aussi, il y a des "oliviers odorants" ou ...

... and honestly it was one of the tastiest meals I've ever had! Plus I looked really cute in my little hat and apron...<br><br>We also had time for some shopping and a little TLC in the form of manicures and pedicures - which were grossly overdue! My feet were not looking so good after 3 weeks of backpacking through one of the most crowded and polluted countries in the world! I also drank snake wine - technically not very vegetarian of me, I know!<br><br>

... and the two of us set out on the town to find this bar, Bar 98. Ben was on quite a display, turning heads wherever he went. What made things more awkward was we were having trouble finding this bar, so we had to walk into several restaurants and bars along the way to ask directions. People starred, murmered, giggled, and whistled. <br ...

... was happen or going to happen. <br><br>A couple from Holland wanted to use the Juice Bar to give a talk and get some information about tourism. I said sure no problem. I invited them to our open talk that evening. I told them I was not sure if anyone would show up because it was my first day back. <br><br>That evening the word got around and several of the regulars were there and very happy to have me back. The couple from Holland had a great time ...

... stay. The rooms are located in Western-renovated farmhouses that are integrated into a tiny village called Chao Long, right on the River Yulong, whose name means "meet the dragon". The managers are Dutch and super-friendly, and it's a great place to meet fellow travelers because of the wide-open space between the rooms and the little restuarant- there is a beergarden, a little pond, hammocks, deck chairs, a computer room, a ...

... br><br>All day long you see grandmas with the babies in the park. It is a Chinese tradition of one generation taking care of the next.<br><br> <br><br>There were a lot more riverboats on the river today. I guess tourist season has begun. We always have lots of Chinese boat they land up stream. These are all foreign tourists. They do not like to walk to far to get into town. They pay an extra fee for the service ...

... Fabio and Patrice's hotel (they are from Brazil) by the KFC. We decided to spend our hour exploring the town with Don and Tim. First we spotted an ice cream cooler and had a Magnum. Tim loves ice cream and had never heard of Magnums. I think that he approves! Bill asked a woman where the market was. At first she took us to a grocery store and then understood that we wanted to go to a real market. By the time we walked there, it was time to turn around and go back. We had to ...

... over at a check point just before a tunnel. They walked throught the bus all authoritativly, it was kind of scary for me, ha ha, and told the lady that there were too many people and some had to get off. So the lady got back on after they got off, and went through the seats whispering, telling some people to get off. I couldn't understand everything she was saying. But, some the people in front of us asked why wasn't telling us to get off, and she was like, "They don't understand ...