Qing Ming and the Cole Flower Fields

Qing Ming festival, tomb sweeping, a 3 day holiday to celebrate the ancestors. So as China goes back to the countryside with their families and to be part of the great outdoors and to reconnect with nature, seems like a good time to leave the urban city life and head out-to Xianju with 39 others on a bus trip into the spring countryside, and see the fields of Cole flowers in bloom.

Sunday morning at 7am and the weather is tipping it down, so not looking too promising, and as we cross the world's longest bridge across Hangzhou bay the visibility is minimal....Traffic delays as the rush to get out of Shanghai increases, means we dont arrive at our destination for lunch until late afternoon! Starving and some great local food.  Then its a visit to the ancient town of Gaoqian. Looked very moody in the rain and some great photo opportunities.

rainy day in Gaoqiao

nothing much to do apart from play mahjong

cole flower honey hives

Then its a short stop for some more photos in the rain amongst the sea of yellow fields, with umbrellas.

The campfire is postponed this eve due to the inclement weather but beers and whisky/gin and chinese sprite gets the group mixing.

Next day and the skies have cleared and the sun is shining. so its mountains and rivers, caves and rope bridges, chains and swings (oh the boys love that )

boys will be boys
just before he fell in...

..Gentle trek to the top with many photos being taken by the Bengali posse! Then after a local cafe lunch a vast mountain, climbing high on a narrow twisting road with hair pin bends( I couldn't look down as the bus swung around) and arriving at the base to find a lift! Only in China! Not only a lift, but an amusement park and a slide back down to the car park! Still the views were stunning, across the valley of blossoms and amazing rock formations.

yes it has a lift!!!!!

The afternoon finished with a gently punt on bamboo rafts a long a wide turquoise river. Peaceful but still the odd food pit stop and some bridal photos along the way. Unfortuantely we left later than planned  and it was very dark (no torches) when we arrived at the destination, all frozen!
Still the campfire warmed us up and the mixed culture group had a very interesting game of truth or dare! Felt like I was on an 18-30 holiday and there's not much I dont know about the sex lives of my various continental travel mates now!


Monday and another glorious spring day. Another mountain to climb. This one with many, many steps that seemed to be never ending. Jelly legs!

up and up and up

But I still cant get over the locals in high heels suits and totally inappropriate clothing, usually carrying bags and bags of food!

poseurs...

Then the final stop on the trip at the cole flower fields (rape to you and I). Never seen so many fields and terraces of yellow, magical. A country fayre type event, with hawkers and food of every imaginable type being cooked, scewered, boiled and fried. And baskets of sweet, juicy fresh strawberries, delicious! Straw sculptures (like corn dollies) everywhere in the fields, like a lemon maze, with banners and red lanterns. An absolute colour fest! I could have stayed for ages with the sun beating down, watching, snacking and taking photos!