Back in Yangshuo

Am back in Yangshuo after one night spent in Xingping. Arrived here yesterday eve after doing the hinking from Xingping to Yangdi town.

I recommend the hike for everybody. It's rather easy way and you cannot get lost if just try to stay close to the river all the time. The hike was total some 15 kilometres. I walked my first three kilometres alone on a dusty road. After the first kilometer I didn't see tourist anymore and I was walking on area where farmers live and cultivate sitrus fruit, rice, persimon, chili and pomelon. The road ended to the river and there I met Italian man Federico and Chinese woman Colleen. They were some kind of holiday couple. Federico was 35 y old, living in China already for 9 years, working in a car factory. We crossed the river by ferry and continued the hike together. Colleen seemed to be happy to have some female company.

The hike became very interesting with my "new friends" as they both spoke Chinese. We ended up eating fruit (mix of apple and persimon) on farmer's yard for example. And cause of Federico's Italian temper we ended up arguing with everybody (waiter, ferry men, farmers...) - for him it was always a question about principles. Good thing for me was that he was paying most of the costs; I don't feel bad for letting him pay cause he was bragging about how good his salary is and so on.

The views were the greatest so far. Mountains as on the picture. Fruit trees. Chili pepper bushes. River. Field. All in all relaxing though there were many others doing the hiking too and the river was full o bamboo boats and ferries. I wasn't supposed to go back to Xingping but Federico and Colleen invited me to join them on a bamboo boat trip back to the town. Nice ride but my feet got totally wet and the water was also splashing on my pants and shirt. For the first time I felt cold here in China.

Maybe you read from Tiina's or Suvi's messages already that it's National Holiday today. The whole China moves, so to say. In Xingping it was nicely calm but as I arrived in Yangshuo yesterday I noticed that Chinese tourists had invated the city. Four times more people than for few days ago! People selling things on the street are also many more today than on Sunday. You really need to put effort to move forward on the streets, the people really are so many. Luckily they need to get back to work on Monday!!!

This morning I had a cooking lesson. One great experience more. Cause I booked the lesson for three days ago the woman was willing to give me a lesson - and even better: I got a private lesson. We started the lesson with a visit to a food market. It was far from the Finnish standards though everything was fresh and it didn't smell there. You could buy everything from living chickens to fresh ginger. There were dead chickens cut open but not cleaned, all kinds of inner parts of pig, snails, fish, and dried everything.

We cooked buffalo beef with vegetable, fried noodle with vegetable and dumblings - small 'cakes' stuffed this time with minced pork meat, spring onion, ginger and mushroom. I learned how to use their massive knife (bought me one), how to cook the food quickly, information bout the cooking temperatures. For the first time in my life I was doing deep frying on a pan. Maybe I can cook these dish when I get home.

The Israelian girl is still in the city, town. Met her already yesterday evening, today for lunch and will asist on an English language course where she works as a volunteer. Though I am alone I have not had so many moments alone. I have had nice time. Mom, you don't need to worry - I meet S and T tomorrow morning.

Ow yes, forgot to tell. Of course they had given my room away yesterday evening at the hostel where I had a reservation and where I already payed a deposit. (Think they got a better price from somebody else as it is the National Holiday). They were very calm when telling that they don't have room, but that didn't suit me. I complained, argued and got a free room and my 10 RMB (1 euro) back. They just try to cheat you when ever it's possible. Luckily I have strong will.

Hope you didn't fall asleep while reading this....

Erika