We travelled out from Guilin for a couple of hours along roads which twisted and turned and doubled-back on themselves. Eventually we arrived at Longsheng to visit the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces. This is the home to Zhuang and Yao minority peoples.
The scenery is absolutely stunning. The area is made up of steep hillsides, dotted with houses and cut through by rivers. The hillsides are given over to farming, vegetables are grown but the major crop is rice. The hills are sculptured into amazing patterns of rice terraces which draw the eye to their complex patterns and varying colour shades as they ripen.
There is a narrow path which runs up the hill passed small wooden shops and larger wooden houses. You have to compete with sedan chairs being haled up the hill by pairs of men, not any easy task with the gradient and heat. Most occupants of these chairs seemed to fit a mold - rich, fat and lazy, with an air of superiority!
The local people are skilled in embroidery, weaving and dyeing. There are people of all ages sitting inside their shops busily making and creating all manner of goods. The older women seemed to specialise in making embroidered slippers.
Half way up we stopped for a glorious lunch with a magnificent view out over the village and hills. It was a magical spot and a fantastic experience.
As we continued our climb we came across women cooking rice in the traditional way - in a short length of bamboo cooked over a fire, from which the customer eats directly. The people's national dress includes an intricate silver headdress which as you pass the local shops you can see being made.
Your climb eventually leads you to the summit of the hill and to an all round vista of breathtaking views. Everyone stands and has their picture taken - so we joined in. It was a lovely place and one which will undoubtedly draw me back. To see the hills and various times of the year and to walk these hills would be very special.
We made our way down the same way we came up, taking in all the hustle and bustle and of course the views. We returned to our bus and began the journey back to Guilin. Here we went to the airport and having said good bye to both our guides we flew to Hong Kong
It was an incredible transition. One moment we were in a rural China, unchanged for hundreds of years and then we were transported to one of the most modern cities in the world. It was hard to take in and quite surreal.
We left the ultra modern airport and travelled to Kowloon. Here we arrived at the hotel and opened our hotel curtains to be greeted by a night time view of Hong Kong Harbour and the city - quite incredible what modern travel allows you to do - a truly magnificent day!
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