Beer fish, Bamboo rafting, Water buffalos and Snake Schnapps

If anyone is tempted to visit Guilin and Yangshou, there is something you for certain can expect to eat, see and do.

As a tourist destination with an increasing number of western tourists, you can find any kind of food you want, so if you are not fond of eating anything that has it back towards the sun –like the Chinese does, you can also find the things you know from home, but then again, what is the point of going anywhere?

















Like every else, in China they also have regional dishes and specialities, and in Guilin and Yangshou it is Beer Fish and braised pork with Taro vegetables.
Beer Fish is sweet water fish cooked in beer with tomatoes, onions and capsicum.
The sauce is delicious –the fish as well, just get used to the many bones that normally sticks in sweet water fish. The Chinese just put every thing into their mouth, and then manage to spit out the bones separately –I don’t know how they do it – and the foreigners sit there, trying to separate the bones from the meat on the plate, and so the meal can take ages.
For food lovers, China is though still a great destination, and the times I’ve been there. I have only had one bad meal, and that was in fact on this trip, and in Yangshou.



Things you for sure will see in Yangshou are the famous and stunning water buffalo’s.
Everywhere along the river you can enjoy these majestic creatures taking a swim or standing with their heads deep under the water and then the head suddenly pop up with their mouth full of green see weed, or whatever it is called coming from the bottom of a river.

If you go there you should for sure go on a bike ride in the countryside through the small villages and along the narrow trails and paths between the rice paddy fields.
We did take a guide - a nice guide called Esther- and without her, I’m sure we wouldn’t have been able to find all those small hidden tracks with the most beautiful scenery.
























If you are to tired after 5 hours on a bike, or your backside is aching from the saddle on the bike, the next day could be spend taking a bamboo raft down either the Yulong, or the Li River. You can easily organize this yourself, as you will get plenty of offers just walking the street in Yangshou, and then you just negotiate the prize you want to pay for it. Be aware that they have prices for Chinese and then other for foreigners, which is way apart, so always offer less then half of the prize they are asking, or just have a meeting with you own conscience, and ask yourself how much the same service would be in your country.

When the day is over and you have eaten and need something special, do try the local Snake Wine. No, this is not wine extracted from Snakes, not really, it is a very strong spirit with one or more dead snakes swimming around in it, to add some flavour. It is really a strong mixture, but good for the digestion after a solid Chinese meal.