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Bicycle Tour Adventure #32: China Page 6


Day 6: Touring China by Bicycle,
Today, we spend time in a Yao Mountain Village,
Bike Tour through Mountain Towns and Villages,
Bike through Tunnels and Terry crashes her bike
to avoid a tour member collision.


Yao Mountain Village Dress and Dance Performance.
Yao Mountain Village Dress and Dance Performance.

One of a few Tunnels that we bike through.
One of a few Tunnels that we bike through - This Tunnel has lighting.





Day 6 Begins

A 'Lazy Susan'. Breakfast, Yum.
Above Left: Around the world this is called a 'Lazy Susan', but our magnificent ladies called it a 'Lady Susan'. Lady Susan's are standard fare for Chinese Restaurants as each food serving is in its own dish and one picks or scoops the serving from the main dish to their plate or bowl and spins the wheel as needed or desired. We did learn a lesson, dishes hang out over the side of the Lady Susan and we have knocked over a cup of tea or two, a glass of water, and a few beer bottles.

Above Right: Breakfast, Yum!

We're paralleling the town's river heading out of town.
Above: We're paralleling Yangshan's river heading southwest out of town.

Here we assemble for another day's adventure.. SinoPec Gas/Petro Station.
Above Left: It is still AWESOME, Biking in China. Here we assemble for another day's adventure.

Above Right: Sino is Chinese for Chinese. These SinoPec Gas/Petro Stations are probably the most common gas station (I suspect state owned or owned by the most state officers). The SinoPec Stations usually have snacks and really good bathrooms (according to the ladies).

Heading North. An electrical power station.
Above Left: Heading North; Glenda, Reg, and Sharon (L-R in the foreground).

Above Right: Still paralleling the river and coming across an electrical power station.

River traffic. River view.
Above Left: River traffic.

Above Right: River view.

Check Point. Entrance to a Yao Mountain Village.
Above Left: This is a check point for motor vehicles. Bicycles, Scooters, and Foot Traffic may pass by unhindered on the outside (right side).

We are changing, both, a geographic area and a cultural ethnic area. We are changing from a Cantonese area for the Yao mountain area. Yao are Mountain based Chinese and until the 1990's were allowed to carry rifles for hunting purposes. Hunting skills and marksmanship are still valued attributes among the men folk. Women folk value sewing skills as a very desirable skill - more later.
Above Right: Entrance to a Yao Mountain Village. This is a real village that turned itself into a commercial village with cultural shows, dances, and demonstrations. There are vendors for Yao Wares in the foreground.

Yao Vendor and Store. Yao wares (tourist stuff).
Above Left: Yao Vendor and Store (the good stuff). We'll be back.

Above Right: Yao wares (tourist stuff). The Cow Horn is one of the Yao Symbols

Peppers drying. Main Hall and Official Office.
Above Left: Peppers drying. Note that the Yao use big bark strips as roof shingles.

Above Right: Main Hall and Official [Government Agent] Office.

All About Yao. Hello, Alert, and Welcome Device.
Above Left: All About Yao.

Above Right: Hello, Alert, and Welcome Device.

Pre-Historic Bird Prints. Yao dress wear.
Above Left: Pre-Historic Bird Prints and Puppy Prints captured in a cement step.

Above Right: Yao dress wear.

Introducing the Yao People and Culture. An Adult Dance [a mixer].
Above Left: Introducing the Yao People and Culture.

Above Right: An Adult Dance [a mixer, to get the party started].

A ceremonial rice wine is offerred to the senior elder. Ceremonial rice wine is offereed to Guests.
Above Left: A ceremonial rice wine (about 50 proof [25% alcohol] and more or less translates to what Vincent calls 'Rocket Fuel') is offerred, first, to the senior elder in attendance - interesting word 'Attend-Dance'.

Above Right: Ceremonial rice wine is offereed to Guests. No need to worry about sanitation with 25% alcohol! Glenda, Siobhán, Mary in the foreground, L-R.

Next Dance: Male suitors. Eligible Females.
Above Left: Next Dance: Male suitors are making themselves known.

Above Right: Eligible Females demonstrate that they know how to sew.

Dance. Dance.
Above Left: I can sew, look at the beautiful carry bag that I made (said modestly).

Above Right: I can harvest grain and cook as well.

Dance. Dance.
Above Left: All eligible females on the left. [later FemaLe]

Above Right: All eligible males on the left. [later MaLe]

Hand Bag Dance. Wear my work with pride.
Above: The carry bag is very well made, I hope that I am worthy of being your husband.
You are, I accept, take my bag, and wear and show our carry bag with pride.

Yao Drum/Rhythm Dance. Yao Fast Reflex Dance.
Above Left: Yao Drum/Rhythm Dance.

Above Right: Yao Fast Reflex Dance: The dancer steps in and out of opening and closing logs between rhythmic raps. As one may guess, there is a slow [tourist] version, a medium speed [for the youth with good reflexes], and there is a fast speed for professional dancers.

Terry is invited onto stage. Hands Across the World round dance.
Above Left: Terry is invited onto stage and does very well in the Banging Log Reflex Dance.

Above Right: L-R, Glenda, Siobhán, and Terry participate in a Hands Across the World round dance.

Yao Circle Dance. Yao Circle Dance.
Above Left: L-R: Siobhán (half in), Gordon, Terry, and Mary in the Yao Circle Dance.

Above Right: Same character, reverse order (after a kind of Conga Line reverse in direction).

Yao village Observation Platform. Walkways demonstrate bark shingle roof style.
Above Left: Yao village Observation Platform: We are still in the Tropics. The Yao Village has touches of a Swiss Family Robinson communal layout with weather protection.

Above Right: Walkways demonstrate bark shingle roof style common to this area and to the Yao Community.

Yao Village view to the South. Yao Village view to the East.
Above Left: Yao Village view to the South. The Gourd is a food and life symbol for most of China and is a symbol to the Yao as well.

Above Right: Yao Village view to the East.

Yao young ladies take their sewing skills seriously. Multi generational sewing circle.
Above Left: Yao young ladies take their sewing skills seriously - they are working on their personal carry bag to be shared with a real marriage prospect. It is said that Yao women are sought after for their beauty - One can see why.

Above Right: Multi generational sewing circle.

Yao Building, Roofing, and Structure Example. Yao Building, Roofing, and Structure Example.
Above: Yao Building, Roofing, and Structure Examples.

Tofu Mill. Tofu Mill.
Above: Tofu Mill.

Rice wine distillery. Rice wine distillery.
Above: Rice wine distillery.

Distinctive trademark of Yao Rice Wine, a bamboo container. A Village Elder.
Above Left: Distinctive trademark of Yao Rice Wine, a bamboo container. Vincent told us a story of a friend who bought some Yao Rice Wine and saved the wine for a long time to share in a special celebration - When his friend opened the container the wine had mostly evaporated through the bamboo's side.

Above Right: A Village Elder.

Yao Village Goods. Yao Village Goods.
Above: Yao Village Goods and Trinkets.

Ma-Le. Fema-Le.
Above Left: Ma-Le.

Above Right: Fema-Le.

Interesting, we wonder if they know something about the word derivation that most Westerners do not remember?

Ready to ride again. Demonstrating both the view and the type of road.
Above Left: Ready to ride again. L-R: Mary, Jon, Lynn (way back), Sharon, Iris (hiding her eyes), and Ricky (Guide).

Above Right: An accidental picture (worthy of demonstrating both the view and the type of road for this mountain crest pedal adventure).

Yao lady that is happy to see visitors to her homeland. A downhill run.
Above Left: Picture, from the hip, of a Yao lady that is happy to see visitors to her homeland. She is in typical native everyday dress.

Above Right: A downhill run with a Rocks Falling sign. I can take pictures going down hill but it is sometimes challenging to take pictures going uphill, while pedaling.

One of a few tunnels that we had to ride through. Reverse camera shot (in tunnel).
Above Left: One of a few tunnels that we had to ride through - This tunnel was lighted.

Above Right: Reverse camera shot.

Road side coral for horses used in highway construction. A chain of pack horses carrying work related supplies.
Above Left: I took the picture, not knowing what I was seeing at first. This is a road side coral for horses used in highway construction.

Above Right: A chain of pack horses carrying work related supplies.

Mountain river and bridge view. Valley view across rice paddies.
Above Left: Mountain river and bridge view.

Above Right: Valley view across rice paddies.

River view. Feathered grass highlighted by a lowering sun.
Above Left: River view toward what looks like terraced land plots but the terracing may be from an old rock quarry.

Above Right: Feathered grass highlighted by a lowering sun.

Terraced rice paddies. Temporary dwellings used by a highway construction crew.
Above Left: Terraced rice paddies, workers, and a water buffalo.

Above Right: This is a cross body picture of temporary dwellings used by a highway construction crew.

We just climbed a fairly tall pass. Chinese lady with a big load.
Above Left: We just climbed a fairly tall pass - We're taking a little break; temperature is about 30°C (90°F).

Above Right: Chinese lady with a big load.

Industrious People.
Above: The scene that caused the Big Bike Crash.

There were kids yelling Hello in English; there were people on the roof top yelling Neehow (Hello) in Chinese; there were people working; there were kids playing; and there were plant seeds drying in the sun - A lot was going on at once

One of the riders in front of a chain of bike riders stopped to take a picture (without saying anything nor pulling off to the side of the road, as was the custom). The second rider, Terry, was watching the kids on her left side. As was I (Dennis), the third rider. I looked forward and saw the first rider nearly at a complete stop and Terry, not looking, was going to run into her! I yelled Watch Out and Terry veered to the right to avoid crashing into the stopped rider. Terry was now crashing into a cement ditch 1/2 a meter across and 1 meter deep (see next picture). I veered to the left to avoid everyone and while I was emergency stopping I heard Terry's terrible yell and crash. By the time I stopped and got off my bike, Terry was laying across the ditch opening.

Terry had minor scrapes and cuts and at first seemed OK. Later that night, upon self examination, Terry had determined that she had a Broken Rib. She could move the rib with her fingers or feel it move with a deep breath.

Roadway Drainage Ditch. A Chinese man and his water buffalo.
Above Left: Roadway Drainage Ditch (just like the ditch discussed above).

Above Right: A Chinese man and his water buffalo, retiring and returning home for the day.

Burning off dried rice stalks. Terry and I pass through another check point.
Above Left: Burning off dried rice stalks and Rice seed bundles (ready for harvesting the seed).

Above Right: Terry and I pass through another check point on the other side of the mountains; we're in a new valley and district (where our hotel is located).

An interesting sign (bottom left corner). Home for the night in Lianshan.
Above Left: An interesting sign (bottom left corner).

Above Right: Home for the night in Lianshan - Looks modern, does it not?

Smoking Oxymoron. Shower in middle of bathroom with no shower stall.
Above Left: Smoking Oxymoron.

Above Right: There is a shower but NO Shower Stall! When we see this odd setup, we know that the shower is going to cause a mess in the bathroom. We order extra towels and create an action plan. We shower first because we have had a long day and one of us has bloody scrapes on her body, then we wipe everything down, let it dry while we are out to dinner, and then we move our toilet bags into the bathroom.

First time in six days that we see any kind of Spice. Dinner.
Above Left: Dinner Setting: This is the first time in six days that we see any kind of Spice - It's Soy Sauce.

Above Right: Dinner.


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