July 1st Happy BD Marguerite

Angela is about 43 years old, has an 18 year old daughter applying to college, loves shopping and eating. Angela’s mother prays at the Buddha Temple daily especially to get her granddaughter in a good university. Out of all our guides she seems to have the hardest life, as her husband has a government job at a bank and doesn’t make good money. I don’t think she said this to get a good tip, I truly believe that she has a harder life. There are no tours booked after ours for her in Guilin, as the government is limiting VISA’s to tourists in August for Olympic security.
Guilin people have an unappetizing diet. Some delicacies include dog and horse meat (tastes like goat- now that really helps with determining the taste!), turtle, a local fish Osmathus’s which I tasted and isn’t good, duck soup, and ginko nuts which are good for memory.

More site seeing. The most interesting, a visit to the well preserved village of Jiangtou Village. We were able to go into 4 different homes. Kitchens stoves heated by coal, wood and if made enough money, kerosene. One home had housed 3 generations, another an 80 year old man married for 6o years. He told us the secret to his long marriage- he moved to Guilin after 10 years of marriage for 20 years to work, because no jobs in the village. My photos will show you the primitive nature of these home. The important issue though, is the people are very happy, as this is the only life they know. Most don’t ever leave the village.

The weather here is hot and humid. So humid that it is hard to breathe. We decided to go to a Silk Factory to keep the afternoon activities indoor. Guilin is famous for the crystal silk worm. Jim and I both a silk comforter, again helping the Chinese economy.

Angela said our visit wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Tea Research Institute, a government owned agency. Our Tea Master taught us the art of tea growing, processing and drinking. In order to become a Tea Master, 4 years of university education is required. We sampled 4 different types of tea:

1. Yellow
2. Oolong
3. Oasmosis
4. Compressed
5. Silver Nettle- we had to purchase this one, as it is very expensive- used to cure chronic diseases

There is one kind of tea called Dragon Well, most expensive. 20 grams sold for $20 million Yuan. The conversion rate is $6.80, you do the math.
The last part of the day was spent at a Chinese Herb Hospital. We dropped the girls off at the hotel so they could rest before dinner. Dr Huang.
Today M & M go to the Great Wall. What a way to spend a birthday!
My family is so tired. We have been on the go go go. Have decided to cut our time here in Guilin and go to Shanghai an extra day for some much needed R & R. We have done more in less time than any other vacation ever. Our brains are flooded with Chinese history. Will have 1 more day in Guilin and leave tomorrow night for Shanghai.