Shanghai to Yangshuo trip

The Shanghai to Guilin flight serves very Asian snacks. Like squid floss lice. Dried pieces of squid. Lice?? Hmm... Dave, the Japanese-American adventure man loved it. Hmmm. Suspect.

Also suspect: our riverside hotel, the Yanghsuo mountain resort, was "rustic". This means doors open to the great outdoors and heat is not something that this chilly mountain resort knows much about. We spent one afternoon snuggled under blankets and clothes and hats, 15 minutes outside of town, along a mud road, far from the world... It didn't matter that we were stuck in the frigid room at the retreat (for the first night, at least!), Dave had brought US Weekly and People magazines from the states and we spent hours pouring over Britney drama. Had about 9,000 cups to tea and coffee, and didn't even freak when Dave lost his credit cards because, SNAP!, his blackberry AND cell phone worked in the throes of lost China countryside... and Citi was on the case....

After experiencing "rustic", we decided that maybe after one night in the bush we could go into town to a real hotel. The Paradise Hotel in downtown Guilin. In the same neighborhood as the hotel, we got our muddy boots cleaned for 25US cents and bought candied ginger, sesame seed candies and dined at the same little restaurant three nights in a row. Beer soaked fish with chilis, fried eggplant, noodles, and bowl after bowl of delicious rice. I can't wait to go back to this quaint town. I really mean town. After the small cities in China of 5 million people, this town really was cute. Only 60,000 people!!! Perhaps a cliche to say, but if you have ever seen a calligraphy painting of Chinese mountains or river scenes, chances are it was an image of Yangshuo. Absolutely gorgeous.