Long lost friend over from the UK for a visit, so after she had enjoyed a week shopping and sight seeing in Shanghai it was off to rural China for a more authentic view of life in this vast country. Headed off to south east province Guizhou, home to the vast majority of the minority Miao tribes. Also Dong, Shui and Gejia. Very exciting, the focus being on embroidery, Miao villages and culture.
Arrived, after very early start, in Guiyang and boarded a 6 seater mini bus for two hours to Kaili.
Embroidery on the steps of our hotel
Growing city, under the usual construction development. Spent the afternoon wandering around and seeing local life. Trying to find the old town . Found the Miao museum but it was closed.
Friendly faces, Miao strawberry and fresh water chestnut sellers, we bought 'yi jin' of each. Very delicious.
Babies in embroidered carriers everywhere
Hit the out-of-school rush, all the children excited and buying 'tuck'.
And cooking it!
Over zealous school kids all clamouring to be in the photo. I got a bit scared, a taste of what it must feel like to be a mobbed celebrity!
Help!
Local tots dressed up for dance class, a little bit too Miss Beauty pageant maybe?
After school noodles
Met up with the guide for a quick chat and then enjoyed a well earned foot massage (not from the guide!)
Bit of trouble trying to order food for dinner as no one wanted to speak english to the Laowei!! But we coped! Even with my appauling chinese we managed to get vegetarian food!
Early start the next day and we headed off, through glorious countryside, lush, green and fragrant.
Perfect timing as all shrubs and tress in blossom, grapefruit, lime and native azaeleas.
Few photo stops along the way
Note the earrings
First stop the saturday Shidong market. If you follow my blog you know how I love a market, and this one didn't disappoint!
Arriving by boat
The saturday market was a hive of activity, embroidery silks of all colours, Miao silver jewellery, textiles and of course food and livestock
Great characters
Grubby faces
Always time for a chat
Or a nap
Colourful silks and embroidery patterns
In Shidong we also visited a top embroidery expert in her home shop (actually in her bedroom-come showroom gallery) and viewed her collection of costumes and antique textiles (some costing a small fortune), a privilage to see. Embroidered jackets that took years to make. We managed to afford a few small pieces.
Beautiful hand embroidered traditional garments
Friend succummed to a cushion cover or two!
Our lovely guide, Lee, a minority man from the Black Miao tribe, had heard of a festival that afternoon being held in a Buddist temple. So after a spicy lunch we headed there.
Climbing a hill, as it started to lightly rain, we saw a fire burning through the trees and crowds of locals enjoying the stalls, the music and picnicing
No necklace is ever too big!
All the girls from the same tribes make sure they are dressed identically
Stunning costumes
What a picture!
Family groups
And the little ones..
Sunday started with a visit to the private museum of costume in Kaili, which had some stunning exhibits, and also a very expensive shop! Beautifully presented but no photos! and no catalogue.
Headed away from Kaili, to the perfectly preserved Langde Miao village.
The Olympic torch relay for the Beijing olympics started here, so maybe a bit of restoration had occured. But in a lovely scenic situation, in the midst of paddy fields.
Local life continues but still some hard selling!
Beseiged here by 'machine' embroidery cushion sellers! Some nice old bits aswell, but I resisted. Friend fared very well, but a few bargains were had and more pieces added to the collection
At Datang, old wooden grain stores stood on columns above the water, to keep out the rats.
The round town square
Loved this local shop
Lilac wellies make this outfit
And the best hair do of the day
Then Gaowen village. Remote, and home to the high Mountain Miao. Our guide very interested to find this village and hopefully find batik printing. When we arrived it seemed some villagers had moved slightly down the mountain with goverment incentives, into a newly built villaage.
This lovely lady was cleaning out the pig stye, looking georgeous.
She was persuaded to pop off and dig out her ceremonial clothes. Which she did with a smile. The short pleated skirt, over the leggings, and then the jacket over the tunic.
We even did a mini photo shoot and she offered us dinner! Can you imagine that happening in the UK!!
And all with a smile!
Sunset over the river as we left, magical.
Stayed in Rongian overnight then next day we headed to a beautifully preserved Dong Village in a valley. We got out of the car, looking down on the village through the bamboo, and approached on foot.
How green was my valley?
Or rather how blue was my valley? A village full of indigo clothing, batik and dying traditions
Note the woven sycle holder
The wooden bridges dividing the family clans.
Apparently the Dong have a very high divorce rate. If the couple are tired of each other they can agree to split up and one leaves (the man gets the kids). If one of the couple is still in love or unhappy, a sum of money has to be left by the entrance to the bridge and then the unfaithful one can never return.
Loved the cockerel in front of the pagoda
Local market day at Bakei for Shui and Miao
My obsession with headdresses continues
And chickens in bags...
Thick long hair twists over a comb into a figure of eight
Oh another headdress
If you want to get ahead get a...wok
Great earrings
No I'm not going to steal your lunch!
Looking after the chicks
Goose-in-a-bag-on-a-pole
More cute tots...Chinese children are so adorable and friend and i decide to have competition for the best baby photos, this morphed into the best under 5, over 5, brothers, mother carrrying baby, family group etc etc!!
Small fan club
After lunch in a one-horse town, overlooking the valley (sounds idilic and although the location was the cafe most definitely wasn't, but food spicy and tasty)
Off-roading now up to a remote village, well off the beaten track. BaiBei, home to the Hundred Flower Miao.
Not many people in, out working in the fields, (or migrated to factories) but still managed to rustle up the local lady in charge of womans rights and a master batik painter. So a cooperative, selling the ladies work. Naturally she showed us her costume and some of her work.
The co-operative
The loom
The shuttle
The ink and wax
The batik
A couple more for the brothers' photo catagory
The longest, bumpiest road to Dhanzhai, as the high speed railway is coming through and the road isdestroyed! So it took over 4 hours to reach our destination instead of one and we felt bruised! All the restaurants closed so dinner was off! So had a late supper of roasted nuts and emergency vodka!
Final day, left Danzhai in the mist. Apparently any athlete with a chance of an olympic gold gets to come and train here due to air quality and temperate weather!!!
Shiqiao limestone caves, and paper making. Vats of pulp and making best use of the local flora.
Adding pine needles
Had a mini welcoming ceremony at Qingman, with the short-skirt Miao women.
Rice wine was poured not always successfuly
Colourful textiles
Small looms for fabric and braid
The drum for pleating the skirts
Me and my buffalo
Last stop before a quick lunch at a roadside cafe was a Shui village, quite visited by tourists so a bit of a final shopping opportunity!
Planting out the rice plant seedlings
Another lovely hat with tassles!
Last cushion stop before Shanghai!
