Written by: Sharrie Shaw
Date: Aug. 15, 2007
My very first visit to Yangshuo left me with fond memories of this little town about 1 hour (70 km or so) away from its big
sister city of Guilin. Very fond memories! It was once an off-the-beaten path for most tourists, even the locals. Unbeknown
to most, then (Dec. 2001) was when Yangshuo was most lovely & at its best. As with most things in life, a lot has changed
in this little town (part & parcel of China's development into a modern & so called global economy). Oh, West Street is still
West Street, but with a different twist. The atmospheric street of Yangshuo is no longer what it once was; where foreign
backpackers & more adventurous tourists relaxed & lamenting over their discovery of Shangrila in this part of the world.
>>> To read about how I felt then, click here to read more about Yangshuo, 2001.
July 2007 I revisited Yangshuo. It was hot, humid & not as nice a weather as my first visit. But, it was still very much worth
a visit. The reason? Despite all the commercial activities that have spiralled, this area is still undoubtedly one of the most
scenic & amazing & distinctive landscapes of this country. The trick is to find for yourself places that other tourists (& they
truly are tourists) won't venture. & stay clear of West Street! It will not be easy, but still possible. On this trip, I found
myself high on hot air balloon over the spectacular vista of Yangshuo. Most tourists don't take this sunrise adventure as it's
a little too expensive (US$88 for a 1-hour ride) for the locals. But, if you are like me (who loves being in the air, be it in a
basket or in a plane), then this is one of the very best places in the world to go on a hot air balloon ride. So, GO for it!
When up there in the air, I thought to myself... how lucky I've been! Think, none of the emperors of China has been up
here before (& there are a great many of them too, spanning over 2000 years of civilisation)! Globalisation &
commercialisation indeed had made its impact in all corners of the world. Yangshuo can't escape this; even Antarctica can't
escape it! Look ahead & see as much of the world as one can (for most, before it changes; for me, as it changes!)! It is a
beautiful world if you simply care to look. No, I don't mean you've to go on hot air balloon to do so. Yes, I do mean see it
with your eyes (if you need to acquire new eyes, by all means do so!), see it with your heart. If something is no longer
what it used to be, then find it in your heart to explore & enjoy new things, new places, new friends. Life is always full of
pleasant surprises, if you only allow it to show itself! (Well, sometimes I write this to convince myself more so than others,
but hey, what the heck, if it works, even for a minute, it has done its part, right? ;)) Well, guess what? I DID find
somewhere new, somewhere I haven't been before. That's Xingping. Most heard of Xingping because its landscape which is
printed on the back of the 20 Yuan note. For most Americans though, Xingping is where President Clinton had been, if it
interest you, that is. If you had been on the Li River cruise from Guilin as I did on my very first trip, you may have passed
by it. The landscape here is as awesome if not more so. Now that you've heard of it, perhaps you will make your way here.
Hey, don't tell the whole world though. Else, in another 5 years, I won't be able to find rural rustic beauty anymore!
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