Old Town and Caves
Monday, 24 July 2023
On Monday, 24 July, we enjoyed two breakfasts: one from McDonald's and another of noodles. Following our meal, we took a taxi to Silver Cave (银子岩), a large cave located approximately 18 km from Yangshuo. Inside, there is a lengthy 2 km concrete pathway that winds through numerous stalactites and stalagmites, all illuminated like a theme park. It was extremely hot inside the cave, making the large pedestal fans quite welcome.
We took a moment for photos at the cave entrance.
Outside the Silver Caves, the café's coffee was quite unsatisfactory. We then took another taxi to Xingping Old Town (兴坪镇), which was about a 90-minute drive north of Yangshuo. This historic town is picturesque, boasting breathtaking river views.
After exploring Xingping, we returned to Yangshuo by the same taxi and enjoyed dinner at a nice restaurant, although some dishes appeared quite unusual. Walking back to our hotel was challenging due to the large crowds along the main street, which could have posed a risk in a panic; however, we managed to return safely. I held onto Hung's hand tightly as we navigated through the crowd. Once we moved away from the main street and started walking toward the hotel, the number of people decreased.
We encountered some clever advertising and an intriguing restaurant along the way.
Yangshuo Town.
The trip's sponsors.
Stirring the chili.
Declining down the hill toward the main shopping area.
We spent two weeks in Changde. It rained nearly every day, which limited our exploration more than we had hoped. We enjoyed playing at arcades, engaged in Township (a game on our phones and tablets), and went go-karting three times. The go-karts were fully electric and located inside a mall. Logan and Lizzy have been playing Township for over three years and taught Jenny how to play during a two-day stretch of continuous rain. She enjoys the game because it allows her to garden digitally while we travel. They also introduced Lutao to the game, so now the entire family plays Township together.
A few weeks back, I visited Hangzhou for a job fair. Although I didn't secure a job, I met a Chinese guy named Min Jie. We spent some time together in the West Lake area, which was enjoyable, but I doubt we'll be traveling together again anytime soon.
It was excessively warm.
One thing that surprised me about Chengdu was how similar it felt to Beijing and other major Chinese cities we had explored. While we experienced some interesting nightlife spots, the city overall seemed quite generic. I initially thought this might be due to my limited Western viewpoint, but Mei Ling concurred that Chengdu didn't truly embody Sichuanese culture. We resolved to venture beyond the city borders during our remaining days in Chengdu.
Zhangjiajie, situated in Hunan Province, China, is a breathtaking location recognized for its extraordinary scenery, featuring towering sandstone spires and verdant woodlands. This UNESCO World Heritage site gained fame for inspiring the floating mountains depicted in the film Avatar. In this article, we will explore the main attractions in Zhangjiajie, offer practical travel advice, and discuss how to maximize your visit.
Along the Yangtze River, there are several caves featuring Guanyin, but since most of them are inaccessible, I simply walked along the cliff.
Historic town and caverns.