Thursday – Gulin: farmers and caves
We got into Gulin in the dark, but on the ride from the airport we could see the giant limestone upcroppings that the town is famous for as silhouettes along the road.

The next morning, we got out of the hotel early and on the bus for a ride to an area called Shangri-La.

Then a tour on a small boat out in the farm country with a nice view of the up-croppings.

Also, native customs on display. The original Congo Cruise.

Then further south to Yangshuo city.

We got in to big golf carts and headed around the town, stopping at lunch in a restaurant on the Li river with a beautiful view of the mountains and water buffalos grazing on the banks. Good local beer.

We drove in the carts out into the country, stopping with some local farmers in a field for photos. A "Kodak moment" our guide explained.

On our way back into town, we stopped at a home of a local farmer. She was in her seventies and she welcomed us into her small house with orange slices.

The woman posed for photos and encouraged us to visit the rooms of the house. A back room contained a coffin. We inquired about it and were told that it was for her. It is a custom to build the coffin in preparation for death. A practical, but morbid practice.

One more stop to a very small village where farmers rode water buffalos down the main street. There was a view of a mountain called Moon Hill.

Nearby there was a small building under construction. It was wood framed, all pegs and the frame was being completed. The highest beam was being put into place and apparently that required a ceremony for good luck. The beam was draped in red and before it was lifted into place a massive amount of firecrackers were set off and a chicken was displayed before being killed as a sacrifice. It was a lucky break that we were able to witness this very unusual (for us) local custom.

Our next stop was to a giant complex of caves in one of the hills. It was called the Reed Flute Cave. Years ago, a farmer was chasing a lost cow and found that it had fallen into a hole, which turned out to be an entrance to the cave. The farmer who, for a time, was lost in the cave, tried to signal to friends by playing on a reed flute so the story goes.

The caves were large, with lots of stalagmites and stalactites, but the beauty was cheapened by the overuse of colored fluorescent lights, which gave the appearance of a fake Disney attraction. And it was crowded inside, with groups of Frenchmen, German, Chinese etc, all led by local guides speaking in the appropriate language. An underground United Nations, someone called it.

Back to the hotel for a quick turnaround. Then dinner at a restaurant in another hotel and to the theater for a cultural show. The show featured three ethnic groups who performed musical and dance vignettes promoting the virtues of hard work, cooperation and community. The production values were high, sort of Chairman Mao meets Andrew Lloyd Webber, with stirring a Broadway style score and horses, water buffalo and birds used as props. We walked from the theater to the hotel. It was late and time for bed. At least for me. The girls went for foot massages first.

The hotel was across from the Li River and I had wanted to walk over to the park and relax at some point, but the whirlwind schedule in Gulin didn't give me the chance.

Friday – Leave Guilin, arrive Xi';an

Bags out early. We boarded the bus for a trip to Elephant Park and photos with cormorants.

The local people use the birds to fish. The birds have a string tied around their long necks and instinctively dive for fish, which because of the string, they can't swallow. They';re trained to return to the fisherman who takes the fish and then feeds them a tidbit. Very clever.

Then to the airport for a flight to Xian on China Eastern Airlines. Good service. Great taped English turbulence announcement. ("...No smoking during turbulence.") About a two hour flight into Xi'an which was having afternoon rush hour.

We got to the hotel and settled in before heading out with Larry and Kathleen for a walk through the city. Got some great photos: mother and child begging, KFC, shopping mall, etc.

An old woman beggar came up from behind and grabbed my sleeve and held on as I walked down the street. It was awkward so I kept going while she hung on. A young, well-dressed professional Chinese woman approaching on the sidewalk from the opposite direction had a look of outrage on her face and as she met us she snatched the woman's arm from my sleeve and began berating her. It was an apparent example of the civic pride that the average Chinese person seemed to have regarding how foreigners are treated. At least that's how it appeared to me.

We retired to the tenth floor bar for a drink, my first martini on the trip. Not the best martini I've ever had. Should have stuck with the local beer.

Later I went outside to smoke a cigar outside the hotel in South Gate Park.

It was a very pleasant experience. Many hundreds of people were enjoying the warm evening: families, couples, some with children playing. The park was lighted with large red lanterns and the backdrop was the South Gate Tower and wall, both lined with red lights.

My cigar seemed to attract a few sour faces as people passed. With all the pollution and cigarette smoke, it seems cigars are, unfortunately, the one smell offensive to the people of the city.

Also I was pointed out by parents to children who encouraged them to approach and practice their English with a "hello" to me.