Chinese New Year in China, otherwise called the Spring Festival, is a
surprisingly low-key affair especially outside major cities. The
Westerner expecting parties, dragon dancing and spectacular firework
displays may find himself disappointed when all the shops and
restaurants close on New Year's Eve and there are indeed many
fireworks, most of which just make a heck of a lot of noise and spray
vast quantities of red confetti on to the floor. There are few
spectacular blooms outside of big cities. I note that in the UK we
are beginning to follow this lead at New Year.
I book myself into a hotel room in Yangshuo for Chinese New Year, which turns out to be a mistake as when I get there nothing is open! I wander around the town for an hour or so taking photos bit there is literally nothing to do, and as I recall there is a New Year dumpling party at the hostel in Xingping, so finally I abandon the idea of staying over in Yangshuo, check out of my hotel (they give me a full refund) and go back to Xingping.
Coming back from Yangshuo I wait on the bus at the station for
something like 45 minutes before it leaves: obviously there is a
skeleton crew operating today. Relieved to be back I have an Indian
meal at the restaurant in Xingping again and spend some time talking
to the owner, himself from India, a place called Uttarakhand, on the
edge of the Himalayas. I have a good time and he buys me a couple of
beers. I seem to be making contacts among the local business
community! Back at the hostel I join the party but I don't eat many
dumplings: they are actually very good as they are freshly made, but
they tend to be quite plain and I still have some of my curry and
bread with me. I'e also stocked up on a crate of local beer to drink on the rooftop bar at night.
At night it's charming to walk around the village: the streets are
very quiet and lit with red lanterns outside the houses. Many of the
doors are open, so you can look inside and see the Chinese at home:
their living rooms tend to be be open to the street, with wood fires
in fire-pits in the floor.
The following morning there is fog everywhere which I believe to have been caused by the fireworks. I decide to try the Fish Village walk again as I'm frustrated that I failed to reach it last time. I have the advantage of knowing at least half the route this time! I set off and as I walk into the mountains they emerge like ghosts from the fog which sits on the village: I walk out of it as I go further upwards.
On arriving at the the point I reached last time, I take my time to
try and find the right path as it seemingly vanishes at this point.
After two dead ends I head down the mountainside for a few yards and
there is another path, which I follow and at each turn, it continues
a little further. This seems to be the right path so I follow it
through a cleft in the mountains to the other side, and it slowly
descends into the Fish Village. I feel a sense of triumph as for the
first time I've reached a place I set out to find.
The village is a mix of old and new, with Cultural Revolution
slogans on the walls of some buildings. It's remarkable for having
been left untouched by the Revolution or the war with Japan.
The path is narrow and rocky, and once or twice appears to vanish for
a moment but always re-appears behind the next rock. At the place I
lost it before it is split by a crag and continues on the other side
of it. This is not easy to spot.
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