Tally-ho and yippedy-doo-da-dee to all the relations back home!
Today, our first full day in Yangshuo, we took a small expedition to the local markets where we were fascinated by all the weird vegetables, fruits, and live animals, all things that would not be easily discovered in an Australian market. Live eels, turtles, roots of lotus, fish of every hue, pickled garlic stems and bamboo shoots were among the many things we saw here. This was the first time we had really had a chance to see the downtown of Yangshuo, and it was clear to us that this was quite unlike any other place we had been on this trip. We were all flabbergasted to hear that the population of Yangshuo was just about 300,000, yet last year alone it received circa 21 million tourists.
After this quick introduction to Chinese ingredients, we travelled to a small, rural area just outside of the bustling centre of Yangshuo to learn how to cook an authentic Chinese lunch. Arguably the nonpareil of all the food we’ve had the pleasure of eating thus far, we cooked a lunch of eggplant simmered in a sauce with black bean and chilli, stir-fried cauliflower, steamed chicken with berries and dates, and a spectacular stir-fry of pork and vegetables. We all thought it a fantastic experience to learn Chinese cooking techniques and recipes. The food itself was actually nothing like what we had eaten at local restaurants, as this genuine food would have been entirely traditional, and perhaps not tourist-oriented at all. The variety, quantity and nature of the spices and their flavours used could almost relate this slightly to South Asian cooking, and it was a joy to be able to work with such fresh ingredients. We all enjoyed the warm, traditional meals we produced very much.
We were all fascinated by this unique cuisine, certainly unlike Chinese food served in Australia, and as we said earlier, even from all the other food that we have been served in China itself. Some unique experiences that we enjoyed during this time were the odd techniques, such as smashing garlic, chopping, scooping and essentially cooking all with a meat-cleaver. This reminded us that the local people have had to make do with very little for a very long time, and thus, have developed a very efficient way of life.
After this spectacular experience, we went on a relaxing bamboo-raft cruise on the Dragon River. Vastly different compared to the crowded, littered streets, the water lay calm and clear like a green crystal sheet over the rocks. Once again, our breath was taken away by the immense mountains that covered the landscape around Guilin. It was a spectacular backdrop to sit back and admire as our local boatmen punted our rafts leisurely down the cool running waters of the Dragon River. A huge amount of photographers lined the river, incessantly photographing us all, along with innumerable newly married or to-be wed couples. We were even treated to a cormorant fishing demonstration courtesy of a traditional fisherman, whose well-trained birds penetrated the river’s shimmering surface to retrieved their scaly prize.
Our day ended with another dinner at a local restaurant, followed by another evening meandering down the bustling and crowded market stalls of Yangshou’s famous West Street, providing yet another opportunity to soak up the local life and flavour. Overall a fantastic day! Cheerio from Ashok, Ben and Daniel!
By Ashok Chandar, Ben Merganovski and Daniel Tesfai.
