just me: Guizhou - entry 14

(LC's photo of the lake)

Well, here we are back in Guizhou. It is our third day in Guizhou and after two days of hiking up and down waterfalls and climbing steps, this was to be one of our more relaxing days. We were actually scheduled to visit the Wanfenglin in the morning but our guides felt that there was simply too much mist for us to see the splendor of that scenic location so that was postponed till later in the afternoon.

Previously, they had asked us if we were willing to pay for an optional tour and we all agreed to pay for lunch and a ride on a boat around this man-made lake. Unfortunately, since this isn't on the itinerary and I forgot to note the name of the lake, I actually don't know what lake we visited that morning. =(

What I do know is that this huge lake was created after the creation of a dam somewhere in the vicinity. I also know that the borders of Guizhou, Yunnan and Guangxi all meet at some point on this lake. So while I can't say with any certainty what lake I was on, I do know the approximate location of this lake. Check out the map below:

I'm guessing I was on the Huangni River or Lake? But I could be wrong. If someone knows, please feel free to leave me a comment. Thanks.

Photos taken from the bus on our way down to the lake:

LC's photo of the winding road leading down to the lake:

Photos from the walk down to the pier:

Anyway, it was a nice and peaceful ride on this lake. There weren't too many boats out which was kind of nice. It was also a welcome change from all the strenuous activities of the past two days. So although it was really rather cold out, we didn't mind it too much and most people spent their time snapping photos, getting to know others on the trip or just enjoying the breeze and the view of the karst mountains and stone formations that were all around us.

Views of the lake:

Foggy mountains in the distance:

More views from the lake:

We had lots of fish, a shrimp dish and lots of vegetables for lunch. It was actually quite good and quite fresh. I was told that the fish we ate were caught from the lake. In general, the food we ate during this trip was tailored for Singaporeans who usually find Mainland Chinese food much too oily and salty. And because the food had to try and cater to the various eating habits and tastes of approximately 70 people, we really didn't eat too many local dishes and we also didn't eat too many dishes that were too spicy. We were told that most locals love really spicy food but we didn't eat too many dishes that were spicy at all. So for the first two days, I don't think we really knew just how spicy the locals like their food until the lunch on the boat. While we were happily tucking into several fish dishes already, we were presented with yet another fish dish. It looked innocent enough. It simply looked like a fish cooked in some sauce and covered with what looked like relatively finely chopped up long beans. It was after we put the first big mouthful of fish in our mouths before we started gaging and grabbing for our glasses of tea. Now I like spicy food and I can eat pretty spicy food but I've got to say, that fish dish was really, really spicy and it really make me realise just how spicy the Guizhou locals like their food.

Even more views from the lake: