Tag: village

harmonies from a hidden valley – guizhou nov 17-18

One of the most beautiful villages in China, hiking, rice terraces, minority culture…all on a two day trip from Shenzhen? Yes, and you can come join an easy escape to the smoke ringed mountains of Guizhou province.

We will be whisked away by high speed train to southeast Guizhou province, known as Qiandongnan, an autonomous region of the Miao and Dong minorities. This trip will focus on the area of Zhaoxing Dong Stockaded Village (肇兴侗寨), often mentioned as one of the most beautiful villages in all of China.

The image of a Dong village amid the hills appears as a gateway to another world, with tiered drum towers and ornate covered bridges peeking out from a tangle of wooden houses. The Dong build these elaborate wooden towers as meeting houses and communal singing halls. The “Wind and Rain” bridges are thoughtfully built throughout the town and countryside as places to rest and socialize while journeying from one place to another. Zhaoxing has one of the best collections of both types of these buildings, and the town is a beautiful sight in the misty dawn or glowing into the night.

The Dong are also known for their colorful embroidered dress, and for their grand singing tradition. They have passed down folk songs using layered a cappella harmonies.

You will be amazed at the hidden world we can discover within just a few hours from Shenzhen.

The basic plan:

Saturday

High speed train from Shenzhen North to Guizhou, with a transfer in Guangzhou
Shuttle to Zhaoxing Dong Village
Tour the village, with its many Wind-and-Rain bridges and Drum towers, unique features of Dong villages.
Visit the Dong Minority Culture Center and Weaving and Embroidery Museum
Dinner
Free time

Sunday

Breakfast and Dong Grand Song performance
Shuttle to Tang’an Stockaded Village, another Dong village, surrounded by rice terraces
Hike from Tang’an to Zhaoxing
Return to Shenzhen by high speed train

Price: Adult (double occupancy) 1680RMB
Child (1.2-1.5m, share with 1 or 2 adults) 980RMB
SWIC or ABNet members get 10% off

Dates: November 17-18
Depart from Shenzhen North Saturday 7:38am, return Shenzhen 9:45pm

Group size: 4-10

Includes high speed train tickets, hotel (double occupancy), village entrance and shuttle tickets, meals, travel insurance, and guide.

Note: This trip is being offered at a special price during the low season and as a new trip. Price may go up in the future, so book now to enjoy this price!

How to Book:

Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)

If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Guizhou in your introduction.

or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)

day trip – watertown november 11 and 24

 

This trip will be held on both Sunday November 11, and Saturday November 24.
Inform me which date you prefer when signing up.

小桥流水人家 To make your home by a small bridge and flowing water.

These words describe the idyllic scenery of Chinese villages, which people come from across continents to see, often seeking out the tourist canal towns around Shanghai. But we have such a quaint village right in our backyard around the Pearl River Delta. The irrigated towns and paddies of Guangzhou and Foshan are a prime but overlooked place to find a classic scene of Chinese life.

On this day trip, we’ll head to the outer villages of Shunde district, part of Foshan just to the west of Guangzhou.

In the water town of Fengjian, you can wander the shady streets of this village, catching glimpses of the local people’s relaxed life. Fishermen repair a net, two neighbors play chess along the river banks.

Shunde is also home to some of the most famous dishes of Cantonese cuisine, especially the popular desserts double skinned milk and ginger milk. We can taste these plus other snacks and sweets while lounging near the flowing river.

You can also take your family for a paddle in a traditional wooden boat along the length of the river. (Price not included in tour: small boats 150/up to 5 people, large boats 250/up to 10 people)

A lovely traditional place to escape just for a day away from the city.

Price: 330RMB per adult, 235RMB for kids between 1.2-1.5m (20RMB off for Shenzhen ABNet or SWIC member), kids under 1.2m get an additional discount – contact me.

Sunday, November 11 or Saturday November 24
Depart 8:00AM, return Shenzhen 6:00PM

Default pickup in Shekou. Contact me if you are outside of Shekou for other pickup options.

includes round trip private shuttle, access to two water towns, lunch and one Cantonese dessert per person, and tour

Minimum 8

How to Book:

Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)

If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Watertown in your introduction.

or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)

daytrip – watertown october 28

小桥流水人家 To make your home by a small bridge and flowing water.

These words describe the idyllic scenery of Chinese villages, which people come from across continents to see, often seeking out the tourist canal towns around Shanghai. But we have such a quaint village right in our backyard around the Pearl River Delta. The irrigated towns and paddies of Guangzhou and Foshan are a prime but overlooked place to find a classic scene of Chinese life.

On this day trip, we’ll head to the outer villages of Shunde district, part of Foshan just to the west of Guangzhou.

In the water town of Fengjian, you can wander the shady streets of this village, catching glimpses of the local people’s relaxed life. Fishermen repair a net, two neighbors play chess along the river banks.

Shunde is also home to some of the most famous dishes of Cantonese cuisine, especially the popular desserts double skinned milk and ginger milk. We can taste these plus other snacks and sweets while lounging near the flowing river.

You can also take your family for a paddle in a traditional wooden boat along the length of the river. (Price not included in tour: small boats 150/up to 5 people, large boats 250/up to 10 people)

A lovely traditional place to escape just for a day away from the city.

Price: 330RMB per adult, 235RMB for kids between 1.2-1.5m (20RMB off for Shenzhen ABNet or SWIC member), kids under 1.2m get an additional discount – contact me.

Sunday, October 28
Depart 8:00AM, return Shenzhen 6:00PM

includes round trip private shuttle, access to two water towns, lunch and one Cantonese dessert per person, and tour

Minimum 8, maximum 14

How to Book:

Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)

If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Watertown in your introduction.

or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)

daytrip – watertown september 9

小桥流水人家 To make your home by a small bridge and flowing water.

These words describe the idyllic scenery of Chinese villages, which people come from across continents to see, often seeking out the tourist canal towns around Shanghai. But we have such a quaint village right in our backyard around the Pearl River Delta. The irrigated towns and paddies of Guangzhou and Foshan are a prime but overlooked place to find a classic scene of Chinese life.

On this day trip, we’ll head to the outer villages of Shunde district, part of Foshan just to the west of Guangzhou.

In the water town of Fengjian, you can wander the shady streets of this village, catching glimpses of the local people’s relaxed life. Fishermen repair a net, two neighbors play chess along the river banks.

Shunde is also home to some of the most famous dishes of Cantonese cuisine, especially the popular desserts double skinned milk and ginger milk. We can taste these plus other snacks and sweets while lounging near the flowing river.

You can also take your family for a paddle in a traditional wooden boat along the length of the river. (Price not included in tour: small boats 150/up to 5 people, large boats 250/up to 10 people)

A lovely traditional place to escape just for a day away from the city.

Price: 330RMB per adult, 235RMB for kids between 1.2-1.5m (20RMB off for Shenzhen ABNet or SWIC member), kids under 1.2m get an additional discount – contact me.

Sunday, September 9
Depart 8:00AM, return Shenzhen 6:00PM

includes round trip private shuttle, access to two water towns, lunch and one Cantonese dessert per person, and tour

Minimum 8

How to Book:

Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)

If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Watertown in your introduction.

or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)

day trip – dapeng april 22

Despite the capricious weather this past week, our southern China sun will be returning, and when it does, it will be high time to get ourselves to the seaside.

Shenzhen is bookended in history, with Dapeng Ancient Fortress holding down the eastern extremity. Dapeng Ancient Fortress is a fortified village that dates back to the Ming dynasty, predating the urbanization of Shenzhen, and was in charge of controlling pirates off the coast of China. Today it still retains many narrow alleys to walk, with people living a quiet life in the village and shops selling traditional foods and gifts.

Jiaochangwei is another former military village, still situated directly on the seaside. Now it takes the form of a young Chinese surf town, with many colorful hostels and restaurants for a weekend beach getaway.

 

Delve into local history while digging your toes into the sand in Dapeng and Jiaochangwei.

Sunday April 22
Adults: 180RMB
Kids 1.2-1.5m: 165RMB

SWIC or ABNet members receive a discount of 20RMB off each 

includes round trip private shuttle, entrance tickets, and guided tour by Greta. Lunch additional.

Departure: 8:30am
Return: 6:00pm

Private shuttle picks up from Shekou (for other pick ups contact me). Journey to Dapeng about 1.5 hours.

Minimum 10

How to Book:

Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)

If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Dapeng in your introduction.

or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)

day trip – foshan may 3

Come on a day trip to see Foshan, the colorful hometown of Cantonese traditions! Enjoy a day out in the spring weather, while you learn about kung fu, lion dancing, ancient ceramics and traditional culture.

Foshan city is part of the Pearl River Delta and the third largest city in Guangdong, with distinctive Cantonese cultural traditions and rich history. Its name means “Buddha mountain.”

On this day trip, first we will visit the Nanfeng Ancient Kiln. Here you can see a ceramics kiln that has been in continuous operation since the Ming dynasty, for over 500 years. There are also many charming sculptural alleyways and shops to find a wonderful ceramic souvenir.

From here, we’ll head to lunch in Lingnan Tiandi, a historic district developed with many restaurants and quaint cafes. Cost of lunch is on your own. I will recommend a few restaurants to choose from, and provide a suggested menu to order from. I will recommend that groups of 3-5 dine together, rather than our entire group together for efficiency at the restaurants.

After lunch, we will explore the Ancestral Temple (祖庙 zu miao), which has been a central part of Foshan people’s religion for centuries. In this well preserved temple, you can also learn about Ip Man and Wang Fei Hong, two major kung fu masters from Foshan. The elements of Cantonese opera are demonstrated at the temple’s own traditional stage, so you can hear the orchestra or singer practicing (few performances each day at select times.) And don’t miss the heart of the Ancestral Temple, the ornate halls of Beidi, the northern emperor god, to whom locals pray to watch over Foshan.

Price: 315RMB per adult, 225RMB for kids between 1.2-1.5m (15RMB off for Shenzhen ABNet or SWIC member), kids under 1.2m get an additional discount – contact me.

Thursday May 3
Depart 7:30AM, return Shenzhen 6:00PM

includes round trip private shuttle, entrance tickets, including kung fu and lion dance show, and tour

Minimum 7

How to Book:

Contact Greta on WeChat (Scan QR code)

If adding me for the first time, be sure to mention Trips or Foshan in your introduction.

or contact me by email (chinatealeaves @ yahoo.com)

an evening along erhai lake

On one of our last evenings in Yunnan, I took a short walk at dusk around the Xiangyangxi Village (向阳溪村) where we were staying on the Erhai Lake of Dali prefecture. As Yunnan is located relatively well west in the single Beijing Standard Time zone of China, the sun wouldn’t set until well past eight o’clock. This made for very leisurely dinners around the communal table of the guest houses we stayed in, allowing time to chat with the owners and our traveling companions as the blue skies tinged violet, then rose, and then were taken over in a dazzling sunset filling the heavens with a multitude of colors.

erhai

The name of Erhai Lake (洱海) describes it as a sea shaped like an ear (耳), and its north-south elongation makes it look like a Daoist immortal’s drooping earlobes from above. Xiangyangxi Village lies towards the northern tip of the lake, closer to the old Bai market town of Xizhou than to Dali Old Town. Dali prefecture includes the entire region of the lake, with more than a dozen villages circling the famed waters of Erhai.

During the day the lake ring road buzzes with vespas rented by holidaying twenty-somethings. But in the evening, the village streets turn serene again—a few kids goofing off with musical instruments, Bai women in petunia pink kerchiefs chatting on a doorstep, a man finishes his cigarette before returning home. The east gate of Bai homes is traditionally the grandest, decorated with beautiful stenciling and fantastically intricate stone carvings. I admired many of these in the dimming light—blue and ochre paintings against white stucco and grey stone. A temple protruded from the street out into the rice paddies. Since its gates were already locked, I could only admire the wind diverting wall, the 屏风 (pingfeng), an element in feng shui design, across from the main entrance. It was covered in symbols and mythical creatures, some of which I recognized and some of which may only be understood by the Bai people of this very village. Back in the guest house, I watched the last light of the sunset fade to stars behind a tile roof decoration, the clay cat of the Bai house, which absorbs bad energy. A few hours left in Yunnan, to spend between the stars and the quiet lapping of the ink dark lake.