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We had a pretty full day scheduled for Valentine's Day, and it started with a breakfast of rice porridge, noodles and dumplings.
I found it pretty interesting that breakfast, lunch, and dinner served pretty much the same fare with a few variations here and there. I liked most of the noodle dishes I had throughout the time I spent in China.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJXBQD4HedILp9lgOfagmmhXqzsV-UCHFJtMBS51BqJ9NXsYWQaIJTre4lqCzdPg_ZBAhfniVPGr3sB9TaKY3aSUwumr27pyDIfTzx9vdLTWHZHVDZ4ypVzemOOMgkSlebXKL4w/s320/42.xtbg.breakfast.jpg)
Some of the dumpling dishes were very delicious and others were a bit hard to take. I didn't particularly enjoy this one - stuffed with some kind of meat and the broth was high in fat content.
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We had a small bus to take us to the forest reserve, which was about an hour's drive away from the botanical garden. I took a bunch of pictures out the window.
As you can see from this slope, the forest has largely been cut down for agricultural conversion - rubber tree plantations for the most part.
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Patches of forest are cut and then burned prior to planting.
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Hogs off to market - poor critters.
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The terrain was pretty hilly and I was amazed at how steep the slopes were that were terraced and planted.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLkJxVVocJph3jZ-uYqKBXYOAu7BgHlmT_gAVQ3U4OGtiw5MgZfAmIDkt-M_BExN960_RIlUKj9azaHmAs4QkzwTFN7yletzZmz4hSo9meV-Bbtx2QPWFEe-sUp9eQLk308mSpg/s320/59.xtbg.road+to+mountains.jpg)
Many of the buildings along the road looked to be hospitality businesses - restaurants and tea houses.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvL1YIWAQ2J_3ZrriBBwnKvPnJlhFeTUuBu247IY6aPW-HO4SC6asyl3vGCRZWp3OB1zujXyYFAAmCug0kJg9OsAil3pQB1aWFPRvA6G-0ddBwOoWuIdzgEPjnFLoW_vQLdst23A/s320/60xtbg.road+to+mountains.jpg)
There was often a mix of old and new in the architectural elements. The entry gate shows the Dai cultural elements, but the building in the back is modern China all the way.
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When we left the main highway, there were glimpses of rural China - ramshackle shacks and buildings pressed close together.
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We traveled through a lot of agricultural areas and it was interesting to see the irrigantion canals and some of the crops that were planted in the region. Xishuangbanna is in a tropical climate, so it's no surprise that the crops lean toward tropically adapted ones.
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I saw a lot of farmers working the land and most of the cultivation and irrigation in this area is done by hand.
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We were going fast enough that I couldn't really see what was being planted aside from rice and bananas.
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The farmer straddling the irrigation ditch is pulling water up onto the planting bed.
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This young man would look at home in any modern city.
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Bananas with their inflorescences protected from herbivores.
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I couldn't tell if this was a recycling center or the rubbish heap. I think it was the former - it seems as if most things are re-used or adapted for other uses in the rural areas.
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Here's a glimpse of someone's home near the road. Cinder block construction seems to be common.
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A reservoir that has a lot of scenic appeal.
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We stopped at a small village to stretch our legs and to use the public toilets. The smell was pretty overpowering, but this was the only game in town for visitors. In I went . . .
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi152Nb6Il6Pd25jAZncEPesyl5No9QPGq0shyphenhyphenmVSrttaQWU1cOnM-A77RxhbiZ7fYr99qj_xDF2L0xV5ySVcxELTUPBfR_CojEaNO8vkYejShOE823a-mKSd1T4uBluyzNgZpTlw/s320/87xtbg.road+to+mountains.latrine.jpg)
ok - welcome to rural china. The trick is to watch your step and don't put anything on the floor in or near the stall. There's no door - just a half wall that sort of offers privacy whilst you squat to do your business. Unappealing? Yes - but better than a long drop in Lesotho, believe me.
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A Dai restaurant - open air and up on platforms.
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Town hall for this village.
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The village is in a beautiful setting.
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I think the lower section must be for farm animals.
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The locals always seem to be hanging around together, visiting and interacting through games or the sharing of food.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgd1Vc7qpO6da_RUmINVnGEoCiEt9IiNMBw0GjvtZBdRBv9DsT7ozLgoF98p3HJvu4aqNAqJlMH94Yde5nLIoxTW6ta-TQMIzhNhk04QhryB6lWHSN8Iw_WJv7XdEEL-SAiIOCXw/s320/8459.xtbg.forest+reserve+trip.jpg.jpg)
Cassytha - a parasitic plant that resembles Cuscuta.
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Jungle fowl - aka a farm chicken. Our domestic chickens had their origins in China.
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I'm not sure what is being washed here, but it wouldn't surprise me if it's something in preparation of the mid-day meal.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_a-SOoXnrOK-x6-l3PD0j8FU8oRq6Qgpoi-gEmoAOdpRry9KSGTcjUYvJGgiHopm5l9IjFQjss3f9RU-oiEEiW6pckpUd1vDrtfZlRyiW4CofkFJAQl-fJxjvuqCebvGutHpQg/s320/8465.xtbg.forest+reserve+trip.jpg.jpg)
Every village had lots of dogs roaming around. I thought the puppies were very cute.
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These two ladies noticed that I was taking a lot of pictures and they offered to pose with their dog for me.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBS5ORgZtJMoTgvezSWdbsZoKiIYAZ-xKDkVAEjoUBG-eJzR8tTnrdPbtIo-kVFLK_AJCBAaM20ivb2CWlr_YnxtR98SGjQ_hIAvYgIIFIF0uI2dKZwLcQfZeaDPc96tHFmX3Pg/s320/8467.xtbg.forest+reserve+trip.jpg.jpg)
The dog just licked her face - some things are shared across cultural boundaries. This made me miss my dachshund, Emma. She has the fastest tongue in the west.
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