Guilin

Monday

The weather hadn't improved much, and was still drizzly, but it was my day for the boat trip down the Li River, and nothing was going to dampen my guide's enthusiasm. Unfortunately I was the only person on our tour and so I was shown aboard the boat and left to my own devices. On the trip I saw the Crown Cave, lots of cormorants being used to help fish, went past several local villages, and saw temples dotted about on the shoreline. Quite rugged scenery close to the river which gives Guilin its fame. Finally got to the highlight which is the painted cliff with nine horses and turned around to go back to town. Lunch was served aboard the boat, being cooked out on the back deck with the scraps and remains tossed off the back.

During the voyage I had my first encounter with the culture of pushing past people when a lady barged past me into the male toilet as I was waiting my turn at the door.

In the afternoon after arriving back, we hopped back in the taxi and was shown the Reed Flute Caves, lots of paddy fields and the famed Elephant Trunk Hill.

Having only a party of one person, we managed to visit everything much faster than expected, And so Sunny offered a few options of things that she enjoyed doing. I ended up going on a private visit to the local hospital where I had my own class with a doctor who explained to me the concepts of Yin and Yan, and Chinese medicine. He performed some demonstrations that involved me, though I wasn't quite prepared when he asked me to hold live wires and a light bulb so that he could demonstrate the power of Chinese medicine in having a light bulb light up in my hand. Also had to hold live wires while he rubbed my forehead so that I could see patterns of exploding stars in the back of my eyes. At the end of the tour it became apparent that I wasn't going to get out alive without spending lots of the foreign tourist dollars to buy Chinese medicines to take home, so I parted with some money to buy some arthritis liquid.

Another Chinese banquet for tea, though I managed with effort to convince the guide and driver that it was okay to sit with me, as it was getting rather lonely having every meal by myself.