A bit of China

(click on thumbnails to see a bigger image)

In November 2005 we took a relatively short trip to China. The main reason was to visit friends in Shanghai. We decided to combine this with a short trip in the South west of China, Guangxi province. A fascinating experience it proved to be!

Here are some pictures I took. First a few of modern Shanghai.

pic 1	The bund: Shanghais most famous street.
pic 2	View of the Pudong area at night
pic 3	The Huxinting tea house in the old city
Pic 4	The 'tourist tunnel' under the river
Pic 5	View down the Hyatt Hotel in the JinMao Tower in Pudong

From Shanghai we took a flight to Guilin in the Guangxi province and moved on to Chengyang. Here live the Dong tribe, one of Chinas many ethnic minorities. The contrasts with ultra modern Shanghai couldn't be bigger.

Pic 6	The 'wind and rain bridge' of Chengyang
Pic 7	All the Dong villages have a drum tower; a place for village meetings
Pic 8	Some older women watching what is going on
pic 9	A village youngster watching what is going on
pic 10	The old men in the drum tower just chat en play cards

pic 11	Chengyang village.
pic 12 to 15	The traditional dancing and singing of the Dong

From Chengyang we moved on to Longji, famous for its rice terraces and colourfull minorites. Unfortunately the weather didn't allow us many views over the terraces. The wonderfull people made up for it!

pic 16	View over the village of ping'an
pic 17	A woman of the colourfull Yao tribe
pic 18	View over de terraces near Ping'an
pic 19	Another portrait of a Yao woman
pic 20	The scenery while walking through the ricefields

pic 21	Yao woman overlooking the ricefields
pic 22	One of the rare views we had over the terraces
pic 23	On the way to the village
pic 24	Grandma warming by the fire
pic 25	Preparing lunch. Sweet potato is on the menu

From Longji we went south to the wonderfull karst mountains at Yangshuo. A few days to relax, enjoy the scenery and (hopefully) to find warmer weather.

pic 26	View over Yangshuo and the Li river....the sun is shining!
pic 27	A hazy view from Moon Hill
pic 28	scenery along the Yulong river
pic 29	Scene in the countryside in the Yulong river valley
pic 30	Marriage Yangshuo style; photo shoot in the Li river

pic 31	A boat trip on the river Li is a must while you're in Yangshuo
pic 32	In a charming fisher village along the river
pic 33	The scenery is stunning everywhere you look
pic 34	Bamboo rafts are a popular transport
pic 35	Wish I could stay a bit longer...