Coasting into the Blue Yonder - Li River Float

Entry 11-15-2010
[written 11-16-2010 - Bus from Guilin to Yangshuo]

Today was profound. The day began with me walking along the main Guilin river before my bus to the boat to Yangshuo arrived. The walk was a surprising joy - as I inhaled the fresh, foggy morning air, I watched the older men and women doing qui gong and various kinds of stretching with concentration of a surgeon. I learned a few qi-activating techniques as I "monkey-saw-monkey-did" after the charming Chinese grandmas who took up stretching positions right there on the streets many of the western youngings would envy in their luxury gyms....

There is a pervasive sense of community even in the wee hours of the morning on a random street, as people begin their day by honoring their bodies and spirit. It has occurred to me that this is the taste of exactly the kind of spirit and heart-based community that my being craved in the U.S. and didn't find it amidst the purposeful biking/skiing/yoga groups that abound in the West.

And then a bus took me to the Li River boat terminal, where I was fortunate to be the only geijin amidst the entirely Chinese crowd on the big boat. As the boat glided gently amidst the otherworldly landscapes of stark carst limestone peaks adorned with green "fur" that rise up from behind the bamboo jungle framing the poetic river, I was transfixed by how my dream has come to life. This place transcends anything I have imagined, and I was immediately pulled to do a "Huck-Finnian" kind of a journey around the river - to just coast along in bamboo rafts between the solitary ancient fishing villages perched snuggly on the river banks. There is a magnetic pull here to be with the alien scenery that feels strangely like home.

Aside: As we speak, I am on the bus from Guilin to Yangshuo to begin my journey from the south of Guilin province and up to the Dragon Rice terraces and the ancient cloud villages in the north.

As more and more stark peaks revealed themselves, as we glided past the Five Fingers that resemble a watercolour from an ancient Confuscian scroll, as the mount of "9 Horses" stood above us, many folks found themselves on the roof of the boat. Only later did I realize that I have successfully shot nearly 700 pictures! For some reason, a lot of my floating companions wanted to take pictures with me. We played and laughed and I felt like a child that I am. The fact that my cantonese vocabulary is now barely pushing 15 words was not even present. We were simply humans together. Once again, I was touched to the core just how much these people know how to enjoy life and take care of each other while doing it! An overwhelming sense of community washed over me in waves.

My Russian streak sings with the fact that there was tea served all throughout the trip....tea, tea and more tea! Can't get enough of it. And then the music came on - chinese flute with a beat....and I couldn't help but "unconditional-dance" my head [and other antomy parts] off to the tunes on the roof top. Some folks joined in and some got the whole bonanza on video, as the blue vertical peaks witnessed it all from their timeless silence. It was MAGICAL and no words or pictures could capture it....

"Simple boat on the river,
Whirling dervish on top
While the blue peaks are silently watching...."

We landed in Yangshuo - a little town diapedesing between the peaks. I have NEVER seen a more picturesque bus station! The little curly-roofed buildings are relentlessly climing up to the feet of the carst mounts. From there, I took a bus back to Guilin.

The day was topped off with a bone-crushing [the way, aha-aha, I like it!] massage - the massages here are ~ 4-5 $/hour - in short, a paradise for the journeyer bones. I have returned to the uber-friendly and super-cozy hotel [Backstreet Hostel - deep bow to the Lonely Planet suggestion - it is an exceptionally delightful plase to lay one's head. The staff speaks wonderful English, the lobby is cozy and the beds are huge. AND THEY HAVE WESTERN-STYLE TOILETS!!! Oh, the little joys ;O) And, a bonus, it is in the middle of the art-gallery/walking neighborhood and is 2 steps from the Big River].

I slept like a baby on 10 kg of benzodiazapines [I never got why they say the thing about sleeping like a baby - without the benzos, they don't sleep...].