View from Hotel in Yangshou, colored pencil and ink Erin Lau © 2009
Yangshou was the destination of our cruise down the Li River. It is a touristy town, but for good reason, it is in the heart of these picturesque rock formations. We rode bikes through the country side, stopping to talk to farmers along the way. There are free- range chickens everwhere! The day was overcast, foggy, I didn’t see the sun much at all in China.
West Street, Yangshou
Li River Sights, colored pencil and ink Erin Lau © 2009
The cruise along the Li River takes 4-5 hours. It is a slow boat, that is able to float in water that is only 3 feet deep. The water is clear and green, unlike that of the Yangtze. Conversations are a jumble of German, Chinese, Spanish, English. The bamboo boats, Sampans, pull up alongside the cruise boats, grab hold, and try to sell fake jade to the tourists. Somebody must be buying it.
Cruise Boats, Water Buffalo, and Sampans Erin Lau © 2009
Erin Lau © 2009
Bridge at Banyan Lake, ink Erin Lau © 2009
Early morning, the sound of competing Tai Chi groups, Shakira vs. Chinese Erhu, resonate off distant limestone protrusions. The young versus the old. A tour boat shatters the stillness of this entrancing man made lake. I think I shall return.
Travel Drawn 