Ramble, Ramble
As always, I'm a bit pressed for time and bandwidth (the Internet is sloow out here in the sticks). So all of my overly clever, self-important essay ideas will have to wait longer.
Tonight we are in Dazu, famed for its Buddhist carvings in cliffside grottos. Things out here are old, that's for sure. And this part of the country is remote enough that it didn't get too badly Culturally Revolved. Oddly, out of the two major sets of carvings in the hillside, I far prefered the less popular one (both according to my tour book and the tourist hordes) while less vivid, was older and more thoughtful--and quieter.
Keeping with the theme of doing things entirely the wrong way, yesterday we did our all walking power-tourist thing at the Shunan Bamboo Sea. As near as I can tell, Chinese people don't hike unless it is to see a holy mountain, so the entire place was set up like a big driving-only national park. We had a car drop us at the front gate, and immediately dove into the woods along barely marked trails.
Of course, strictly speaking they aren't "woods." As the name might clue you in, the whole place is nothing but bamboo as far as the eye can see--as seen in House of Flying Daggers and other kung fu movies. After getting not-quite-lost for two hours, we had a nice lunch consisting mostly of bamboo (and weird, weird mushrooms). We then continued to walk along the roads and draw stares from cars and pestering from the endless touts.
Before that we were, as I'd said, mellowing out in the charming city of Zigong. My final impression ended up being a little different than the initial because at this point I'm really sick of how the locals out here in the country treat us. At one point we walked into a tea house, and I swear it was like when the new stranger enters into the saloon in a Western. The player piano stopped and everything--well, maybe not, but we got nasty, nasty looks from everybody and it was clear we should leave.
But that's okay, we're hoping to make a last minute booking on a cruise ship tomorrow, chill out on the river and then be in a fresh province.
Plus, while the food here is really, really good, it is about time for a change in sub-cuisine.
Tonight we are in Dazu, famed for its Buddhist carvings in cliffside grottos. Things out here are old, that's for sure. And this part of the country is remote enough that it didn't get too badly Culturally Revolved. Oddly, out of the two major sets of carvings in the hillside, I far prefered the less popular one (both according to my tour book and the tourist hordes) while less vivid, was older and more thoughtful--and quieter.
Keeping with the theme of doing things entirely the wrong way, yesterday we did our all walking power-tourist thing at the Shunan Bamboo Sea. As near as I can tell, Chinese people don't hike unless it is to see a holy mountain, so the entire place was set up like a big driving-only national park. We had a car drop us at the front gate, and immediately dove into the woods along barely marked trails.
Of course, strictly speaking they aren't "woods." As the name might clue you in, the whole place is nothing but bamboo as far as the eye can see--as seen in House of Flying Daggers and other kung fu movies. After getting not-quite-lost for two hours, we had a nice lunch consisting mostly of bamboo (and weird, weird mushrooms). We then continued to walk along the roads and draw stares from cars and pestering from the endless touts.
Before that we were, as I'd said, mellowing out in the charming city of Zigong. My final impression ended up being a little different than the initial because at this point I'm really sick of how the locals out here in the country treat us. At one point we walked into a tea house, and I swear it was like when the new stranger enters into the saloon in a Western. The player piano stopped and everything--well, maybe not, but we got nasty, nasty looks from everybody and it was clear we should leave.
But that's okay, we're hoping to make a last minute booking on a cruise ship tomorrow, chill out on the river and then be in a fresh province.
Plus, while the food here is really, really good, it is about time for a change in sub-cuisine.
2 Comments:
D'oh! Missed the birthday train. Throw a candle on some bamboo for us.
Can't wait to see pix upon y'all's return. Happy Natal Festivity.
Spencer,
It took me several days to figure out that I can actually reply to your blogs. So, belated happy birthday. Best to Tara.
Pops
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