Monday 26th

The rain has stuck with us and we woke up to this:

The weather shifts between complete cloud and slightly less cloud in a matter of minutes and the rain is constant.  Unfortunately we have a morning here but any more walking is not looking likely.

My galoshes turned out to useless and will be staying in China.  I have been using the hairdryer in the bathroom to dry out my trainers.

Just that like the rain stops (almost) and the clouds roll back a bit so we walk to the first lookout point we saw yesterday. You can really see irrigation in action.

Stopped on the way back to buy some dry chillies which this area is famous for.



Then for a coffee and the largest cup of tea I have ever seen

Things are relatively more expensive here as everything has to be carried up the hill. Such as these bricks up these steps.

With some help from donkeys.

As our guide said, lazy Chinese and fat Americans can be carried in a litter up and down the hill.  We saw two Chinese women being carried yesterday and at least they looked slightly embarrassed, one had even removed her shoe and appeared to be feigning an ankle injury.  We saw straight though that one.

A short wait in the hotel waiting for our pick up.

Then a walk back down the hill to meet our driver, Mr Mei. 

Rice is cooked by smoking it inside bamboo.  The smoke also cooks the sausages above

Local green tea.

Another new friend on the way.

Dropped at Guilin Liangjiang airport at 14:00 for a 16:30 flight to Shanghai.  These parasol/umbrella combis are a very common sight.

The weather was not good.

Flight was delayed and we departed at 18:15 which was a shame as we have such a short time in Shanghai.

The inflight entertainment included 30-minute meals.

Shanghai airport is very spacious and sleek.

The men's toilets give guidance.

By the time we go to the hotel it was 22:00.  This Place, Les Suites Orientes, aims for minimalist heaven.  All subdued lighting, and neutral tones.  The rooms are uber-trendy but do you really need three TVs?

The master control by the bed too a bit of working out.

Then a quick shower before heading to the Old Jazz Bar in the Fairmont Peace hotel to get a taste of 1930s deco-era Shanghai.

Cosmopolitan and Sidecar.

This woman was really going for it.

Back to the hotel as tomorrow is our last day (we leave the hotel at 08:00 on Wednesday) and we have a fair bit to cram in.

Something that is definitely not great about the Bund area where our hotel is, is the amount of pimping by both men and women.  In the space of 10 minutes, we must have been asked half a dozen times if we wanted nice lady massage our good girls.  David was even shown a photograph of what was on offer.  As we were walking back into the hotel one woman followed us shouting, "600 Yuan, 500 Yuan, 400, 300 200, one, OK free".  Sounds funny but it's very irritating.

On the way in from the airport, our guide said Shanghai is always misty at this time of year, which it certainly is tonight.

Random fact: who knew that Chinese people have to pay for healthcare?  True.  If you are a farmer then you only pay 100 Yuan p.a. (about £10).  Most city folk get their cover through their employer but if not they have to pay 3,000 Yuan p.a. for their coverage which is a prohibitively large percentage of the annual average salary.  As our guide said, "China is not really a communist country.

Random fact: the Chinese flag is made up of five yellow stars on a red background.  the red is the traditional colour of the people meaning lucky and also symbolizes the revolution.  The large yellow star represents communism, and the four smaller stars; students, workers, farmers and military.  David, our guide, said there should be a fifth for commerce.  which should probably be the biggest star of all.