Sobriety Test…Fail

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Influential ska-pop band The Specials have announced a full UK tour.

The Coventry outfit revealed in April 2008 that they would reform and return to live action for the first time since their split in 1981.

 

Heralded by the likes of Blur, Lily Allen and The Enemy as a primary influence – the line-up will play 10 UK dates next spring.

The jaunt begins in Newcastle on 22 April and concludes at London’s Brixton Academy on 12 May.

The gigs will see the line up of Terry Hall, Lynval Golding, Neville Staple, Roddy Byers, Horace Panter and John Bradbury reconvene. Omitting only Jerry Dammers.

The band are largely credited with the popularity of ska punk in the late 1970s and the emergence of the 2-Tone sound.

Rumours of an announcement had grown after the majority of the band made a special appearance together at this year’s Bestival festival in September.

 

Already got my ticket…Brixton 06 May.

Music As Art

Turn your Music Collection into your own unique piece of art.

 

Canvas mounted image of all of your music album covers converted into one collage.

 

No one will probably have exactly the same music collection as you and so your piece of Artwork will be unique too.

 

Each piece looks fantastic hung on a wall, a fantastic conversation piece.

 

The larger your music collection the more impressive your image becomes.

 

4 options : Random / Chronological release order / Colour Coded / Chronological purchase order.

 

The perfect present for the music buff in your life/bed/office/family.

 

Contact Stuart for prices and further details

www.musicasart.co.uk

 

email info@musicasart.co.uk

 

Fenerbahce 2 – Arsenal 5 (insert Turkish Delight pun here)

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Forgotten about the Chinese earthquake yet?…

The 2008 Sichuan earthquake which measured at 7.9 magnitude occurred at 14:28:01.42 CST on May 12, 2008 in the Sichuan province of China. It was also known as the Wenchuan earthquake, after the earthquake’s epicentre in Wenchuan County, Sichuan province. The epicenter was 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, with a depth of 19 kilometres (12 mi). The earthquake was felt as far away as Beijing (1,500 kilometres (932 mi) away) and Shanghai (1,700 kilometres (1,056 mi) away), where office buildings swayed with the tremor. The earthquake was also felt in nearby countries.

Official figures (as of July 21, 2008 ) state that 69,197 are confirmed dead, including 68,636 in Sichuan province, and 374,176 injured, with 18,222 listed as missing. The earthquake left about 4.8 million people homeless, though the number could be as high as 11 million (the population of Greece is 11,215,000). Approximately 15 million people lived in the affected area.

Strong aftershocks, some exceeding magnitude 6, continue to hit the area even months after the main quake, causing new casualties and damage.

My wife’s immediate family live 50k from what was the epicentre in the town of Mianzhu.

Their house used to look like this …

My wife has just made her first visit back to her hometown since the disaster struck.

Her childhood home now looks like this…

Not sure how many of us used to our fitted kitchens would react to this being the extent of out kitchen facilities…

The amazing thing is these people constantly comment on how fortunate they are in comparison to others, they probably mean those who were living in buildings like these…

and these…

It’s only natural that what is out of sight becomes out of mind, but it is important we remember that this was a once in a lifetime disaster, and will take a generation to rectify. Obviously some people’s losses are irreplaceable.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to the relief effort can still do so via:

 

 The Chinese Embassy in UK has opened a special account for donation for Earthquake in Sichuan province in Bank of China(UK).

  

1)CHEQUES,TRAVELLERS CHEQUES AND POSTAL ORDERS SHOULD BE MADE
PAYABLE To:
The Chinese Embassy In UK
Sichuan Earthquake Donation Account
ACCOUNT No: 10196750
CORRESPONDENT ADDRESS:BANKING DEPARTMENT,
BANK OF CHINA(UK) LIMITED,
90 CANNON STREET,LONDON,EC4N 6HA

2)UK AND OVERSEAS DONATIONS CAN BE MADE QUOTING:
Beneficiary Name:The Chinese Embassy In UK
Sichuan Earthquake Donation Account
Account number:10196750
Sort code:405037 BANK OF CHINA(UK) LTD LONDON

3)CASH can be deposited at any branch of Bank of China(UK)Limited,please
quote a/c no. 10196750

The Solway Coast, the Home of my Fathers…

 

The home of my fathers, or specifically, my maternal grandfather is oft forgotten, strangely ignored and frequently overlooked in any trawl around the United Kingdom. And yet this one corner of the Scottish Borders has me returning time and time again like a prodigal son.

 

Genetics is a strange thing. Like all of us I had four grandparents and yet I could only tell you where one of them hailed from. If you asked me which one I was most like I would have no idea, but if you asked me which one I most identified with I would tell you instantly it was my mother’s father – James Ferguson, son of William Ferguson, son of William Ferguson. One and all border-country men. One and all hailing from the beauty that is our Solway Coast.

 

My grandfather was born on the Solway Coast and lived there until his father presented him with a £10 pound note and told him to go and buy an engagement ring. A wedding match had been arranged. Not keen on the match James spent the £10 on a train ticket to London and as a consequence spent most of his life away from the land of his birth, but upon reaching retirement he returned with a bride of his own choice to live out the remainder of his days.

 

Fortunately for his young grand children his retirement days were to be long and rewarding and so were the numerous family holidays our family enjoyed twice a year at his home in Kirkcudbright. Over long summer holidays we got to know the surrounding region visiting some of his 15 brothers and sisters.

 

For me the Solway Coast evokes many images: rolling green countryside that the Fergusons worked and farmed; frozen in time market towns and small villages where they lived; sandy beaches where they played; and picturesque harbours where a returning trawlerman would often proffer a part of his catch for some favour owed to a brother’s cousin’s niece’s husband.

 

Despite the occasional midges and the more frequent rain I have no hesitation in recommending the Solway Coast, below I will highlight some of the area’s attractions, but take my advice and give it a try, it hasn’t changed that much since I started visiting some 35 years ago. But, truthfully the main reason to visit the area is that it is a designated Area of Outstanding beauty and you can be sure it has something for everyone. It’s glorious beaches and rolling countryside play host to an incredible number of plants and animals, especially wild birds. For more information on the region’s wildlife the Solway Coast Discovery Centre in Silloth is an excellent place to start. The centre also has extensive information on walks with local experts.

 

Situated in the bottom Western corner of Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway is an unspoilt county and the poetic heart of a countryside with ample destinations for great day trips. Steeped in lore and legend, the area has attractions that are ancient and modern, small and grand. Notable places to visit include all the attractions on the Robert Burns trail, Threave castle and the wonderful Castle Kennedy Gardens.

 

The are has never been avant garde, mobile phone reception is intermittent and with the majority of roads being lined by dairy farms cows seem to outnumber the human population with a comfortable majority. Most distinctive of all the bovine inhabitants are the Belted Galloways, with their broad white belt dividing their torsos.

 

My grandfather’s place of retirement was the town of Kirkcudbright, perched on the banks of the River Nith, known today as the Artists’ Town – and an amble around it’s streets will explain the nomenclature.

 

Kirkcudbright, along with castle Douglas, Gatehouse of Fleet, Newton Stewart and Creetown  all share another claim to fame. They have all been used for locations for the 1973 film “The Wicker Man”. Dundrennan, a short way down the road from Kirkcudbright, now plays host annually to the Wicker man Music festival, and is reminiscent of how Glastonbury used to be, recent headlining acts have included Fun Loving Criminals, The Orb, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jah Wobble and Gary Numan.  

 

But if music festivals aren’t your cup of tea then there is plenty more to do: golfing, walking, fishing, shooting opportunities scatter the countryside as do historic castles. Once upon a time Dumfries and Galloway were part of the frontline against an expansionist England. Caerlaverock castle today is the host of re-enactment battles but was laid siege to by Edward I at the turn of the 14^th century.

 

Harking back to my own school holidays the entertainment was limited, but in the tourist high season there were always the occasional organised farm walks and the highlight of the local tourist season calender – the Kirkcudbright tattoo.

 

Nowadays the tourist calendar has extended considerably and some of the more notable attractions include:

 

June

Kirkcudbright Jazz Festival

 

July

Annual Riding of the Marches Ceremony

Galloway Children’s Festival 

 

August

Kirkcudbright Art and Crafts Trail

Bladnoch Folk and Blues festival

Gaelforce festival

Galloway Country Fair

Kippford Craft fair

Moffat Show

North West Dumfries Muckle Doo

Portpatrick Folk Festival

Scottish Alternative Games

St. Ninian Festival

The Border gathering

The Kirkcudbright Tattoo

 

September

Creetown Country Music Festival

Dalbeatie Rock Weekend

Dumfries Film Festival

Gaelforce festival

Moniaive Action project

Morris and Mummers

Robert Burns Festival

St. Ninian Festival

Wigtown Literary Book Town Festival

 

October

Gaelforce festival

Hightae Annual Craft fair

Lockerbie Jazz Festival

Moffat Walking Festival

Tango Extravaganza

Wigtown Literary Book Town Festival

 

November

Moffat Christmas festival

 

December

Mabie Fayre

 

However, no matter when you visit there is bound to be a local attraction on your doorstep. Below you will find a list of attractions by location:

 

Caerlaverock

Caerlaverock Castle

Wildfowl & Wetland Trust

 

Canonbie

Gilnockie Tower

 

Castle Douglas

Brewery Sulwath Brewers Ltd.

Cardoness castle

Cream O’Galloway

Mill On The Fleet

Old Buitle Tower

Orchardton Tower

Threave Castle and Gardens

 

Creetown

Carsluith castle

 

Dalbeatie

Drumcoltran Tower

 

 Dumfries

Arbigland

Burns House

Mersehead Nature Reserve

New Abbey Corn Mill

Robert Burns Centre

Sweetheart Abbey

 

Dundrennan

The Wicker Man Festival

Dundrennan Abbey

 

Kirkcudbright

Broughton House and Garden

Galloway Hydros Visitor centre

Harbour Cottage Gallery

MacLellan’s Castle

 

Langholm

Samye Ling Monnastery and Tibetan Centre

 

Lochmaben

Lochmaben Castle

 

Lockerbie

Carlyle’s Birthplace

Mossburn Animal Centre

Rammerscales House

 

Mochrum

Druchtag Motte 

Morton

Morton Castle

 

Newton Stewart

Creetown Exhibition Cenntre

Creetown Gern Museum

Galloway House Gardens

Glenluce Abbey

Glentrool Visitor Centre

Kirroughtree Visitor Centre

Monreith Animal World and Museum

 

Stranraer

Castle Kennedy Gardens

 

 

Thornhill

Drumlanrig Castle, Gardens and Park

 

Twynholm

Cocoabean Chocolate factory

David Coulthard’s home town and museum

 

Most of the above charge an admittance fee, but for free entertainment you can (weather permitting) head off to one of the regions fine beaches, such as:

 

Carrick Shore Beach, near Gatehouse of Fleet

 

Brighouse Bay beach, near Kirckcudbright

 

Castle Point beach Rockcliffe

 

Doon Beach, near Kirckudbright

 

Kippford beach, Kippford

 

Mossyard bbeach, near Gatehouse of Fleet

 

Rockcliffe Beach, Rockcliffe

 

Cardoness Beach, near Gatehouse of Fleet

 

Sandgreen Beach, near Gatehouse of Fleet

 

Sandyhils Beach, near Dalbeatie  

Southerness Beach, near Dumfries

Sydney…greatest city in the world!

Sydney…greatest city in the world!
 
Anyone who knows me will tell you I am not the greatest lover of cities as travel destinations. Sure I don’t mind doing the occasional city break but generally for me a city is something you fly into and pass through as quickly as possible on your way to a more desirable relaxed part of the country in question. Preferably, a part of the country with beaches, wide open spaces, cheap food and drink and happy people – none of which I usually find myself stumbling over when I spend anytime in a city.
 
That was carved in stone for me, immutable, a constant, irrefutable…until I visited Sydney.
 
So the deal was this. I live in Western Europe. We were heading down south to explore New Zealand. A place abundant in all my must haves listed above with the idea of possibly emigrating. However, the wife says to me “it’s a long way to go and not to visit Australia”.  Now at this point I should mention I have never wanted to visit Australia in my life. Friends who had circumnavigated the country on 12 month round the world trips advised me to skip it in favour of the delights of Asia. It’s not often my friends give me bad advice. That said, I should also mention my wife normally gets her own way and before I knew it we had a Sydney stopover added to our itinerary. I have friends in Brisbane and so our itinerary soon read  Scotland, Brittany, Thailand, arrive Sydney/ Depart Brisbane/ arrive Auckland. 

Thailand was OK, going downhill in my opinion, not what it was and next time i’ll probably do Laos instead.

Upon leaving Thailand I was looking forward to crossing into the Southern Hemisphere for the first time and mentally already preparing for getting in and out of Australia before hitting the main event of NZ.

So we’re coming in to land at Sydney and the first thing you see from the air is the Sydney Tower (or the Space needle as it’s also known) and then you can see the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. So i’m sitting there as we’re descending thinking  “hhhmmm Sky Tower is there…Harbour is there…Opera House is there”, and before I knew it I had found my bearings even before we landed. Furthermore, and I don’t know whether it was just the thrill of seeing these landmarks like that laid out below me from the air…but I fell in Love with Sydney before we even touched down. 

Now Australian immigration is probably one of the most meticulous in the world and we were prepared for the inevitable lengthy rigmarole with some miserable faced Ozzie, but instead we are greeted by a smiling immigration guy who clocks my football shirt and exclaims “oh Arsenal my favourite team” . Exiting immigration and the airport we decide to take the cheap minibus option into town, so we get a ticket and approach the first one in the rank only for the guy to greet us with “oh Arsenal, my favourite team”, so i’m not out of the airport and the people have already won me over.

We had decided to stay in the Woolloomooloo part of town as we had heard it was cheap and within walking distance of everywhere and we were dropped on Victoria Street with hostels in abundance about 6.00am.

By 10am we had found a decent enough place, caught a couple of hours sleep and were then out and off to explore the city.  Consulting our map we see Liverpool St, Victoria St, Kings Cross, Bayswater Road and Oxford St – it’s hard for an amateur Londoner not to feel at home in Sydney.

Victoria Street, it turns out is really the southern boundary of Kings Cross and the Northern boundary of Woolloomooloo but it’s still just a short walk into the CBD and the main tourist areas. 

Rather than bore you with a step by step reenactment of our trawl around this city I will instead give you some of my reccomendations.

It’s a top top ten, but as always not in any particular order, do with them what you will:

The Sydney Harbour Bridge

Or “The Coathanger” as the locals refer to it.  It is the world’s widest long-span bridge and its tallest steel arch bridge, measuring 134 metres (429.6 ft) from top to water level. Do what you will! Sketch it, photograph it, paint it. The more adventurous of you will climb it for a fee, but you can just walk across it for nothing, take a cab, take a train…but you can’t say you have been to Sydney until you have crossed The Sydney Harbour Bridge. It’s an icon.

The Manly Ferry

Not to be confused with a testosterone fuelled shipping service but the Manly Ferry is a commuter service which runs from Circular Quay to the Sydney suburb of Manly.

The journey is far cheaper than taking any of the harbour tours and you get a good view of the Bridge and an excellent view of the Opera House.  Manly itself is a delight, try the ice cream parlour just on the right on the main drag from the harbour to the beach.

The Sydney Opera House

Catch a performance, do the tour or just have your photo taken outside arms aloft pretending to sing. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site on June 28, 2007.  Based on the competition winning entry by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, the Sydney Opera House is one of the world’s most distinctive 20th century buildings, and one of the most famous performing arts venues in the world.

The Sydney Tower

Right in the heart of the Sydney central business district (CBD) rises the 305-metre Sydney Tower, a distinctive, highly visible Sydney landmark and the city’s tallest structure, more than two and a quarter times the height of the Sydney Harbour Bridge at its highest point.

On a clear day, you can see as far as the Central Coast in the north, the Blue Mountains in the west and Wollongong and the Illawarra Coast in the south.

But Sydney Tower is not just a landmark, an observation deck, and a point of reference for those who lose their way in the city it is also an excellent dining venue with a revolving restaurant, a source of dynamic audiovisual Australian information with its OzTrek attraction, and beneath it a constellation of shops in the Westfield Centrepoint shopping centre.

Sydney Aquarium

Now an aquarium wouldn’t really be my cup of tea, yet Sydney’s No. 1 tourist attraction is truly excellent – and let’s face it it’s the safest way to view Sydney’s aquatic waterlife what with the number of man eating beasties that reside in this part of the world’s waters. Currently celebrating it’s 20th birthday, opened in 1988, the Sydney Aquarium is one of the largest Aquariums in the world and ranks with other leading aquariums such as those in Monterey in the USA and Osaka in Japan. It is Sydney’s premier tourist attraction with over 55-60% of its visitors each year coming from overseas.

Designed by Australian architects and taking nearly two years to build, the Aquarium is in the shape of a large wave, thereby complementing the underwater theme of the Aquarium itself and also the maritime theme of Darling Harbour. The Great Barrier Reef complex which opened in October 1998 continues this same theme.

Harry’s Cafe De Wheels

HCDW is a Sydney institution, which has been present since the 1930’s – primarily famous for their pies, it’s actually two other words which get Harry’s onto my must do list.  Those two words are “Chilli Dog”.

My advice is get to the Woolloomooloo site in time for opening, 08.30 Monday through Friday, 09.00 Saturday and Sunday and have one for breakfast to set you up for the day prior to exploring the city.

Harry’s is decorated with pictures of some of the celebrities who have graced it, and take my word for it the list is endless.

The phrase ‘Café de Wheels’ came about as the city council of the day insisted that mobile food caravans move a minimum of 12 inches a day. Harry dutifully obeyed and thus the name was expanded to Harry’s Café de Wheels. Before the councils ruling, the caravan was known simply as ‘Harry’s.’ When its wheels went missing one night, local wags coined the nickname ‘Café de Axle.’

Yum Cha in Chinatown

Eating out is one of the delights of Sydney and another food reccomendation is next on my list. This time it’s lunch which is on the menu, and i’m suggesting you get yourselves down to Sydney’s Haymarket district and it’s fabulous  Chinatown and look for Yum Cha (or Dim Sum), yum cha  literally means “drinking tea” and dim sum “to touch the heart.”

After you are shown to a table you don’t actually order in the ordinary sense of the word. A trolley of goodies passes by and you point to whatever takes your fancy. There is no sin in asking what particular items are. And you point and nod for whatever you want.

The usual accompaniment for yum cha is Chinese green tea and this is served in teapots that can be replenished with hot water as needed. 

There will be chopsticks at your table. If you are uncomfortable with chopsticks, you can ask for forks, or spoons and forks. Fingers are allowed.

There will be a large assortment of dishes to choose from, some of the more popular ones being har gau (shrimp dumplings), cha siu bau (barbecued-pork buns) and tsun guen (spring rolls) and there are many variations of these as well.

There will also be desert items, such as egg tart, lychees and sweet sticky rice, for afters. 

Usually the size and type of container dictates the cost. As you order your food from the trolleys, these items are stamped in clearly marked price columns on an order sheet for each table. They are then totalled when you ask for your bill. 

Beware Yum Cha is highly addictive.

Blue Mountains

Less than two hours west of Sydney by road or train, which is the Australian equivalent of a walk to the bottom of your street – definately close enough enough to be included in my Sydney Top 10 is the Blue Mountains.

The Blue Mountains are one of the most popular daytrip destinations out of Sydney, particularly in the hot, sweltering summer.

In winter, this is, of course, the place to go for the Yulefest festival which runs from June to August.

The Blue Mountains — with their spectacular rock formations, cliffs and ravines, and a wilderness you can get hopelessly lost in.

From the Sydney central business district, provided you can get to the M4 freeway right away, you could be in the Blue Mountains foothills, just after Penrith, in less than an hour. 

And if you’re right at the western edge of sprawling Sydney, you could be an hour to most tourists’ favorite Blue Mountains destination — Katoomba.

Outside this frame, you could take as many hours in a day getting up to, and coming down from, the high blue yonder.

Not that it matters really, especially if you’re mainly after a cool and relaxing day. See over 2000 different types of Australian animals, waterfalls, bush walks, The Three Sisters, Sydney 2000 Olympic site and the heritage-listed Blue Mountains national park.

Botanical gardens and the Domain

Australia’s oldest scientific institution, the gorgeous Botanic Gardens was established in 1816 by Governor Macquarie. Its idyllic setting on Farm Cove overlooking the harbour makes it an oasis in the heart of Sydney. In 1788, Governor Phillip established Sydney’s first farm on these slopes and used the grassy Domain as his private garden. The historically rich grounds were the city’s first park, now home to Government House, artistic institutions, and, of course, extensive flora and fauna. Watch out for the bats!

Please note cameras are obligatory at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair

Sports Bar, Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross

When the surrounding competition goes by the names of “Moulin Rouge Downunder”, “Playbirds International” and  ”Porky’s Nite” you kind of get a feel for the tone of the area. Kings Cross Sydney is as classy as Kings Cross London.

But nestled amongst the soft porn of Kings Cross is a sporting man’s dream – pitchers of crisp cold frothy lager, sufficient television screens to watch the Spanish, English, Italian, French, German  and Australian football. Two types of peanuts and comfy chairs, what more could a man want.

To be honest the Sports bar isn’t all that great but it does open to allow European football fans to watch live games, but then again so do loads of places in Sydney. I only reccomend it for personal reasons (49th game unbeaten in the Invincibles run). So if you are in town, ignore my last reccomendation and instead strike out into the wild blue yonder and find your own sporting heaven…it might even have “pokies”!

Wright-Phillips…wrong place

A footballer is due to appear in court to face a charge of burglary relating to the theft of cash and mobile phones from a nightclub staff room.

Southampton midfielder Nathan Dyer, 20, was charged alongside team-mate Bradley Wright-Phillips with the non-dwelling burglary offence at the Bar Bluu club in Southsea, Hampshire, on February 28.

The pair, who both live in Briton Street, Southampton appeared previously at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on July 8.

Wright-Phillips, 23, and Dyer were arrested after staff at the nightclub reported the alleged theft.

The court heard that cash totalling £145, two mobile phones, a driving licence, two bank cards and other personal effects were allegedly stolen during the burglary.

Dyer did not enter a plea but Wright-Phillips indicated that he would plead not guilty and elected for his case to be heard by a judge and jury at the Crown Court.

Dyer is to appear before Portsmouth magistrates while the next appearance for Wright-Phillips at the same court will be on September 2 for a committal hearing.

Nick Cave…you are making me feel old!

Straight off the bat I have to make you aware of a few things. I am no oil painting: Glasses help the deficient vision, too much gigging has given me tinitus, I am bald and the belly has paid the price for my delictation of a cold beer.

And I’m not saying here that Monsieur Cave is a gargoyle. However, I got into Cave and the Bad Seeds just prior to the release of their Live Seeds album. So, that would be 1992/1993. Let’s call it 15 years.

And at the time Cave looked like this.

yeah, we knew this man had a taste for the wilder side of life and dabbled in the occasional spot on unprescribed medication. But after all he’s a “rock and/or roller”, and who hasn’t puffed, popped or poured in their time.

Anywho, it’s 2008 and Cave’s latest album, Dig Lazurus Dig,  is out and the other night I saw him on the TV promoting it …looking like this.

Holy Cheeses! gone is the debonair, bohemian young soul rebel. Replaced by what now resembles a Moldovan porn flick director. And I don’t mean one of those “classy” high budget pornos, I mean one of those 20 minute “was she drugged into doing that” type of affairs.

Anyway, I don’t think Messr. Cave is one to judge a book by it’s cover and certainly won’t be concerned by his appearance. But what troubled me was how in the time I have admired his music he seems to have aged so much.

The hair on top of his head is going and seems to be being over compensated for by a lousy tache. And then it struck me. Cave is becoming Crosby.

David, rather than Bing that is.

So, by the time Cave’s next album comes out we could be expecting

Personally, I feel it would be an improvement on what we have at present.

Nick, we love you man, glad to have you in Brighton, still love the sound, but please lose the pornographer’s ’tache.

Yangshuo, not really China!

Bangkok is a dirty, hustling bustling city. Pollution is rife, it is overcrowded and noisy. However, if you have just spent 3 months on a beach lazing in a hammock, eating nothing but authentic Thai food then Bangkok is manna from heaven. You can catch up with your fellow travellers, bump into people who follow the same football team as you and get your fill of Western food, prior to your next venture off the beaten track. 

 
For anyone spending a considerable period of time in China then Yangshuo will fill the same holes for them as Bangkok does for those exploring the whole of South East Asia.
 
That said Yangshuo does not want to be the first stop on your China itinerary. Bangkok is not representative of Thailand as a whole and neither is Yangshuo representative of China.   

 

 

 

However if, you have spent the last 3, 6 or even 12 months trekking around China, being spat on, feeling confused, lost, isolated and ordering/receiving meals in restaurants and not getting what you expected – then Yangshuo is a lovely destination to break you back into the western world before you board your flight home.
 
Truth be told Yangshuo is not the real China. The real China is without doubt the hardest country I have ever travelled in, Yangshuo on the other hand feels like putting on your favourite jumper. Having spent the best part of 2 years in China myself, I put Yangshuo in my top 3 travel destinations.
 
The odds are you will have flown in to China via either Beijing or Shanghai – so you are going to be commencing your journey on the East coast, if you didn’t/aren’t then skip this bit.
 
 I would advise a route of either:
 
Beijing – Xi’an – Chengdu – Kunming – Yangshuo – Three Gorges cruise Chongching/Wuhan – Shanghai – Beijing – Home
 
Shanghai – Beijing – Xi’an – Chengdu – Kunming – Yangshuo – Three Gorges cruise Chongching/Wuhan – Shanghai – Home
 
Either way, which ever route you take, by the time you have wandered off the route numerous times to add on your own individual side trips you will have been in China long enough to appreciate Yangshuo by the time you reach it.  

 And reaching itself is quite straightforward despite Yangshuo not having either train station or airport (they would only ruin it).

Most people en route to Yangshuo are going to take the train into Guilin, some 20 km to the South. You might choose to fly into Guilin, but if you are taking internal flights in China then one of the following three statements fits you:

·        You are on a very tight time schedule.

·        You have more money than sense.

·        You take reckless risks with your own life.

You will also be implored to stay in Guilin, after all it is the “most beautiful place in the world”, if you want to stay then stay as long as you like, but the second you arrive in Yangshuo you will realise every precious second you spent in Guilin was wasted time.

From Guilin you are going to either take a mini bus or boat to get to Yangshuo. If you chose the former the easiest place to catch them from is from the square outside the train station in Guilin. If you chose to take the boat, then don’t worry there will be people falling over themselves to sell you a ticket. Journey time 4 hours floating leisurely down the Li River.

I wouldn’t concern you with a schedule for the buses – like most buses in China, they leave when they are full. Expect to pay approx 15rmb don’t give anyone any money until the bus has started moving – a common scam is for people to get on the bus before it leaves and sell you a ticket for an inflated price. Journey time is about one and a half hours, there is a quicker bus that leaves from the Guilin bus terminal but by the time you find it etc. the journey time will end up the same anyway. 

 Another scam to watch out for is when the bus stops on the road outside Yangshuo, a guy gets on and tells everyone to get off as the bus is going elsewhere. You then end up paying them to take you the rest off the way and then end up staying at their accommodation too. The only place you should be getting off the bus is in the terminal at Yangshuo – which is an enclosed courtyard type of affair.

Despite the scams, my advice would be to take the bus. Firstly, you will have ample opportunity to take the Li River boat trip once you are in Yangshuo. Secondly, in winter the water level of the river drops and you can only travel the second half of the journey by boat anyway.

What to expect

Yangshuo is a very small town famous for its surrounding geography that gets 1.5 million visitors a year. The countryside is scattered with Karst hills – limestone hills eroded millennium ago when the whole area would have been under water. The beautiful Lijiang (Li) and Tianjila rivers run through it and nearby. Today the hills look as if some giant had haphazardly sown the hills whilst walking through the valley.

 The town itself was established in the Jin Dynasty (265-420AD) and has developed into one of the foremost tourist destinations in the whole of China. Unlike Guilin development, although rife, is more restrained in Yangshuo – buildings are not allowed to go higher than six storeys for fear of blocking out the view that makes the town desirable. Also taxis are prohibited from the central area.

Initially popular with foreign tourists Yangshuo is becoming increasingly popular with Chinese tourists – just look for the flag/umbrella waving tour guide at the front of the horde of day-trippers coming towards you to disrupt your serenity. Fortunately as late afternoon approaches the crowds disperse.

The central road map of Yangshuo can best be imagined as a ladder lain on the ground. With Die Cui Lu (the more authentic) and Xiejie (West Street) as the two main uprights. The Li River is at the bottom of the ladder and the rungs are represented by a number of smaller streets that join the two main thoroughfares. Of the two main streets XieJie is the one with most of the tourist traps.

Be warned West Street is unlike anything else you will find in China, having a more commercial South East Asian ambiance whilst on Die Cui Lu you will see cages full of dogs waiting for slaughter that may just upset you enough to put you off your food.

Between the two main streets runs a small inlet down to the Li River and a lot of the prettier, quieter bars and restaurants are situated around it.

Most visitors to Yangshuo arrive via the town’s bus station at the top of the ladder. Situated nearby is the People’s Park, which is a great place to watch the locals playing card, knitting etc.

If you are ever unsure about anything in Yangshuo head to Lisa’s Café and speak to Lisa…what Lisa doesn’t know about Yangshuo isn’t worth knowing.

Daytime Activities

Some people will use Yangshuo only as a base for exploring the locality and rarely be seen in town from one day to the next whilst others arrive in town and only leave West Street when they depart town.

Whichever mind set you possess there is ample to keep you occupied. Par example:

A boat trip up the Li River – don’t leave town without doing this. Take your camera. Go home afterwards and amaze your friends with some of the best photos you have ever taken. Most people take the boat up river and then cycle or bus home.

Rock Climbing – probably the second most popular activity in town. There are over 300 recognised climbs around Yangshuo all rated between 5.6 and 5.13. Yangshuo has 5 climbing shops and Yangshuo climbers even have their own watering hole just off West Street.

Tyre rafting – rent a tyre and float down river.

Canoeing – erm, rent a canoe and canoe up or down the river…maybe both.

Caving – Yangshuo has an extensive network of caves open for exploring. Be warned though some of the guides are amateurish to say the least. Talk to your fellow travellers before making your choice rather than just sign up with the first person that stops you on West Street.

Mud bathing – usually done as part of a caving trip.

Hire a hot air balloon for an hour – quoted prices seem to range from £65/ 700rmb to £100/1300rmb approx per person per hour, but by far the best way to view the region.

Calligraphy – take a Chinese writing class.

Chinese cooking – practice your wok skills at the Yangshuo Cooking School and also at Cloud9.

Acupuncture – get to the point, sharpish.

Foot reflexology – sort your bodies ill humours just by letting someone play with your feet for an hour or so.

Tai Chi – classes are given in The People’s Park each morning at 8AM. Otherwise there are also formal schools providing ‘drop in’ classes.

Volunteering — The Volunteer English Teachers program visits local schools to teach  children English.

Martial arts classes – classes are available in Tai Chi, Kungfu, Tai Kwon Do, and other martial arts at the Budizhen school at the top of West Street for ¥80 a day.

Café culture – gorge yourself silly on the local speciality “beer fish” or just grab a burger. Surf the net or just sit and watch the Chinese tour groups pass by.

Cycling – has to be the number one activity around Yangshuo. Expect to pay approx 20/50rmb for the day – get a map and off you go. Local attractions being: Jianshan Mountain, Moon Hill, Shutong Hill, Yangshuo Park, Xiongsen Bear & Tiger Mountain village. The lazier amongst you can upgrade to a scooter for 120rmb per day.

Shopping – Yangshuo is a copyright pirate’s paradise (like much of China) top up your CD/DVD collection for a tenth of the home price. West Street hosts a lot of interesting shops offering some nice pieces, but be warned – the majority will be counterfeit – don’t pay more than a third of any first price you are offered.

Night time activities

Many of the outlets that operate as cafes during the day become bar/clubs during the night. You might want to bear this in mind when picking your accommodation in the first place.

Other activities include:

Impression Liu Sanjie – is a show, which runs every night in the peak season and runs nightly during the high season. The show is set to music and is based on a film of the same name. The show is a son et lumiere with a cast of hundreds dressed in authentic costume. Like a lot of things in Yangshuo prices vary so be prepared to haggle. Some people do say the cheaper tickets offer a better/more panoramic view.

The night market – up by the bus station the market has lots to see and  any of the wildlife that you might have spotted during the day will make its way onto the menu here. Watch out for pickpockets though.

For something a bit different you can go out with a night fisherman and watch the ancient tradition of cormorant fishing – whereby the birds (with rings around their necks to prevent them from consuming their catch) are trained to dive under the water, catch a fish return to the boat and regurgitate it. Nice.

If West Street at night is a bit too noisy for you head on over to Die Ciu Lu where things are a little quieter.

Where to stay

I’m not going to single out any one particular place because good places go bad and vice versa. If you want someone else’s recommendation then get yourself a copy of the Lonely Planet. But unless you arrive on the busiest day of the year there will be countless accommodation options open to you ranging from budget places directly on West Street to some top end places just outside the town centre. 

For a guide to prices I would say expect to pay :  

Budget : 40 rmb for a room with shared facilities.

Middle :  50/ 120rmb private shower/Western toilet.

 Top  :  150rmb upwards. There are some excellent properties a bike ride from the centre – I’ll let word of mouth point you in the right direction.

NB At the top of West Street is the Paradise Hotel – I am going to do something I have never done and recommend against this hotel as it is exactly this type of mass tourism Yangshuo does not need. Apparently it is rubbish anyway and anything they offer there you can get outside its confines for half the price.

One last thing if you see THE little old lady, buy something and wish her well…you will know her when you see her…and if you tarry outside a café on West Street believe me, you will see her.