Xiamen Peony Wanpeng Hotel

... understand what we needed. They took us from one aisle to the other showing us everything from toilet paper to toilet bowl cleaner and still no one knew what we meant. Finally, while leaving the store, we found one, but it was definitely a close call. The people were very sweet, but definitely new to the tourist trade.<br>

Our guide Nancy has been telling us that they grow the biggest bananas in ZhangZhou, indicating around 14" long. This we have to see but locally at Fuyu Lou they are not able to obtain them. Short bananas rule. And before we can get back to ZhangZhou we have some more Tulou to visit. <br><br>We head back towards the coast after our chosen breakfast of congee and fruit - although he still finds some bread for us to try despite the fact we are trying to eat a bit less! The ...

... can afford one. In fact the difference in costs for a meal are indicative of a major divide - you can still get a meal for less than 50p or you can pay well over 20 pounds (which is what our fish meal cost). Afterwards it's back on the ferry and off in a rather uncomfortable mini bus (unfortunately) to the Hakka homelands. <br><br>These roads take us up into the mountains and away from the coast, passing more banana trees than I have ever seen before. This is a major fruit producing ...

... 1508;&#1505;&#15 14;&#1497; &#1506;&#1491; &#1508;&#1505;&#1490;&#1514; &#1492;&#1488;&#1497;, &#1502;&#1513;&#1501; &#1492;&#1497;&#1497;&#1514;&#1497; &#1497;&#1499;&#1493;&#1500; &#1500;&#1512;&#1488;&#1493;&#1514; &#1488;&#1514; &#1499;&#1500; &#1492;&#1510;&#1491; &#1492;&#1502;&#1506;&#1512;&#1489;&#14 97; &#1513;&#1500; &#1492;&#1488;&#1497; &#1508;&#1512;&#1493;&#1505; &#1500;&#1504;&#1490;&#1491; &#1506;&#1497;&#1504;&#1497;&#1497;.<br >&#1499;&#1506;&#1489 ...

... 1510;&#1493;&#1508;&#1492; &#1489;&#1513;&#1511;&#1497;&#1506;&#14 93;&#1514; &#1492;&#1502;&#1512;&#1492;&#1497;&#14 89;&#1493;&#1514; &#1513;&#1500; &#1492;&#1497;&#1501; &#1492;&#1514;&#1497;&#1499;&#1493;&#15 03;, &#1489;&#1495;&#1493;&#1491;&#1513;&#14 97; &#1492;&#1495;&#1493;&#1507; &#1513;&#1511;&#1491;&#1502;&#1493; &#1500;&#1506;&#1494;&#1497;&#1489;&#15 14;&#1497;. &#1489;&#1488;&#1512;&#1509;, &#1492;&#1513;&#1511;&#1497;&#1506;&#14 93;&#1514; &#1497;&#1508;&#1493;&#1514; &#1497;&#1493;&#1514;&#1512;.

&#32724;&#23433;&#26159;&#21414;&#38376 ;&#30340;&#19968;&#20010;&#21306;&#6529 2;&#31163;&#21414;&#38376;&#26368;&#368 28;&#65292;&#19981;&#36807;&#21363;&#23 558;&#24320;&#36890;&#30340;&#28023;&#2 4213;&#38567;&#36947;&#65292;&#20250;&# 23558;&#23707;&#20869;&#21644;&#23707;& #22806;&#32852;&#31995;&#36215;&#26469 ...

... m not quite sure where the "horticultural" element of it is to be found, as to me it appears to be a vast swathe of concrete, interspersed by "gardens" to reflect the different cities of China, said gardens also consisting mostly of concrete buildings in something ressembling their local style. I'm also at a bit of a loss to explain what the other 5 cities who have been blessed with this event have done to create anything different, but still. On the upside it ...

... apart but I had gone too far to step back now. Hangzhou airport was a surprise too, I expected a dimly lit hall with three airplanes departing daily but it was a huge, busy airport with a very interesting cathedral-shaped roof and could be entered into any airport design contest. Ninety minutes later I was in the deep south, it was warm, no wind, and when I walked around long after dark to get some dinner, wearing a T-Shirt and no jacket, I knew I had done something right.

After Gulang Yu, we stayed in the Overseas Student Dormitory at Xiamen University, which you can get rooms in if they are not all filled up - I highly recommend it, because its in an excellent setting and the rooms are all nice and clean (ours cost 208 yuan a night). We were lucky to be on the side facing the sea and almost at the top of the building, so we had great ...

I woke in a hostel in Xiamen. I got directions to the long distance bust station and after withdrawing some money, I bought a ticket to Yongding; the area known for the Hakka ethnic minority and the circular courtyard houses they build out of earth. The girl I met the day before yesterday warned me that Yongding is very touristy now, but where else am I going to go? I can't just hang around Xiamen eating. I'm not on vacation, I'm traveling. There is a distinct ...