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saturday 20th septemer - day
guilin
we get some fruit and bowzers for the bus journey to the terraces which takes about 2 hours. the bus takes us quite far into the feilds and up the high ridges of rongshui river valley where longsheng is located. the huge valley is piled high with the rice rows and the zhuang and yao villages nestled in. its boiling when we arrive and its only 10am. we have 6 hours here to exolore then meet back at the car at 4pm.
the terraces are just turning from green to yellow so they are currently an amazing lime green colour. the paths not that busy with tourists yet and theres the odd farmer in the feilds working still. the walk is easy a few stairs here and there. only up to the viewpoints are the stairs steep, most of the path just winds along the terraces themseles. we see a horse tied up high on one of the terraces so i climb up to feed it one of our apples (and manage to drop the other one down the hill). theres running water along the terraces and we spot a few small streams where the water is crystal clear.
the first viewpoint overlooks the original valley we came into - most of which is still dark green and full of villages (im guessing they are the yao villages a they depend on hunting rater than farming - it is the zhuang people who rice farm) and on the opposite side the longji titan rice terraces begin to take over.
we get to the second point on the map which at about 1pm but weve daulded the entire time really. the terraces here are huge rounded peaks and troughs of bright green. we climb quite far up the viewpoint stairs (which are lined with tourist crap) and get some amazing photies.
we decide its too late to head further around the terraces incase we dont make it back to the car in time - so we begin the walk back and stop for some bamboo rice on the way back. the bamboo sticks are filled with rice, meat and veg, and cooked in an open fire. the burning bamboo smells amazing. we walk through ping'an village on the way back. the traditional houses are wooden and we see lots of locals drying out chillies on their roofs. we end up walking through a farmers path to get out of the village and yas spots a snake right infront of her so we get back onto the main path asap.
we get back to the car park at 2.30 much to early, we could have got to the next viewpount afterall but we are quite burnt.. which is the first time since weve been away.
we take the bus back to the hostel and head out to the night markets at 7pm - taking the no10 bus.
the markets are crap and even we dont buy anything, but we do see the 'sun and moon pagodas'. they are set on a lake in the city centre, the sun pagoda lit up in yellow,gold lights and the moon in white, silver lights.
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