Tag Archives: China

Asia, China

YangShuo (II) Bamboo Rafting on YuLong River

Oh…YangShuo is so great a place to just hang out… I had always wanted to spend a day on the bamboo rafts crossing up and down the rivers. As Rita was a bit handicapped anyway and the weather was great again it was the perfect day to get driven out to YuLong River, hop onto the bamboo rafts, and get slowly moved down-river through stunning scenery. Views are comparable to Li River, if not even better. And no annoying loudspeaker announcement or engine sounds around. Just silence. Or water fights… 😉 Continue reading YangShuo (II) Bamboo Rafting on YuLong River →

Asia, China

GuiLin (III) Li River

Li River (漓江)

Despite the money it costs and the bad weather forcast I had opted for accompanying Rita and James on the Li River cruise once again. A great decision! The weather forecast proved completely wrong and it was a nice sunny day with very good views on all the limestone hills along the river. Not that we could identify much more of the rocks named by the Chinese, but just the scenery as such, without names, was great enough. Compare these pics with my first tour here in February! (Organization was similar this time, but the bus not full, and I had an iPod to block out the unavoidable guide’s talking 😉 Most surprising: No bamboo rafts selling souvenirs on the river!)

The tour was organized via Rita/James’ hostel and for cost reasons we chose the Chinese tour. It was nearly 200 RMB cheaper than a western tour. We just endured the half hour talk on the bus, waited patiently at the unavoidable jade shop, got on the boat and enjoyed the scenery ourselves. Arrived in YangShuo we didn’t even bother finding the bus but just directly checked into our respective hotels.

GL_20070722_110337.jpg: At the very beginning: One man in official looking uniform takes a nap in a position I would not obviously consider comfortable.

GL_20070722_115851.jpg: I was there! And I was not always closing my eyes…you may want to compare the clothing with what I as wearing in February… 😉

GL_20070722_120122.jpg: Now while writing, I am surprised to see that there is a full hour time difference between the first two pics…but certainly the scenery started off earlier than this picture.

GL_20070722_121045.jpg: And it continued for a long long time…

GL_20070722_125718.jpg: Just enjoy, …

GL_20070722_131416.jpg: …even without knowing…

GL_20070722_131804.jpg: the names for all these peaks.

GL_20070722_132419.jpg: Once more peaks.

GL_20070722_134647.jpg: And then water buffalos taking a bath.

GL_20070722_134738.jpg: A last great look back.

Today’s Lesson: Don’t trust the weather forcast…it can be better!

Categories: AsiaGuiLin

Originally Created: 07/24/2007 04:45:47 PM

Last Edited: 07/24/2007

Asia, China

LiJiang (I) A-Maze-ing

LiJiang (丽江)

LiJiang is a charming little town in Yunnan, of which especially the old town is amazing in its litteral meaning: It’s a maze of cobble-stone alleys and paths and you will get lost for sure. Don’t worry…you aren’t the first one and you won’t be the last one either. It’s just fun to dive into the alleys, get lost, emerge somewhere, find something seen before, and after 2 or 3 days even find short-cuts. Continue reading LiJiang (I) A-Maze-ing →

Asia, China

EMeiShan – There are 5 Million stairs…

EMei Shan (峨眉山)

11 hours hiking, incl. 1 hour lunch break, 25km distance only, but 2.500m altitude difference, netto…with all the ups and downs we probably did 3000m up. In one day, which was yesterday (12-JUN-2007). It is doable given the steep stairways on EMei Shan. It is no fun on the way, partly due to these very stairways. It is one of you best possible experiences after you reach your destination: Golden Summit. Continue reading EMeiShan – There are 5 Million stairs… →

Asia, China

Taipei (III) 101 and the Leaders

07.07.07…I guess there were many weddings throughout the world today. Unfortunately not including me, I wasn’t even invited to any one, nor did I see any one here. I would probably not even have noticed the rarity of today’s date if not the morning newspaper had an article about a Libanese couple, which wanted to marry on this date no matter what (in fact: the bride wanted, but the bridegroom accepted it so it would be easier to remember the date ;))

Well, the best I have done with this date was to get on Taipei 101’s observation deck, which at least provided me with a dated ticket I will now use forever as a bookmark; it’s print reads “2007/7/7 12:00”. Continue reading Taipei (III) 101 and the Leaders →

Asia, China

Taipei (I) Rain

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Taipei (台北)

What an easy going day: The breakfast has a fair cappucchino, you walk out of the hotel door and stumble over a Starbucks (which I haven’t visited yet as I just had a cappuchino), life on the streets is a lot safer than in China’s mainland: Cars actually stop in front of zebra strips and when doing right turns before crossing pedestrians! I got used to that again in a matter of minutes. Hope I can readapt to mainland’s way of traffic once I’m back… Continue reading Taipei (I) Rain →

Asia, China

Macau (III) Taipa Village

Taipa Village on Taipa Island

After yesterday’s long night this day started late (today’s first picture has a timestamp similar to the timestamp of yesterday’s last picture) and was all over slow-motion, which was partly due to the unmerciful sun, partly due to the aftermath of the night.

The Macau Special Administration Region (MSAR) does not only comprise of Macau proper, which actually is a peninsula, but also of two islands, Taipa and Coloane. These two former islands are nowadays connected by ‘reclaimed land’ and form just one island, which in turn is connected to Macau peninsula by 3 long bridges. Continue reading Macau (III) Taipa Village →