Flying out of Chengdu and now arriving into the beautiful countryside of Yangshuo County, Southern China and you get the feel for how big this country is! different terrain, climate, attitudes etc. The relaxed pace of things here was a welcome break and the Phoenix Pagoda Fonglou Retreat is one of the best accommodations I’ve ever stayed in, it was more like living in the home of a Chinese family, Lily and the all the staff were amazing ~ if you ever visit the Yangshuo area I couldn’t recommend this place enough! The main reason I wanted to visit here was actually a photo I saw on the web from one of my favourite photographers, Trey Ratcliff, it was ofLaozhai Mountain and I knew I just had to see this amazing place!
The Yangshuo countryside surrounded by the beautiful karst mountain peaksBamboo Rafting is one of the most popular tourist attractions here, and this bit is one of the highlights - making it across one of the river walkways and getting splashed on the way!I watched this Chinese women first hand kill the snake you can see lying dead in this photo (by the cart wheel) - it was after her sweet potatoes you see stacked up there behind her, she just went crazy with that bamboo stick and kicked it's butt, like how she is posing as if to say 'job done'When we are talking about spiders that span the size of your hand, this is one of them...Colorful butterfly I saw on a bike ride in YangshuoKid picking up some bamboo leafsHow they get these bamboo rafts to stack up so neatly on top of that truck is beyond me!Riding through the countryside of Yangshuo, turn my head and this is what I see! camera in hand I snapped this so mega quick I'm surprised it didn't come out in a blur, what a photo to capture though!Little river hutStreet seller, YangshuoCan't remember if this was a women or a man, but bloody hard work carrying that little lot over the bridge!The view from Yulong Bridge - like the bamboo raft parasols in this, brings in the colourAfter a long bike ride through the country I came across my destination, the famous Yulong Bridge and covered in foliageThe local barbersThe 20 Yuan note view - the Li River, if you come here you just gotta do this oneAhh... this was one of my main reasons for visiting Yangshuo, to get a photo of the view from the top of Laozhai Mountain, as you can see it's quite a trek up there!And here it is! really is a breathtaking view once your up hereClimbing up to the radio antenne (not for those with a fear for height's I might add!) and you also get this wonderful view of all the Karst Mountains!My accommodation for the next five days, the amazing Phoenix Pagoda Fonglou Retreat - guess who's clothes are drying on that balcony...Pomelos, Yangshuo's most famous fruit!That is some engine! you see these trucks spluttering up and down the roads of Yangshuo all day longMoon Hill sitting comfortably in the backgroundOverstacking lorries, bikes - even people! Common practice in China!Climbing up the Xianggong Hill - that's my taxi driver down there too, think he wanted to come and appreciate the view up here too!The view from the top of Xianggong Hill, the river almost goes in a circle around the mountains - pretty cool!Cow grazing in a field, YangshuoLily from the Phoenix Retreat shows me around the local area of Fonglou - check out the bamboo scaffolding, still used in everyday in China!Rocks near the Big Banyan TreeThe Big Banyan TreeThis could well be my second job - and many thank's to Lily for taking this awesome photo!Lily from Fonglou Retreat spots a baby cow along the roadside in YangshuoCycle back over a breakwater-come-bridge in YangshuoOne within reach, fruit tree in YangshuoHuge stone entrance sign to Gold Water CaveFishermen looking for something, fish I'm thinking...Reflection of some Karst Mountains
