Selected sights
by solopes
In the fast developing cities, it's easy to loose the image of China.
Big buildings, large avenues, compose quarters that could be...everywhere else in the world.
However, here and there, even in the most transformed cities, it's possible to see the views that filled our imaginary. Fir Lake in Guilin is one of those places.
Gudong National Park - Six Different Waterfalls
by yipsufen
There are a total of six waterfalls in Gudong National Park and every one is unique. The most imposing is the Curtain Waterfall. Water sliding down gently to form a wide curtain. The waterfalls not only provide a recreation area but also offers some water activities like climbing up the waterfall.
Climbing up the steps in National Park is a bit exhausting with many steep steps but there are some stops at every waterfall for you to take a rest. Don't worry the park guide will always go slow and allow time for rest. The guide wiill normally ask for consensus whether to continue climbing as high up the steps are more steep. At the end of the tour, the guide will ask tourist to fill up a Customer's Feedback Form.
Elephant Trunk Hill
by xiquinho
Right in the city, this scenic hill is topped with an elegant pagoda representing the hilt of a dagger used by a jealous god. Here also is a Tang Dynasty temple with exquisite examples of ceramics from China's past.
Jiuwu village
by geekgrrl
We had some free time, so our tour guide took us to this village about 45 minutes from Guilin. Jiuwu village is an old farming village that China is trying to restore as a tourist attraction. They have a long way to go, but it really was an interesting visit. Some of the people have been relocated already, but there were many people still living in the village. It is a cluster of small homes and narrow walkways, rather much like a maze. The people remaining are still living in very primitive conditions. We picked up a local guide who led us through the village in the pouring rain. We saw doorways with a mirror and scissors to keep away the demons. There were great stone walkways with small pebbles decorating the way, wonderfully intricate wooden doors, beautifully shaped roofs. We went up on top of one of the roofs to get an overview of the village and the surrounding countryside. We also walked by the Old Men's Community Center – just a small dark room – where several people were playing mah jong.
Xi Jie
by magor65
Xi Jie is the main street of Yangshuo. Full of cafes and restaurants in western style, where you forget for a moment that you are in China. The music you hear is British or American, the food European. It was the only place in China where I managed to get my favourite gin and tonic. I know that ' when in Rome we should do as Romans do' , but I think that after two weeks of drinking and eating ' Chinese way ' we could once make this exception. And we enjoyed it really much!