Psalms 98:8 “Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy;” (NIV)
There is a quiet peace when we are on, near, or in water. People took selfies with the stunning background scenery of the Li River. Chinese people were posing for pictures and were dressed in all their finery. The navigation through this large river is complicated as the small hand propelled vessels stay to the shoreline and approach the larger boats, and the tourist vessels remain in the channel navigating the river’s many turns. Boats of all sorts floated beside the tour vessel, a scene that was duplicated in numerous replicas ahead of us on the river.
We wanted to see Osmanthus Fish, Water buffalo, the Phoenix bamboo, and Banyan trees. If you view these things from the Li River during your visit, you will have good luck. Osmanthus Fish is used for special dinners at Holidays. The preparation is one that makes the fish look like it is jumping out of the water – head and all. The fish symbol is frequently seen in China and is tied to prosperity. Sadly, we saw no Osmanthus or Banyan trees.
Water Buffalo were on the shoreline with a baby calf. They have grey brown curved horns with dark colored bodies, and are quite large even from a distance. There were no fences in their area and they are allowed to roam freely as domesticated animals. They are used for tilling the rice paddies and working the farm until they are killed for their meat. Yes, we saw them in one place.
Phoenix Tail bamboo waved gently over the shorelines as we floated on the Li River. It is not a native plant according to our guide, but was planted there in the 1970’s after a visit from Chou En Lai so visiting Chinese could see all the “best of China” in one place. The high tail of the plant is white and bushy and it can grow up to 50 feet high. This was everywhere.
What do you love about water? Are you a river or ocean person? When mountains are near rivers, what excites you to hike there?