Don't worry or go to the bathhouse! China-2017. Part 13. Out of time.
Furong 2017-06-06 >
The morning started without rain, which in itself was unusual.
I woke up early and went out to the terrace to admire the waterfall. The waterfall missed the rain, you could see it. It shrank, divided into separate streams, somehow calmed down, brightened, the waters became transparent, without a redhead.
We planned to go to him in the morning, before leaving for Fenghuang, as it didn’t work out in the evening, all Chinese attractions are closed too early.
But before going to the waterfall, it was necessary to have breakfast. Breakfast is included in the room rate, as is laundry, by the way, which is important for travelers. We still remembered the delicious dinner and happily ran to breakfast, jumping over two steps at once.
But we were disappointed.
The food was not tasty, moreover, we can say that there was no food at all. Apart from strange sticky cakes in leaves that looked like bay leaves, I had nothing else to eat. Nadia had nothing at all, she categorically did not like the cakes, and the rest of the food was even less interesting.
In a small plate, I took one cake with me downstairs, brewed coffee in my iron mug and sat on the terrace, sinking my teeth into the unusually sticky dough, soaking up this magnificent morning.
I'm sorry that when traveling there is never enough time to just sit. I need exactly twice as many days as I am planning for the trip. But I very much doubt that it will ever be possible to go on vacation for more than three weeks. The three weeks that I had this time, I loaded as tightly as possible. Half an hour on the terrace by the waterfall with coffee and Chinese sweets is the maximum I can afford.
We went to the waterfall when we packed our bags in order to invite one of the staff to help us with the luggage on the way back. Not far to go, the stairs start next to the hotel, yesterday we were dragging along it with suitcases.
We approach the turnstile and show the tickets. The guards do not let us in, the tickets are broken, which means that we can no longer go to the waterfall. Ticket used.
But do not deprive yourself of pleasure because of such a trifle.
With the help of almost every Chinese word I know and ancient Chinese dances pantomime, I communicate with the guards.
We arrived at this place yesterday. Our tickets… -(waving my limbs, showing how we got our tickets) - . . But we didn't go to the waterfall, we didn't watch the waterfall. We came here… - (jumping showing how we stomped around, circling around) - We asked where the hotel was, how to get to the hotel. We went up. We didn't go down. We didn't watch the waterfall.
The guards stand with their mouths open. Surely, from the whole monologue, the most understandable to them is we, we, we . . , but they can’t argue with us, they don’t even have the guts to argue after such pressure.
-Tsouba - they say without much enthusiasm -Go wherever you want, just leave our brains alone.
We pass through the turnstile and find ourselves in a very ancient city.
Furong, which we saw from above - it was an ancient city, and this . . this city was very ancient. Well, very, very ancient.
He just radiates ancient energy. It blows me off my feet in places like this. With every cell of my body I feel the millennia of these walls.
Again I am surprised at my sensitivity. On the Great Wall of China, one of the seven modern wonders of the world, I don’t feel anything at all, but in a village forgotten by mankind, my ear goes into a drug trance such strong sensations.
Each piece of wood is so mine that I no longer want to go to any Fenghuang city, I want to stay here foreverand sleep on such a bed.
There are practically no people around. The Chinese, as you remember, walk in organized groups, and when there is no group, then there are no people.
Skulls with horns are everywhere, it looks strange, but also attractive. In one of the deserted rooms we find a throne with such a skull and this is generally an apotheosis, although the throne is not ancient, but so atmospheric!
Yes, that's the word - atmospheric! Atmospheric is a hallmark of a small typical Chinese town, which became famous thanks to one film. This film, by the way, is still shown every day at the local open-air cinema.
I wonder what all these numerous skulls mean, maybe this is a religious attribute of the local ethnic group. Although the Tuja people live in Furong, as well as in the entire province of Hunan. And we only met skulls here.
Once upon a time I heard, or I myself came up with a legend that Furong was the capital of a small state of Tuja and therefore a palace was built on a rock.
Then I found information that the palace was built by one of the emperors, as it was inspired by the waterfall.
We did not go to the palace, but we simply could not help but go to the waterfall.
The most interesting thing is to swimpass under the waterfall.
Crazy energy in falling water. Scary, funny and delightful at the same time. A cocktail of emotions!
Under the waterfall kapets how wetthere was a cave with iron primitive people.
Despite the fact that the waterfall has reduced its pressure, water is pouring from everywhere.
Nadya didn't go under the waterfall to avoid getting wet. And I myself again wonder why I didn’t put on rubber shoe covers from Tianmenshan and a raincoat. This is already the second waterfall in my life, in which I go without special protection, even though I have it prepared for this occasion. The first was in Bali, then I jumped right into the water in sandals. They blew it clean. When I see a waterfall, my brain kicks. I didn’t dive into the river here, but my feet got very wet. I had to dry them with a hair dryer in the hotel urgently. Shoes ruined completely.
We took our things, drove to the bus station for 10 yuan and left safely for Jishou. There is no direct bus to Fenghuang, we found out at the hotel.
The flight is local, costs 25 yuan, very interesting in terms of getting to know the life of the Chinese.
Even in such small buses there are seat belts. The conductor or driver will definitely shout into the cabin:
- Anu, here you go, fasten your seat belts, we're taking off!
On the way, colorful personalities come in and out, the hubbub is like in a bird market. At some point, everything calms down, I get comfortable, cover myself with a stole and think about taking a nap. Suddenly we stop, windows open and collective fumigation begins. That is, people leaned out the windows and started... smoking! Smoke on the bus, Carl! ) There is a road repair in front of Jishou, there is a traffic jam, people in traffic are bored. And drivers smoke on the go, they seem to be bored all the time.
In Jishou, we transfer to another bus, a larger one. He stands and waits for us right there, in the yard of the bus station. A couple more hours of travel, 20 yuan, and we arrive in Fenghuang - the end point of our today's route.
