Our friend Jessie

by Nelson
(Vancouver, Canada)

Nelson and his family

We, a family of three, my wife Lucy and our daughter Jennifer who is just a few years younger than Jessie, had a most wonderful time with Jessie in our 10 day stay in Yangshuo in the latter part of May, 2008.

Jessie arranged our trip with utmost flexibility (changes due to weather or just our frequent change of plans)She seemed to be able to arrange for anything, even getting a motor bike to carry Lucy and her bicycle back (all on the small motor bike) when Lucy became too tired- with the motor bike rode slowly along with our bicycles (so she won't miss the fun and the sightseeing).

We enjoyed our visit to Jessie's village and knowing her family. It seems like all people are very friendly in Yangshuo. We waved and chatted with folks, old and young, in the villages while riding our bikes.



10 days was not too long in Yangshuo. Any picture of the dreamlike hills and river can be used for the computer's desktop or screen saver. Meals are extremely reasonable. Freshly squeezed orange juice was 6 yuan each glass. Although hotel costs are catching up with the rest of the world in Yangshuo but still affordable compared to other major tourist spots.

In the early morning, the Li River with the green hills and early morning mist and local fisherman is just a most beautiful painting and I was fortunate enough to be in it. Just 5 minutes by bike from the small downtown core, we would be in some of the most beautiful scenery of the world where "hills are like jade hair pins and rivers are like green skirt belts" (bad translation of one of the many Chinese poems about Yangshuo)

We feel that we can completely rely on Jessie (who knows just about anybody in Yangshuo) Jessie is not just our tour guide, she is our friend.