Yangshuo Countryside

On Friday we got to experience China’s countryside – not by car, train, or bus. Instead, we rode bicycles. We aren’t crazy enough (yet) to attempt such an outing on our own, so we had a guide lead the way.

To get to the peaceful countryside we first had to peddle our way through the bustling village. Of course, it wouldn’t have been so bad if we had been in a place where traffic rules were recognized. Throngs of bicycles, cars, motorbikes, trucks and other motorized vehicles that really weren't road-worthy whizzed by us in all directions. There was a symphony of honking horns. It was somewhat unnerving.

Of course, no one local seemed at all distressed by the chaos – to them it was like a finely choreographed dance and everyone knew his/her part. Clearly they had no idea what havoc three foreigners could have on their performance! The only thing that was somewhat reassuring was that our guide told us that if there’s an accident, the bigger vehicle would be considered at fault – even if the smaller vehicle caused the wreck.

After a while the street noise gave way to the hushed sounds of farm country. Oxen pulling wagons were the only “vehicles” and farmers quietly went about their business in their rice paddies or gardens. We rode through small villages, often through the outdoor living spaces of homes. We got a close up picture of the humble lives of the villagers.

Here we are taking a rest break:

After cycling nine miles, we stopped for lunch in a river-side village whose name we didn’t learn. Our guide said that it was more than 600 years old and had been a commercial hub when boats had been the main form of transport. The village was still occupied, but its most prosperous days had undoubtedly passed. Here’s a bit of what we saw:

Our lunch was quite interesting. The fresh, local vegetables were a recommended dish…so we ordered it. Little did we know that we’d have to peel them ourselves! Here is Lydia and our guide peeling the exterior skin of pumpkin vines (who knew they were edible?):

Of course, seeing how the vegetables were washed – under an outdoor faucet in a corrugated metal tub sitting on a concrete slab, scrubbed by a woman who may or may not have showered recently – made them a bit less appealing. However, they were stir fried so we told ourselves that the heat had killed any germs. (If you know better, don’t tell me – ignorance is bliss!) In any case, we ate the pumpkin vines and got a couple other dishes. It wasn’t the best meal we’ve ever had, but we’ve certainly had worse!

After a brief rest in bamboo chairs, we were off to the next leg of our journey…a raft ride down the river.