Christmas Eve in China

Yangshuo. It goes into the books along with Byron Bay, Stewart Island, Queenstown, and Florence. I really enjoyed Yangshuo from the moment I stepped off the bus. It was a small town(in China this usually means 2 million people). Here it was actually just a few roads, no skyscrapers, you could walk everywhere, and it was a backpacker haven. Tons and tons of backpackers everywhere. The main street is lined with little shops selling handicrafts and no cars, just people. I checked into the Sihai Fandian and headed next door to Lisa's Cafe which was packed. Just about to sit down by myself and who do I see, but the Canadians! I sat with them and the people they had met that day on their Li River cruise and we had a few beers and the table grew longer and the people piled in to sit at the large table. About thirty backpackers in all enjoying a meal for Christmas Eve, it was wonderful. This carried on into the late hours of the night. Then about 12 of us headed to the top of a limestone peak in the center of town(known as the Green Lotus) and we lit off fireworks to celebrate Christmas. Then the sunrise, wow. And Christmas was here. Not how I would like to celebrate Christmas every year but what a memorable experience....

The sun came up between a couple of the peaks and was a beautiful red disk. Unreal.