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Ne Ho (thats cantonese) from Hong Kong!
It's been a while since I updated so theres a lot of things to say. After Xi'an we flew to Guilin, this beautiful city along the Li Yiang River. They have these limestone mountains which are just incredibly green and majestic. Getting there was hectic because they delayed our flight so we had to go to this sketchy hotel to have lunch and wait. So we get to the hotel, finish lunch and are about to head back when we realize two people are missing. Everyone started freaking out, we searched the whole hotel and didn't find them. Thankfully they just got left at the airport and we found them when we went back for our flight. Seriously, if I were them i would have been shitting my pants to be alone in a strange place when you dont speak the language.
The day after we arrived in Guilin we took a river boat cruise down the river to a smaller city called Yangshou. THe ride was absolutely breathtaking. At first it was overcast and the everything was all misty, but then the sun came out and it was just as beautiful. We also past little fishing villages and tons of rice paddies. We got to Yangshou and had the afternoon free to explore the city. We rented bycicles and rode around, there were so many interesting things to see. Small markets selling fresh seafood, live chickens, dogs (yes DOGS. roasted whole. major ew.) and all kinds of produces. Little stalls with women shouting out to us: they did that in every city because we stand out so much as tourists. We rode out of the city a bit too and saw the houses and talked to the local people. That night we shopped in the night market, the shops stay open much much later than here. The next day we drove back to Guilin, stopping to see a 1400 year old banyan tree. it was really REALLY big. That evening we had another concert at a local university. the audience was all college students who stuidied either music or english. they were OBSESSED WITH US. especially the boys. they asked us to sign our autographs like we were celebrities. After that we went back to the hotel to find people dancing outside across the street. Its a big thing for older people in China to do morning or evening exercises, outside in parks or plazas. They do stuff like tai chi, this game similiar to hackey sack, or line dancing. So we decided to go down and join them. It was so much fun! We had to pick up the steps but the people helped us. Afterward we tried to teach them the electric slide, but it didn't go over so well. The next day we went to the reed flute cave, this huge cave up in the hillside. Seriously, this cave was massive. They installed lights behind layers of stalagtites and stalagmites and it made everything really beautiful. That afternoon was an important milestone for me. Ok so most of the toilets in china aren't like western ones with toilet seats and stuff. its a porcelin hole in the floor. and basically, you have to squat over it. up until this point I did everything i could to avoid them. i was afraid i would fall over and/or pee on myself ya know. But i could hold out no longer and i finally peed in a squatter. it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be, i was very proud. In the evening we had our last concert. It was very emotional since our conductor is retiring and it was his last concert.
Yesterday we woke up ridiculously early and flew south to Guangzhou. Honestly i dont remember too much about it because i was sooooo tired and we were only there for a couple of hours. we then took the train to Hong Kong. When we got there we had to go through customs becuase its not really a part of China proper. They almost didn't let one our piano players in because she was ALbanian and needed a separate visa which she didnt have. evenutally they issued her an emergency visa.
Oh crap I'm out of time at the internet cafe I'm in. So I'll update about Hong Kong soon! and I'll be home in 3-4 days!!!
It's been a while since I updated so theres a lot of things to say. After Xi'an we flew to Guilin, this beautiful city along the Li Yiang River. They have these limestone mountains which are just incredibly green and majestic. Getting there was hectic because they delayed our flight so we had to go to this sketchy hotel to have lunch and wait. So we get to the hotel, finish lunch and are about to head back when we realize two people are missing. Everyone started freaking out, we searched the whole hotel and didn't find them. Thankfully they just got left at the airport and we found them when we went back for our flight. Seriously, if I were them i would have been shitting my pants to be alone in a strange place when you dont speak the language.
The day after we arrived in Guilin we took a river boat cruise down the river to a smaller city called Yangshou. THe ride was absolutely breathtaking. At first it was overcast and the everything was all misty, but then the sun came out and it was just as beautiful. We also past little fishing villages and tons of rice paddies. We got to Yangshou and had the afternoon free to explore the city. We rented bycicles and rode around, there were so many interesting things to see. Small markets selling fresh seafood, live chickens, dogs (yes DOGS. roasted whole. major ew.) and all kinds of produces. Little stalls with women shouting out to us: they did that in every city because we stand out so much as tourists. We rode out of the city a bit too and saw the houses and talked to the local people. That night we shopped in the night market, the shops stay open much much later than here. The next day we drove back to Guilin, stopping to see a 1400 year old banyan tree. it was really REALLY big. That evening we had another concert at a local university. the audience was all college students who stuidied either music or english. they were OBSESSED WITH US. especially the boys. they asked us to sign our autographs like we were celebrities. After that we went back to the hotel to find people dancing outside across the street. Its a big thing for older people in China to do morning or evening exercises, outside in parks or plazas. They do stuff like tai chi, this game similiar to hackey sack, or line dancing. So we decided to go down and join them. It was so much fun! We had to pick up the steps but the people helped us. Afterward we tried to teach them the electric slide, but it didn't go over so well. The next day we went to the reed flute cave, this huge cave up in the hillside. Seriously, this cave was massive. They installed lights behind layers of stalagtites and stalagmites and it made everything really beautiful. That afternoon was an important milestone for me. Ok so most of the toilets in china aren't like western ones with toilet seats and stuff. its a porcelin hole in the floor. and basically, you have to squat over it. up until this point I did everything i could to avoid them. i was afraid i would fall over and/or pee on myself ya know. But i could hold out no longer and i finally peed in a squatter. it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be, i was very proud. In the evening we had our last concert. It was very emotional since our conductor is retiring and it was his last concert.
Yesterday we woke up ridiculously early and flew south to Guangzhou. Honestly i dont remember too much about it because i was sooooo tired and we were only there for a couple of hours. we then took the train to Hong Kong. When we got there we had to go through customs becuase its not really a part of China proper. They almost didn't let one our piano players in because she was ALbanian and needed a separate visa which she didnt have. evenutally they issued her an emergency visa.
Oh crap I'm out of time at the internet cafe I'm in. So I'll update about Hong Kong soon! and I'll be home in 3-4 days!!!