Don't worry or go to the bathhouse! China-2017. Part 14. Fenghuang means Phoenix.
Still the ninth day
In fact, nothing ever ends, but simply changes into another form, doesn't it? Each of the days, burning in the evening, is born in the morning. Sometimes the transition is easy and timely, and sometimes painful and at the wrong time. We may resist change, but change is as inevitable as day and night. If something important for us ends, and if it ends painfully, then it means only one thing - we still do not believe that a new day will bring us new joys.
All this philosophy of mine on that day was a practical confirmation. We were in the middle of our journey and in the middle of the road between the most beautiful place on earth and a city called Phoenix, and this, you see, was very symbolic.
At the Fenghuang bus station, the people dispersed quickly and in an unknown direction.
We wandered around a small kiosk, closed tightly with a roller shutter, with the inscription "tickets". Well, or "cash", which, in principle, is the same. We need tickets to Longsheng tomorrow, because the bus runs once a day, which means we should take care of the tickets in advance. Here luck turned away from us, sending two bombers in return, but by the way, they did not commit atrocities. Due to the lack of competition from both the carrier and the passenger side, we did not bargain for long. Started with 50 yuan and finished with 30 in a minute.
As soon as we left, everything became clear - the buses arrive at the upper platform. It was enough to go down the stairs, where the rest of the passengers of our flight actually disappeared, and there was civilization, cash desks and decent taxis. Here, as anyone is comfortable. There is no elevator, luggage must be carried up the stairs. Will a taxi be cheaper?
We didn’t drive very long, our hotel is on the very edge of the old city, across the road from the tower, on the mountain. On the one hand, this is good, the view there is just awesome. And on the other hand - up there, upstairs, to drag suitcases ? . We still remembered the adventures in Furong, so we decided to send a messenger, that is, me.
I don't know how it works, but if there are two roads and I have to choose one of them, then I will always choose the wrong one. I had to turn right to the hotel, and I climb to the very top of the mountain and start scaring the local elderly Chinese there with my sudden appearance in their house and fictions. And what was I to do if there was not a soul on the street, but voices were heard in the house.
- Nihao! Nihao! I call them, but no one pays attention.
Therefore, I knocked on the door in a very civilized way, then greeted them in a very civilized way, then realized that they were deaf started poking my finger at my piece of paper, praising myself in my thoughts that I had prudently printed out all the armor in Chinese. Even if my croaking is difficult for a normal Chinese with a language problem, there is always a plan B in the form of hieroglyphs. By the way, did you know that China has 292 languages? Moreover, not all of these languages use hieroglyphs. Therefore, putonghua was invented - the common language Tower of Babel, which is customary to communicate in China in order to understand each other. At the end of the last century, an exam for the knowledge of Putonghua was even invented. If you don't pass the exam, you won't see a normal job. Why am I? Moreover, it’s not a fact that these people understood me, but they knew the hieroglyphs for sure! ) And very confidently showed me where to go. Maybe I'm not the first to come to them with a reservation, but such flights happen quite often.
The hotel staff, at my appearance, oriented instantly, one of the girls easily ran down the stairs, grabbed both of our suitcases and just as easily fluttered up the mountain with them. I once complained to you that during the whole trip we were never taken to the very entrance to the hotel and we had to get to the accommodation with difficulty everywhere. So, it was in Fenghuang that the easiest settlement was. I didn't drag my suitcase! ) And visited the house of the Chinese.
A hotel on a mountain with a beautiful terrace, stunning views, English-speaking staff, delicious breakfasts.
Decorated with love, although with a touch of decadence.
Our room was a beaten little one, a loose door with a poorly closing lock, Spartan furnishings, a bathroom behind glass and the water did not drain well there.
Considering that in China, showers are most often not fenced off with any kind of curtain, then the water flooded the entire bathroom, threatening us with a flood. All this was quite expensiveit was very colorful.
We quickly began to gasp on the terrace, take a shower, buy tickets for tomorrow. Yes, right at the hotel we bought bus tickets for the same price as it costs at the bus station. True, these were not really tickets, but a receipt for payment, but we changed it to real tickets at a separate counter, at the bus station, without any surcharges and queues, just before departure.
For those who are going to Longsheng, it should be noted that there is no Fenghuang-Longsheng bus at all, you need to take a ticket for the Fenghuang-Guilin bus to Longsheng. At the same time, the price will be the same as to Guilin, but the advantage is that they will not forget to drop you off) The bus leaves at 11 am, a great time, I think. So, we have 20 more hours to feel the atmosphere of Fenghuang.
At the reception, we were given a map, marked on it our hotel, the gate closest to it, and we went to look for lunch.
The city of Fenghuang is called the Venice of China, the most beautiful city in the world, the ancient pearl of China.
All this is almost true)
The city is very worthy to visit. But there are ancient pearls in China, and "Venices" are more full-flowing. Of course, all this splendor is worth seeing with your own eyes.
It is unlikely that I will be able to convey the beauty of Fenghuang with my crazy handsphotos. But I will try to at least indicate my mood on that day.
The city is bigger than Furong, quite old and also shines like a Christmas tree in the evenings.
And during the day you can endlessly walk its streets, sometimes finding yourself in the outskirts of the world, by a dirty canal, sometimes getting to a beautiful river and, jumping over pebbles, wrap up with an unpretentious cafe, drink beer and just stare at the endless stream of tourists.
Narrow streets take on a life of their own. They don't care about tourists. This is also part of the color, it's worth looking into the backyard)
As in any tourist city, there are craft shops everywhere.
Wreaths remind me of home)
Fenghuang city is very good! He did not capture me like Furong with his antiquity, but he was light and careless, gave strength and caused joy.
There is a festive mood in Fenghuang, as if it's always New Year here)
Wandering the lanes, we came to a small square. The Phoenix Bird stands there with its tail spread out as a symbol of Overcoming the Vicissitudes of Life.
You know, I recently learned when they taught this at school, I was sick how spiders molt. How much strength they need to molt and how defenseless they are immediately after molting. And then a new armor grows - larger and stronger than the previous one. What is not an example of perseverance and inflexibility? I think it's time to name some city Spider and put a monument to the molting spider on the square. I would even bring him flowers.
But, the Phoenix bird also suits me quite well as a symbol. Yes! Let there be Phoenix.
You feels bad? Are you burned out? And who is easy now? I burned down a thousand times, but each time I found the strength to rise from the ashes. Wipe your snot tears and move on. You will burn and rise many more times, and each time will not be the last you will become stronger.
Well, something like this monologue of a fireproof bird flashed through my head.
Get up and go!
In the evening the city "lights up".
This is part of the image. By morning it will be the same as it was two thousand years ago.
I really want to show you how amazing the illumination is, but I'm afraid of hurting someone's eyes with the quality of my phone's night shot.
We got a little lost, although the direction of movement was obvious, we still had to make an effort to find our hotel, or rather, to find a way out of the cheerful light show. It was worth it, there was no such radiant shrillness even in Furong.
On the way, we wandered into a small cafe, where we found a moonshine still bartender who speaks excellent English.
He showed us the way. Otherwise, they would still go there, inside the Christmas tree)
When we got to the hotel, we sat on the terrace with tea, just gazing at the magnificent city of Fenghuang until late at night.
