Yangshuo / 阳朔, China (12/29/2019 - 01/01/2020)

Ah, I could retire here.

Guilin / 桂林, China II (12/27/2019 - 12/29/2019)

I had wanted to return to Guilin, this small picturesque city in Guangxi province since my first visit 12 years ago. I had lost so many photos when my camera was stolen in Xi'an and some of the most cherished were taken here. 

I was especially fortunate to come at a time when the guihua (桂花, Osmanthus fragrans) for which the town was named, were in bloom, filling the air with a sweet smell one doesn't usually associate with cities.  It was a nice mix of old and new, with not too many people at the time visiting. 

Guilin is situated within an area rich in beautiful landscapes, and diverse culinary and cultural experiences, like much of southwestern China. I had the opportunity to visit a village home to the Red Yao tribe, whose women are famous for their long hair. The Yao people are a sizable minority, present throughout Vietnam, Laos and Southern China. I was a bit torn about seeing entire villages now dedicated to tourism, and wonder what is worse - losing culture to modernity or having it reduced to its most presentable elements. 

Adjacent to the village were some of the massive terraced fields famous to the Guilin region, and the foggy winter day was perfect to just wander around and forget everything.

Guiyang / 贵阳 and Qingyan / 青岩镇, China (12/25/2019 - 12/26/2019)

The next stop on this trip was Guizhou province, a relatively small and underdeveloped province in China that's famous for sour spicy (酸辣) cuisine, maotai (茅台) liquor (famous currency of bribes and mainstay at official banquets), and what piqued my original curiosity for visiting, Lao Gan Ma (老干妈) fermented chili paste. 

Guiyang itself was an relatively unremarkable city in the midst of developing (loads of construction cranes and gravel roads) that didn't feel particularly unique, with the exception of a local mall that was famous for its full LED screen ceiling. 

Just one hour south was the quaint and well preserved little town of Qingyan, originally established as a military outpost in the Ming dynasty. There weren't too many tourists and it was a nice quiet getaway where you can hike the city walls, enjoy the mountainous scenery, as well as eat some local delicacies.  

Guiyang

Qingyan