We left on a tour van this a.m. after a great breakfast (eggs,bacon, toast, tomatoes and FRESH SQUEEZED OJ!!) with an Australian guy, and two German girls and a Finnish girl who are studying business in Hong Kong for the Longi Terraced rice fields up in the mountains around here. First we stopped at a village of the Long Haired Women and wandered through (and over two swinging bridges!) their village with 3 storied wooden houses: first story for animals, second for family and top floor for the food stores (and the rats!!) They reminded me of the Naxi houses in Yunnan province. The women have exceedingly long hair worn in 3 styles. Covered up if they are unmarried (only when they marry and their husband is the first to see their hair); twisted in a coil smoothly around their head if married but no babies, and coiled with a knot thing in front if married and had baby. At the end of our visit they did a show with lots of singing and showing their tools and instruments: plow, looms, cooking things. Our guide Harry said men look for 3 things when choosing a wife: big butt, so they are good child bearers, loud voice so they can call over the fields, and big feet, so they are sturdy in the fields. He also mentioned small hands so they could do the delicate handwork and weaving. They had two Chinese guys and two westerners on the stage to reenact the courting ceremony. Pretty funny! They each sang a love song! To show they care, the women pinch the men's bum! We were pinched on our way out of the program - a way to show affection! The men are to tap the women's toes! Very ethnic, with colorful costumes!
We then drove high up and then climbed steps for over an hour to the top, for a fantastic view of another Zhong village with the rice fields that were terraced in the Tang dynasty (600 AD) and been planted twice a year since! Amazing! they look like a contour map of mountains in 3 D!
The knees held out on the long way down and then a hair raising ride (no such thing as NOT passing on a curve or anytime they feel like it!!) down the mountain for an hour and a half back to the hostel. We're eating here (more OJ!!!) before dragging our luggage to a bus for an hour and a half trip to Yangshuo, on the beautiful Li river for a relaxing final 3 days here!
Looking forward to it!! Not a hostel, it's called Dongling Resort overlooking the river and mountains! We have hopes!!
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