Fwd: Thursday and we're all still friends

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From: cryan738@comcast.net
To: "cryan738 lilyx" <cryan738.lilyx@glogger.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 5:26:32 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: Thursday and we're all still friends

Thursday, day 6 and the beat goes on.  Right now, Lily and I are in a hotel in Huangshan proper while the rest of the crew went to stay on top of the mountain.  We learned when we got here after 5 hours on a local bus then 1 hour in a van-bus that we'd have to take a cable car up the mountain (this we knew) then walk 2.2 km up stairs to the hotel (this we didn't know).  At first we were told that we could hire porters @ 50 yuan per bag each direction..or about $90 for the group to bring up our suitcases.  Later discussion in the bus and a telephone call by the guide provided the alternative of paying 100 yuan ($15) to leave our bags in a town hotel at the foot of the mountain and repack only what was needed for the night and morning in backpacks.  Chris was telling Anna to put some warm clothes on in the bathroom and to bring warm stuff and her raincoat because the weather report predicted rain, fog, and temps in the low 40's.  Hearing this, both Lily and I started to get the grungies, so I asked a few questions about how steep the stairs were, whereupon Linda, our guide held her hands up indicating steps of about 12".  At that point, I decided to forego taking a 2.2km walk upstairs, so we checked with the local hotel, bargained a bit, and got a room for Lily and me for the night, including breakfast for 420 yuan.  Then the group got to leave their luggage in our room. They'll be back here for us at noon tomorrow for lunch.  Lily says to remind the blog that the purpose of the mountain stay was to see the sunrise.

 

It was a  great ride over the mountain and through highland villages..through miles of rice paddies and then, higher up, .through hillsides covered with Green Tea.  Women everywhere working the fields and picking tea, and men working the water buffalo in the rice paddies.  We're really glad that we did not get an express bus. which runs along a highway and THROUGH the mountain via tunnels. We would have missed a slice of life we read  about in geography books 60 years ago (well, some of us did, anyway).   

 

Riding in any kind of vehicle in China is an experience all its own.  The mountain rides would be familiar to anyone who has taken buses in mountainous areas in any developing country.  In the cities and towns, however, driving takes on its own rhythm...sort of a rampage.  Our family seems to be very calm about the whole thing...Suzie and I for having experienced this sort of thing before, and Lily is sort of freaked out by how people drive, but she's not frightened, she says. 

 

The day in Wuhu yesterday was delightful.  We went in the morning to the orphanage, where we met with the director and vice-director.  We were shown their records, which, except for one document, were the same as we had copies of. 

 

More later..We're going to try to negotiate dinner.