I walked down the hill and said goodbye to the rice terraces of Ping An. My first ride was to Longsheng, connecting to Sanjiang and then a further connection to my final destination.
Three bus rides later I was at the Cheng Yang Wind and Rain Bridge, outside the town of Sanjiang. It is pretty rural here. The buses were smoking badly and they go through pretty rough areas where the roads are completely unsealed. My bus was white after the journey, due to the dust since it was the dry season.
I got a room in a hostel by the river quite close to the Bridge. I’m here to experience life in a Dong (name of a minority tribe) village. On the surface, the Dong seem quite similar to the Dayaks and Kadazan-Dusun of Borneo … giving credence that the Malayo-Polynesian people are from South-West China. Their dance, musical instruments and dress are related.
Over dinner I met a Swedish guy. We were comparing our luggage and packing. I was quite proud of my 9 kg (with non-essentials left in Hong Kong). He had a bit more as he had bought a tattoing machine in Beijing. He offered me a free session as he needed some practice. I thought it would be an infection waiting to happen. He then showed me his DIY pattern on his leg … imagine tattooing yourself!!! He’s going to meet up with his girlfriend in Phuket … I think she’s going to leave Thailand a completely different person (appearance-wise)!
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- The Cheng Yang wind and rain bridge.
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- The Zhuang costumes and the offering of alcohol is similar to customs in Borneo.
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- The Zhuang dances are similar to those in Borneo and Philippines.
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- Last of the summer harvest hanging up.
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- Last of the summer harvest hanging up.
