Down the Li River on a "bamboo" raft

A downriver "cruise" on a bamboo raft on the Li River sounded exciting so one morning we took a taxi north from Yangshuo to Yangdi. Early morning was recommended to avoid the larger river boats that brought thousands of mostly local tourists from Guilin to Yangshuo.

I naively expected to see about a dozen rafts at Yangdi. I should have known better. This is China and there's no avoiding crowds, especially at tourist spots. I saw hundreds of rafts, not made of bamboo but of thicker plastic tubes and powered by small motors. A few chairs placed on the raft (they were not even nailed down) and a rough awning completed the picture.

At the start, the river was choppy because of the rafts taking off. But, as the ride progressed, they thinned out. The boatmen were competing to be in front.

Those are my shoes. That's how close to the water we were. But the ride did not feel dangerous. The waters became rough only when we passed a few river boats that were going up the river towards Guilin. The riverboats carrying day trippers from Guilin to Yangshuo were apparently behind us.

One can take only so many karst hills. Like the endless temples in Bangkok, they become tedious after a while. So the locals had given them interesting names and sometimes these names actually matched the shape of a particular hill. Between Yangdi and Xingping, the map shows these names: White Tiger Hill, Pen Holder Peak, Grandpa Watching Apple (!), Kitchen Cage Hill, Fish Tail Peak, Eight Supernaturals Crossing the River, Tortoise Climbing Up the Hill, Nine Horse Fresco Hill, Lion Watching the Nine Horses, and Yellow Clothe in the Water.

This part of the river was dark and deep. The boatman insisted we put on life jackets; they were torn and ill fitting. More for appearance than safety.

The end of the raft ride at Xingping.

We didn't plan to spend much time in Xingping, but, walking thru the small town, I found some lovely, old streets with houses to match. Xingping had first been settled in 265AD and these houses looked as old as that!

I peeped in to a few houses. The interiors were straight from the 1950s, with large portraits of Mao adorning the doorways. One house had all the champions of Marxism--Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin, and Mao--in black and white, hung above the inner entrance. Elderly ladies sat within these homes, probably bewildered by the thousands of day trippers passing by and the changes that "Communist" China had undergone in recent times. I also saw a cluster of elderly men happily whiling away the time on a game of cards.

The roofs of old houses in Xingping.

We had coffee at Kelley's, a smaller version of the better known restaurant in Yangshuo. Rich, the owner of both places (I believe), who is from Taiwan, invited me to take a look at the rooms he had recently built at the back of the restaurant. Rising to three floors, the building offered panoramic views of the town and the rooms were only Yuan 100 per day for rent. I thought of spending a few days in this charming town on a future visit. If I got bored, Yangshuo is only an hour by bus, costing just Yuan 7.

Yangshuo

I spent a week in Yangshuo and in more ways than one, it lived up to my expectations. The drive from the Guilin airport to Yangshuo was through krast hills and rice fields, unlike anything I had seen in China This appeared to justify my choice for a holiday. The Li River Retreat, which I had bookmarked nearly a year ago, also did not disappoint.

I had been looking for a PLA cap ever since I saw Haba, my guide in Lijiang, wearing one. So I happy to get one in Yangshuo, although the first street hawker demanded Yuan 50 for a cap worth only 10. But, it was the only time that I almost got ripped off. Despite the many visiting foreigners, the locals did not appear to cheat.

The Li River Retreat was a 20-minute walk from town and the walk itself was pleasant and refreshing because it bordered the quietly flowing Li River. Although it flowed quietly, the river was chaotic till about 2 pm, when riverboats arrived from Guilin to disgorge thousands of day trippers. Returning to the hotel after lunch in town, we would be shunted aside by a sea of local tourists who had alighted from the riverboats and were walking to town for lunch. Tourism apparently was a money spinner for the locals as seen by the comfortable houses they built and the flashy cars some of them drove.

The Li River Retreat at night. My only complaint here is that we were charged too much on the first night for a tiny room because it was Easter. But, the staff were energetic, enthusiastic, and gregarious, and the meals were very good. The staff only spoke Chinese and English, so i was happy to see snooty Germans and French guests being compelled to use English, a language many of them refuse to speak in their own countries, even to help tourists.

Of course, I couldn't help but compare Yangshuo with Lijiang. Yangshuo was no UNESCO site, so there was no requirement to preserve old buildings or any semblance of sanctity. Yangshuo had more Western restaurants, al fresco dining, raucous night clubs with pole dancing, and, to my delight, more massage places. Almost every day, I got either a foot or body massage, costing only Yuan 60 and 100 respectively. I tried Dr Lily Li's place, well known and highly recommended, but her employees were disgruntled and their service suffered. But I found other, smaller places which were better.

During the day, the streets were crowded with local and foreign tourists, and I was amused to see Western tourists being herded thru town behind flag-carrying guides.

I also bought high quality DVDs at Yuan 10 each and music CDs at 35.

As I mentioned earlier, many riverboats bring day trippers down from Guilin, and, as the boats maneuvered, the scene on the river could be chaotic and noisy. When sailing single file, the boats looked nice with the hills in the background. At the Li River Retreat, with the river flowing below, the boats would begin sailing past noisily towards the Yangshuo pier around 2pm, with the day trippers lining their roofs and crowding their decks. Then, one by one, they would begin the upriver journey to Guilin, often without passengers.

Two scenes from town. One of a funeral procession, the first I had seen in China, and the second of women doing their washing on the Li River. In Lijiang, too, I had seen women washing along the numerous streams in ice cold water. But here, they squatted in a line, happily chatting among themselves as they worked.

On the numerous walks in to town, we had meals at a number of Western/Chinese restaurants, but the best were the exquisite Chinese vegetarian meals at the Pure Lotus Vegetarian restaurant at the Magnolia Hotel. I didn't know that vegetarian meals could be prepared in such a tasteful and appealing manner. On our last day, at lunch, the Chef sent along this Phoenix carved out of carrots.

The aim of every eating place was to get into Lonely Planet, and they advertised this loudly when they did. But Kelley's Place, which was on Lonely Planet, lived up to its reputation. I had a nice vegetable burger along with a bottle of Great Wall wine. I took a risk, because the last time I tried Great Wall, in Lijiang, I ended up with a violent stomach upset. That bottle must have been fake.

Magnolia Hotel, where we spent the last night in Yangshuo, disappointed. The noise from nearby bars kept me awake till 2am (the windows needed better sound proofing), and the A/C didn't work.

The view from the Pure Lotus Vegetarian restaurant. The stream rekindled memories of Lijiang.

We stopped by Nature's Cup coffee bar for breakfast (walking early morning all the way into town) and a chat with the genial hosts Rauri (pronounced Rory) and Sunny. Rauri is South African and had taught English in China for 3 years before starting Nature's Cup. Sunny, always with a smile, was from Hainan. Rauri told me that business had tripled recently.

Nature's Cup is on Binjiang Road facing the Li River, quite close to the Yangshuo Primary School.

Return to Wong Chuk Yeung

In June 2008, I first wrote about this village, high above Sai Kung town but located in the Ma On Shan Country Park. At that time, the village appeared to be on the verge of death, with only one resident. I have paid occasional visits since then, with saw no signs of change. I also saw the last survivor on Chuk Yeung Road, on his way to and back from Sai Kung town, and also saw him in town. (More about him later.)

I went on Sunday March 10 for another visit. I first checked on the last survivor of the village. He used to have three black dogs, all mutts, who were so loyal to him that they would accompany him to and back from Sai Kung town, walking all the way. They minded their own business, not even barking at passers by. This time, I didn't see the black dogs. Instead, a mangy brown dog, with overgrown fur, was hanging out near the last survivor's house. It barked at me and retreated as I walked up to the house to take a photo. I heard a voice from within, hushing the dog, but the man never appeared. The front area of the house was strewn with trash and in a very unhygienic state. A larger mound of garbage could be seen beyond the house. i know that Sai Kung Police occasionally check on the survivor, but they can do nothing about the trash.

Approach to the village on Chuk Yeung Road.

The trash strewn alley leading to the last survivor's house

The typical scene inside abandoned houses. The roof has collapsed.

I followed a path into the forest and into a different world. Birdsong and the buzzing of bees filled my ears. A dried up stream was bordered by a concrete path. About 100 meters beyond the village, I came upon this large crumbling house, covered in vines. Other, smaller houses, some completely covered by the forest, could be seen nearby.

This shrine is located just before the entrance to the village. Visitors had come by during Chinese New ear and also for the Ching Ming festival. A few meters beyond the shrine, near the path that leads to the Maclehose Trail, is this large hall, more solidly built than the village houses. It may have been a community center or even a school.

The interior of the community hall.

Of the 30 or 40 houses in the village, two seem to have been visited recently. One, which had a padlock on the front door during a previous visit, was open this time, although I could not see anyone around. Of course, electricity and water is supplied to the village, mail is delivered (the mailbox was full of CLP bills), and I saw a brand new garbage bin.

Forgotten hibiscus and rose bushes.

An open field near the village. This may have been a rice field.

I came home and Googled Wong Chuk Yeung village. In Wikipedia, I found an entry which indicated that the village was first settled in 1660 by the Lee clan from Dongguan. The villagers were farmers, producing rice, sugar, and bean curd. When an iron mine was opened nearby, the water table had dropped and the villagers began to leave.

I went back to by 2008 blog entry and saw that the following comment had been left.

Hi George, found your blog and found it fascinating. Great pictures. This is my family's village, it is a lovely village, though very run down I still like to go and visit it whenever i am in hk - with much sadness all the villagers involved have now signed the papers for the land to be sold off to a development company. Not everyone wanted this but the majority won and it is now in process of exchange. i am extremely sad about this as the land has a lot of history. The buildings, the wildlife (the numerous beautiful butterflies!) in the land all needs to be preserved - hong kong needs to preserve old ancestral lands such as Wong Chuk Yeung before it's too late. If there was any way this sale and developing of the land can be stopped - i would be in support of it... alas it seems that not enough people care about the land and the greedy developers are on their way to destroying yet another beautiful part of hk. I'm glad you have visited my village and have experienced it's beauty - sad that soon it will be all wiped out.

October 23, 2009 11:32 PM

I wish I had seen the comment earlier (it had been made in late 2009) because I would then have known the importance of the lone survivor. Despite the commentator (who was anonymous) saying that "all the villagers have now signed the papers for the land to be sold off" to a developer, the lone survivor may be the final holdout. And the two houses with decorations on the entrance (seen in the two photos above) may also belong to owners who have not sold out yet. I hope so because the villagers is worth saving. The last thing that Hong Kong and Sai Kung in particular needs is another historical site to be "developed".

I saw that new paths, wide enough to allow 4 wheel drive vehicles, had been cleared around the village, leading to the abandoned fields. This may be the work of the developer, which means that the destruction of the village has already begun.

Further Google searching brought me to another blogger, a birder, who had two entries on the village and the bird life in the vicinity. Descendants of former villagers ad left comments and one had left his email address. I contacted him, asking for more information on the last survivor, but haven't received a reply yet.

As for the survivor, I see him in Sai Kung town, sitting at Macdonalds engrossed in a newspaper that appears to have been salvaged from the garbage. He holds the paper close to his face, which probably means he is nearsighted. That may account for his shyness and avoidance of people. He probably doesn't see well. I have also seen him buying Mark Six, which is an optimistic sign. His bicycle is long gone, as are the three dogs who used to accompany him all the way to town, and whom he fed with bread. He looks a lot weaker and more hunched than when I first saw him.

What awaits Wong Chuk Yuen?

Update on Taro

I recently checked Taro's records and was surprised to learn that he was born on July 26 2003, which makes him almost 8 years old. Time has flown by.

My life can't be that bad. Nelum on one side and Taro on the other.

Some wildflowers where Taro walks every morning. Not seen by most Hong Kongers.

With granddaughter Nelum

In March, I spent another three weeks with my son's family and enjoyed the company of Nelum. I last saw her in September and she has changed much in six months.

The last time I got to spend so much time with a baby was 37 years ago, with Nelum's dad Roy. Back in Sri Lanka in those days, we didn't have the facilities that are now taken for granted, not even running water or electricity in some of the houses where he grew up. There were no disposable diapers. Milk food was in short supply. (Roy had a steady supply because we owned a pharmacy which received a monthly quota.) Imports were restricted and only crude plastic toys, made locally, were available. What we did have was domestic help and the support of our parents whenever we needed them. Roy was a quiet baby, lying peacefully in his cot, smiling at everyone who stopped by. Only in his late teens did he begin to change! But that's another story.

In contrast, Nelum has all the comforts that and modern society provides. Carpeted floors, an air conditioned and heated home, bottled baby food, fruits and modern appliances to turn them into tasty treats. Toys and clothes galore. Soothing music. TV programs to keep her entertained. A comfortable car to travel in. Safety seats.

On my last visit, Nelum was mostly on her back. This time, she was crawling and standing with some support. Because she is teething, every object ends up in her mouth. Her moods are unpredictable. A morning of smiles may become an afternoon of heartrending wails, especially when she was tired and sleepy.

A little girl has stolen my heart.

Nelum was happiest outdoors. The weather was bitterly cold on many days so we could not take her for walks, but I managed to take her out on the harness a few times. Nelum enjoyed seeing the geese around the nearby lake and sitting in the swing. She would make sounds (she was discovering new sounds all the time) and would be happily cooing or muttering away as we walked.

On a number of occasions, as she sat on the floor playing and I sat on the couch reading or watching TV, I would look up to catch her gazing at me, sometimes turning her head at a 45 degree angle. This would go on for more than five minutes at a time. I wonder what was going thru her mind.

We went to see the cherry blossoms on my last weekend in Washington DC. This photo is with Roy on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial.

Return to American University

I recently visited the American University (AU) campus in Washington DC, where I completed an MA in 1985. This was not my first visit since I graduated in 1985. I went back twice to conduct summer workshops, the last in 2007, but this was the first time I took a camera.

I got off the Metro at Tenley Town and began walking down Nebraska Avenue towards AU. The old Sears store and Tenley Market are still there. I passed St. Ann's Church. The convent, where a classmates Selina used to stay, has been taken over by AU and is now called the Tenley Campus. Wonder where the nuns moved to? Most of them were elderly even in the 1980s.

Little has changed on Nebraska Avenue. The middle-class homes are the same except for a large condominium which has been built opposite the Japanese Embassy. Nebraska Hall, where another classmate Janeth Hernandez stayed is still the same. Some art complexes, belonging to AU, have been built nearby.

The library and the quadrangle in front haven't changed much. The library has many memories for me. Because all my lectures were in the evening, I got a part-time job at the library and was assigned to shelving bound periodicals in the basement at the then minimum hourly wage. These bound periodical were quite heavy but I had a jovial workmate and we managed to survive. After a year of lifting these loads, I was told that my work was "good" and that I would receive a pay hike of 5 cents an hour! But I was graduating and couldn't enjoy the windfall.

McKinley Building, where the TESOL program is still located, looks the same. The TESOL program is now on the first floor, and, for old times' sake, I went down to the rest rooms in the basement. They don't seem to have been upgraded in 30 years.

We all heard a rumor that poisonous gases were stored in McKinley during World War 1. Dring this visit, I picked up the student newspaper The Eagle of March 15, and it had a story about the "Hell Fire Battalion" that was created in 1918 in response to the Germans use of poison gas. The battalion was based at AU. Poison gas was tested (mostly on dogs) and the munitions were buried on campus and in the surrounding neighborhood. So, nearly 30 years after I first heard it, the rumor is confirmed.

Another story in The Eagle was about the reappointment of Neil Kerwin as AU's President. His "compensation" in 2007 was $1.4 million. AU was always an expensive school (I managed to attend on a Fulbright scholarship) and I heard that the current tuition was about $50,000 per year, so these salaries are no surprise. I also read that Kerwin's predecessor, Benjamin Ladner, had been fired in 2005 for misusing university funds. This brought to mind Richard Berendzen, the President during our time and who was forced to resign in 1990 when he was caught making obscene calls from his office. However, he returned to AU is his position as Professor of Physics and I saw his name on an office door on my last visit to AU. (The Physics department is next to the TESOL office in McKinley Building.) I didn't see his name this time so he may be finally gone.

I wanted to see Crestview Apartment, where Govindan and I shared a flat, so began walking down Mass Avenue. The apartments there haven't changed either. What has changed is the Synagogue, which has become huge. At 3601 Wisconsin Avenue, I found the old Crestview building still standing, somewhat of an anomaly because many newer upmarket buildings have sprung up nearby. My classmates Selina, Ellen, Gunawan, Mala, Bim and other friends have all been to our 7th floor apartment. When the Fall season cleared the trees of leaves, we could see the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial from the apartment. I have happy memories of the place and the parties we held there. American University also had plans to take over Crestview (as they had done with the convent at Tenley) and they were quietly leasing individual apartments in order to claim a majority stake. But, an international student held a noisy overnight party, the mostly elderly residents angrily banded together, and AU had to leave. I was offered the apartment we lived in (I was the lease holder) but didn't think of owning property at that time. Another blunder.

I walked down Wisconsin Ave, observing that many buildings have been replaced by stylish, more expensive ones. So I was relieved to see that Armand's Chicago Pizzeria was still in business, though looking the worst for wear. I tasted my first pizza at Armand's when Janeth took me there soon after my arrival at AU.

With classmate Ellen Stucker. She lives in Virginia, not far away, and we try to meet up during my visits. I have recently made contact with Selina and Marceline Hepie, another friend from my AU days.

That weekend, the National Cherry Blossom Festival was on, and I took the Metro with my son Roy, his wife, their baby daughter and my sister Beaula, who was visiting from Tampa. Two photos are attached for old times sake.