Here are the highlights of day 3: Beipan River & Bridge / Xuanrufong hills / Maling valley / Wangfongling hills
We woke up early, and after breakfast started a long bus ride to Beipan River.
The Beipan river is set deep in the valley and local government has build a suspension bridge due to the width of the bridge required.
The wind is strong and cold. We stopped and cross the bridge on foot, not due to safety reason but we just want to take a look and marvel at the steep cliff of Beipan river.
After than we went to look for Xuanrufong hills. The pair of hills looks like breasts complete with nipples. Everybody giggles and take plenty of pictures there. The locals believed that the water from the hills helped their crops to grow better and produce better harvest.
After lunch we went straight to Maling valley. Again our legs are put to a test. It is a deep valley, possibly as deep as Beipan river valley but not as wide. In fact, to cross the valley the local government simply build a concrete arch bridge.
This photo was taken from the bottom of the valley near the river, so before reaching here we have to go down hundreds of steps of staircases.
Here is the old bridge which has broken. Imagine earlier days before the new bridge was build the locals has to walk down the cliffs on one side, cross the bridge and walk up the cliffs on the other side to cross.
As you can see the abundance of water, even in autumn, cause a mini waterfall to form at the foot of one side of the new bridge.
Maling valley has numerous waterfalls and possibly in spring/summer water trickles on the whole cliff because it is all covered with ferns and moss and other climbing vegetations.
You can go to the other side of the bridge by crossing via suspension bridges build for tourist like this couple but we do not have the time to explore further.
Furthermore, the other side is more wet as well. I preferred to stay dry so that I can take pictures.
So here are more pictures of the valley (of the side we were walking) and its numerous waterfalls.
Ah, our final destination, the lift which will bring us from the bottom of the cliff to the top. Thank goodness we have technology.
However, before reaching to the lift, we had to go behind a waterfall.
Here is the entrance.
And when inside, I have a chance to take this picture from one of the "window".
And at the exit after climbing down a few steps, I took this picture.
I paid RMB 30 for the privilege of not having to climb up the stairs. Well you still have to climb up a few steps to the lift door.
We then head to Wangfongling hills. This is the second main attraction of Guizhou.
There are thousands of hills rising on the flatland. It is comparable to Guilin. However in Guilin the hills are rising around the rivers, whereas Guizhou is hills on flatland.
The town folks of Wangfongling hills are especially proud this year because they have a chance to play host to President Hui Jin Dao in Chinese New Year in 2007.
Here are some shots of the hills. Almost all of them has unique names but there are so many that I lost track very fast.
This was one stop near a viewing pavilion and the locals believes that the 6 peaks behind bestow them luck.
This small hill is called The General, despite its tiny size compared to surrounding hills. However, probably despite its size, it stands up grandly and thus the title.
This is called the fish hill. I was on a moving car so the aiming is not so good.
As you can see it looked like a humping carp, with the tail at the center of the photo and the humping back on the right of the photo.
I was a bit upset because that day was cloudy. It would have been great if it is sunny and it will be best if we started off at Wangfongling hills in the morning rather than leave it as the last destination of the day.
My only conciliation are these shots of our tour guide ladies in traditional clothing posing with my mum:
And finally, while it is almost dark, among the flowers surrounding the car park where our bus is parked, I notice there is something flying around the flowers. It was oblivious to the presence of human and it busily flew from one flower to the next, gathering nectars. First I thought it was a humming bird, but this is a tad smaller, and after analyzing the picture on a larger computer screen, I came to a conclusion that this is an insect. I just don't know the name so if you do, please let me know.
We head back to hotel to rest our tired legs and recharge our batteries (after more that 2 dozen of rapid flashing trying to photograph an insect).
No comments:
Post a Comment