DAY 4 GUANGZHOU-DANXIASHAN

Our buffet breakfast was on the ground floor. Our guide had said 1st floor and pointed at the cafe on the ground floor. So I come to the conclusion that they called the ground floor, the first floor. There is not much choice in the buffet and there is no coffee at all. Luckily, we had bought a packet of 3-in-1 from Kuala Lumpur and so we share it out as this will have to be last us 2 days!.

The typical Chinese breakfast- fried noddle, hardboiled eggs (this time its eggs in tea leaves), hot milk, crullers, sweet potato and plain buns.

We left for DANXIASHAN one of the world heritage site in China. These are red-coloured mountain range in Shaoguan. We are going to climb up the mountain and the main attraction is to see the rock formation - one called the Male Stone and the another called the Female Stone in the YuanYong Shan.

Entering Danxiashan Heritage site. Umbrellas galore- by the way they are cheap and pretty.

Our journey began with a cruise along the gorge. As we cruise along, we were told to look out for the rock formation that resembles the Buddha's Five Fingers, the hen, elephants crossing a river etc. Well you have to tell yourself that 1o% is the actual figure and 90% is your imagination. The surrounding was peaceful and cool except for the excited crowd on board. The cruise took around 45 minutes.

This is the Buddha's Five Fingers.

Beating the drum to announce our arrival at Danxiashan

There is a cable car service up to the top of the mountain. However it was closed for maintenance so we had no choice but to start walking up. It was quite exhausting as some parts were steep and the heat was not offering any relief to us. We were totally drenched by the time we reached the lookout point.

I am happy - got shade and my own mini fan!.

Finally after around more than an hour I think, we reached the lookout point.

The Male Stone- magnificient piece of God's architect!

The guide told us that there are 3 things which we should not do when viewing this stone.

One- do not feel self-conscious and/or feel small

Two- do not compare yourself

Three - do not make the "V" sign. No doubt it may be the universal sign for whenever we are posing but here this signifies a pair of scissors and no male wanted that!

Many people comes here to pay homage to this Male Stone so that they will be bless with children especially male ones.

After resting and photographs, we descended to a nearby restaurant for lunch. We had ice cold Apple Cider -what a refreshing drink. Lunch is again 10 dishes and soup. However after eating for more than a day, we find that the dishes are more or less the same.

After a long lunch, its time again for another cruise to a different part of the mountain to see the Female Stone. The long trek would normally take around an hour but at the rate we have exhibited, the guide wisely suggested that we take the cruise to cover at least half of the journey up. The other half way up was much easier- in the forest shade and more gradual slope.

If you are not careful at this point, you can literally "bang your head against the rock not wall"!

We even passes a bamboo forest- tall swaying bamboo -giving some breeze and gentle music.

Notice the bamboo strip supporting the rock. The Chinese believe that if you can put a bamboo strip under the rock and it remains tall and straight, then you are able to shoulder every obstacles along your life.

The strip does not actually support the rock - they are just placed under the rock-gotcha!

Just around the corner, we finally met the Female Stone- the beginning of all life!

There were barbed wires around to protect the stone.

However there was no praying here!?

Here you can see the whole of the Danxiashan range.

After this, we check into the Caoxi Hot Spring Resort for the night.

This resort is owed by a man and his whole extended family are working at this resort. Nice bungalows and rooms are just sparsely furnished.

We had our dinner at the dining room and we were finally served the famous "Ng Chee Roots" soup. The rest of the dishes are so-so- normal fare and very salty.

The aroma is just like coconut soup.

After dinner, we went for some soaking at their hot spring pools. There are all sorts of hot spring pools- the Milk pool ( sorry not white milk but only milk smell); Medicine Pool consisting of Ginseng pool, Cinnamon pool, peppermint pool, Yuk Chuk pool, Dong Shen pool etc.- each with their medicinal value and very relaxing. We also relaxed in the Hundred Flowers Pool and felt like the concubine Yong Kwei Fei! We buried ourselves in their Salt Pool and tried their Hot granite bed too! Some of us went for body/foot massage - to rejuvenate ourselves after a tiring day. Photograps were not allowed here.

We then retired for a good night rest.