After yet another breakfast at the Hard Seat Cafe, I was finally able to persuade Sasha to go cycling. We rented bikes and headed off on the same circular route that I had done with the Canadians 2 days previously.

Sasha had no interest in climbing Moon Hill – riding a bike was about her limit regarding exercise! Plenty of locals were also on the roads, as usual…

This time it was Sasha who had to wait patiently up ahead while I took photos of the locals going about their business…

This was the first time I’d seen mankind’s “original invention” – the one that kicked off all the rest – being used for real.

We found a simple eating place on the way, and were able to communicate enough to say we wanted to try duck for lunch (quacking translates into Chinese, it appears). However it was a bit disappointing and when we got back we had to supplement it with some yoghurt at Hard Seat Café. After that I sat and read all about Tibet in my guide book back at the hotel, and then managed to get my diary up to date for the first time for 4 weeks.

At the end of the afternoon, another wander along the river was called for…

Finally we did the normal evening ritual – dinner at Lisa’s Café followed by beers at Paris Café. The owners of the 3 Yangshuo “foreigner-friendly” hang-outs were getting good business out of us…

This sequence continued the following day, 16th July, but I dedicated the day to letter and postcard writing. After a farewell lunch of sweet and sour pork, Sasha departed for Guilin town, 80 km to the north. I sat in Lisa’s Cafe finishing postcard until until the end of the day.