we don’t need no stinkin’ helmets
Today we rented bikes from the hostel-20 yuan for the day with a 100 yuan deposit for the both of us. And they gave us locks. So we took our raincoats, our map that has a disclaimer at the bottom that says “The content and the words might have a little difference. The publisher has no responsibilities for it…” and off we ventured. Biking in China is not for the faint of heart, however Mara found it less dangerous than biking to work from El Portal to Yosemite Valley on Hwy 140. Here all the drivers are watching for bikes, they slow down to pass if they are coming close due to oncoming traffic, they go wide if they are roaring by, they give a warning honk way back so you know they are coming & will be passing, and when it started to rain no driver drove too close to the bikes thus spraying them with water & grime.
Here are some of the scenes on our (about) 20-mile bike ride.
sugar cane (?) in foreground
typical Chinese village house
We had pulled off at a road and a fellow got off the bus and started walking towards the village in the near distance. As he was doing so he said “hello” and then gestured that we should ride towards the village, so we did.
on an unknown road towards an unknown village
close-up of house in village
Pedaling just this short distance out from YangShuo allowed us to see a less developed China. We saw no other Westerners (although, for all we know, this may have been due to the impending rain!) We were greeted with many smiles and Ni hao!
sugar cane?
woman going to work in fields
On the way back, in the town of Fuli, we stopped in at the Sunday Market. Vegetables, fruits, food stands, household goods, furniture, plastic bags, music CDs, toys, trinkets (but not trinkets like jade buddhas & such), laundry detergent, shampoo, cosmetics, socks, yada yada yada. An enterprising linoleum salesman was hanging out on a corner by the market entrance and saw we were interested to go in. So he motioned us to park the bikes & lock them next to his rolls of flooring & for 2 yuan he would watch them. While somewhat hesitant-OK, mostly Mara was hesitant-we went ahead and did that, then went to lunch at the market.
Sunday Market in Fuli
Grandmother selling
weighing the produce
vegetables galore
Being in the market was somewhat trying as it was clearly a locals market. Some folks would smile and laugh to see us, others would shake their heads in, was it puzzlement? disbelief? disagreement? We did not really feel unsafe but we also did not feel totally in our element. But then that is what traveling is about-expanding ones boundaries.
at market
street outside the market
two women chatting
The bags in the above shot are filled with silk.
Did we mention the impending rain? Well, we got caught!
us & the locals waiting in the tunnel
It was like Iceland but about 40 degrees warmer! Eventually it let up and we made our way back to Yangshuo. After returning the bikes we went for a massage. when Bernadette and Orhan had been sightseeing with us they introduced us to the foot massage. This time we went all out-Chinese body massage! It felt good as our unused muscles needed it (but we are too delicate to mention the seats of the bikes and the results from those!)
Thus endeth our final day in Yangshuo. On Monday we take the bus to Guilin but we look forward to the interesting sights there and of course eating more Chinese food!
