14 February 99
Spent slightly more than a month on R & R before continuing my journey. This time I planned to head west covering Guangxi, Guizhou and Yunnan. Arrived in Guilin, Guangxi by way of Wuzhou.
I signed up for a RMB 149 boat trip to Yangsou as the bike rental places had all closed up for the Lunar New Year. The boarding procedure was chaotic and while I was taking pictures I missed my boat. Luckily, the manager was nearby and he summoned the boat back to pick me up.
The next day I went to Seven Star Park and Elephant Hill. Both parks are within the city and in fact quite close to each other. According to my pamphlet, the park takes up 134.7 hectares and has seven peaks which resemble the Big Dipper; hence the name. At Elephant Hill Park, I was given a free guided tour because I mentioned to ticketing staff that I was planning to tour the whole of China.
I was told that there are 2 wine cellars in Elephant Hill Park. One cave cellar stores wine of 20 years vintage, the other 40. The wine is not for sale and is reserved for senior party officials and visiting VIP. Even though the wine is supposed to be stored deep inside the caves, I could still smell the sweet fragrance.
On top of Elephant Hill is a solid brick tower. The tower was built in the belief that it could prevent the river water from rising to dangerous levels. Its shape resembles the hilt of a sword and hence Elephant Hill is also known as Precious Sword Hill. The tower was at one point seized by the Tai Ping Rebellion troops and cannons were stationed at eight points of the compass. As my guide stated, the tower has had its share of witnessing history.
At Die Cai Hill. I spied a poem that was very much to my liking. Translated roughly:
Leaning on the railings watching the river flow we meet by chance
The seagulls fly towards Bai Ping Zhou
The blue mountains feel chilly after rainfall
Wind rustling the green trees gives the cave an autumnal feel
I’ll vent my feelings through these verses
Good times will be shared as we fill each other’s cup with wine
The old fisherman in misty waters cares little about fame and fortune
He does not envy the secular governor of ten thousand households
Later on, I went to the nearby Fupo Hill. One side entrance was open and I unwittingly followed the fellow in front of me. Then I realized I had just got in without paying! Fupo Hill is named after a general who was supposed to have tested a newly forged sword by slicing away the bottom of a stone column.
My next destination was Liuzhou where I visited Long Tan Park. According to the ticket, the park is situated 3 kilometers south from Liuzhou and covers an area of 8,000 hectares. Inside the park is a Wind Rain Bridge built by the Dong Minority. Usually, these bridges are found in Guizhou.