Leaving Anshun at 8am; we were already well-prepared (having been informed the night before) for the coach ride that would take about four hours to reach our next stop, which is a major item on our itinerary and one that i am looking forward to!
Please be assured that there were toilet breaks along the way although i was still mindful not to gulp too much water! We knew the attraction was near when the architecture of the buildings along the way changed from modern to traditional.
The attraction we would be visiting is 西江千户苗寨 (Xijiang Miao Stockade)! Now, in case you are unaware, the Miao minority ethnic group numbers about 9 million people and 70% of them reside in Guizhou.
Right here at Xijiang Miao Stockade, it's considered as the "most well-preserved and largest" one of its kind with over 1,200 families, numbering 6,000 people living in it, of which only 1% of them is from the non-Miao tribe!
Panorama of its entrance and with Dad showcasing his signature pose!
Since it's already noon, let's proceed for a Miao lunch in one of the restaurants within the stockade. Known as Miao long table cuisine, it's somewhat like hotpot with local ingredients and specialties. What's more interesting was their welcome custom for male guests; the almost never-ending downing of rice wine!
Thanks to our tour guide, the men were aware of what's required for them. Never touch the rice-wine bowls and your butt should never leave the long bench, no matter the tactics used by the Miao girls! Check out the video appended below.
Dad was visibly impressed by the historical feel of the stockade, and took many photographs which came in handy for this blog after i lost my DSLR.
For me, i like the place although i am also aware that it has been infected with the allure of the tourist dollars. Many shops were obviously catered for the thousands of tourists that thronged its streets on a daily basis; a sad yet inevitable process.
There are pros and cons when a supposedly historical landmark becomes touristy; better upkeep of the place, improvement of the hygiene conditions (specifically the toilets) etc.
Agriculture continues to play an important part in the area. Anyway, we were waiting for the shuttle bus bringing us to the viewing platform that promised to give a great view of the entire stockade. I have seen the pictures and nothing beats seeing it with our own eyes!
And it sure didn't disappoint!
Despite the many century-old houses dotting the landscape, you can find the modern facilities like a spanking new soccer field on the right side. According to Huan Huan, our tour guide, the older houses are higher up the hill.
A panorama for your viewing pleasure! This picture doesn't do the place justice as i was literally blown away by the breathtaking view ahead of me!
Instead of taking the shuttle bus down to the base, my dad and i opted to walk instead. I think walking runs in my family as we can hit the HPB standard easily whenever we are overseas.
Walking also allows us to soak in the sights on a slower pace; that's what holidays should be about right? That's why i dislike tour packages with those commission-based factory shopping stops; it always feels so rushed!
Do pay a visit to the Xijiang Miao Museum if you wish to know more about the Miao ethnic group; including their life, customs and traditions.
Showcasing his skill in mixing the cooked pastry (known as butterfly cookie) with the sesame seeds, i have in fact seen this on youtube before! Whatever the case, i bought a few packs and the cookie tasted like our local tau sar piah with chestnut filling.
Could this be the same scene a few hundred years ago? Given that Guizhou is not known to be a rich province historically, chances are the stockade would not look as clean and as tidy as what we see now.
Traditional performance at a square; Dad insisted on getting a photo! The revolving performance didn't seem much even though we were more attracted by their attire and silver accessories.
Video!
Another picturesque photograph.
Good enough backdrop for dad to be my model again. Luckily i have the habit of taking photos with my iPhone as it would allow me to share with the rest of my family members via WhatsApp.
The sad thing is that i have a lot more photographs on my DSLR but all were lost after our visit to 西江千户苗寨 (Xijiang Miao Stockade). Read my story here.
Well, unfortunate things happen and i am not one to dwell on it too often as life goes on and there's absolutely no point in crying over spilled milk. It's unfair for my tour mates to wait for me indefinitely while i searched around for my DSLR and requested to proceed with dinner first.
Dinner at 乡愁餐厅; nice to see that the operator indicated their welcome for us on their huge screen. Now that i didn't have my DSLR with me, my iPhone would have to do most of the job then.
Our sumptuous meal; as compared to my first trip to China back in 2007, quality of food served in tour packages is now much better! In the past, i can literally eat just plain rice with a bit of vegetables and meat even though there could be eight dishes on the table.
Birthday celebration for a fellow travel mate! According to the wife, this could be pre-arranged with Chan Brothers. I should have done so when i was in Beijing with my family in 2012. On second thought, maybe not as i didn't have a good review of the tour agency.
Fancy dog meat? It's available in this region! Of course i didn't try any... Anyway, we returned to the hotel, checked out the CCTV and couldn't find anything that would find my DSLR.. :(
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Click here for the itinerary of the 8 Days Spectacular Guizhou Tour Package (GUARANTEED No Shopping Stops Throughout) by Chan Brothers.
