Day 11 - Bai Yun Shan ('White Cloud Mountain')

Today we woke to sunshine - yay! We ventured out with our friend Linda on the metro and after finding the right bus, with help from the locals, we made our way to Bai Yun Shan - just out of Guangzhou. It is the major mountain range in Guangzhou scattered with temples, gardens and gives the most stunning views of the city. The people of Guangzhou rate this as one of the Top 8 sights of Guangzhou.

While on our bus there, Linda sat next to "Auntie" who helped us find our way, walked all the way up the mountain with us, and even bought us lunch at the top! Lunch, while very thoughtful, was not that palatable. It consisted of silky (more like slimy) tofu in a sickly sweet hot soup as well as a hard boiled egg in sauce (which was a welcome break from the tofu!). Adam had to gulp down some of Liv's while Auntie's back was turned - of course it would have been rude to refuse it. We all managed though and told Auntie that it was 'good' - the only English word she knew!

After lunch we began the stroll around the mountain peak for some more beautiful views, passing stunning rock carvings, temples, the 9-Dragon Springs and finishing at the Summit and a danty little tea-house.

The walk back down was a welcome relief and allowed us to enjoy the 'great garden', stroll along the reflexology footpath (ouch!), and experience the 'playful water' (a nice stream and waterfall). At the bottom we looked around the Chinese market where we saw all sorts of interesting fruits and vegetables - of which we bought a small, yellow-flesh watermelon. We also saw some poor turtles and a bucket of mini-scorpians.

Back at the hostel we relaxed before a romantic dinner on the river-front, where we were treated to a laser-show to music and got to see lots of beautiful boats cruise by.

Scattered around Shamian Island are lots of Bronze Statues showing British, French and Chinese history.

Off to our now local corner store for another 4 litre bottle of water, some oats for breakfast, a juice for liv, and Adam's second taste of Chinese beer: Tsingtao, which comes from the province we'll soon be teaching in. Adam's doing a good job to prepare himself for when Pops and his old man arrive in China (notice the when, not if ...)!

Enjoying the adlibing life, Adam and Liv