Tunbao Village and Tian Long Old Town
The trip started (and almost ended) in Shanghai where we overnighted before flying into Guiyang. Our driver blew his exit driving from the aiport and screeched across four lanes of traffic to make it. A truck and another taxi missed us by inches! You should have heard the Chinese swearing and shouting going on including a few choice words from us! Did we tip him? NOT!
The next morning, we flew into Guiyang. It's a cardinal rule of travel that you are always going to misconnect...and we always do. It usually takes several days to arrive at our destination after leaving Chicago, and that's with non-stop flights.
Guiyang has a population of over 3 million people and a mild climate. "Andy" was our guide. (Most Chinese guides adopt an English name since we usually butcher their Chinese name.) An extremely knowledgable person who couldn't do enough for us. Guiyang itself was just a starting point and there wasn't very much to do. The Trade Point Hotel was the top-end hotel to stay at and that is where we parked outselves. Surprisingly, even the staff at the Trade Point didn't speak English! You can find more information at: ...Hotel in ASIA
First on our agenda was to visit Tunbao Village and Tian Long Old Town. The ancestors of these villagers migrated from Jiangxi Province to Guizhou Province in the Ming dynasty. The women there wore blue aprons, were dressed in wide-sleeved loose robes with silk belts in traditional Ming Dynasty costumes, and the houses remained faithful to Ming architectural styles. The Tunbao people are the descendants of armed men and dress accordingly.
Tunbao Village was certainly a place that could be used as a movie set. Stone enclosing walls, stone city walls, stone tiles and stone watchtowers - it was a real stone village. Set alongside mountain paths and narrow town streets...very quaint...and looking the way an old Chinese village should look. The Han people went about their business, selling tea, ...View image...
making tea in Tunbao
conversing with each, ...View image...and trying to sell some of their handicrafts and food.
A local opera company, famed for the performers' symbolic masks, ...View image...performed for us. A very short, interesting, energetic performance which was fine with us. Chinese music is, to put it diplomatically, on the discordant side and listening to it for any length of time hurts my ears and sets dogs to howling.
the opera
In ancient Tian Long town, business shops were lined up in front of nearly every residential household. The wooden windows were decorated with patterns of bats, flying birds, mythical creatures, all kinds of vegetables and auspicious red banners. These ethnic people also reflect the influence of the Han people. The lanes and households were very clean, and the local people still practice a sense of community which is essential for them. Both towns charged an admission fee which just started a few years ago since recognizing what a tourist attraction they are. But we didn't mind a bit since they retain the money and, hopefully, it will help them.
On to lunch....
Save up to $100 per night on Hotels!
Orlando: Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista Resort: 3 Nights Hotel & Airfare from $379
