International Drinking Games...Yao Style
Trip Start
Jun 21, 2005
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10
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Trip End
Dec 22, 2005
Our group has reached the afamed Longi Rice terraces. The unique structures date back to the 1200s. The rice is grown in little rows on the sides of mountains. It seems like an impractical way to farm but I guess it's one way to feed a billion people. We've spent 3 nights in minority tribal villages of the Huang and Yao people of southern China. Pretty cool. Last night a bunch of Yao women came out and did a "rice wine ceremony". They started singing beautiful, almost spiritual songs and then they began forcing us to down cups of wine. As soon as our glasses were empty they'd come and fill them and make sure we drank more. And I thought peer pressure was hard in high school! Anyways, the singing and full moon were so beautiful I hardly noticed that half the group needed to puke. What a magical night!
