We took a 9.5 hour bus ride from Guangzhou to Guilin. So far, the buses here in China are large, clean, and comfortable with uniform stations everywhere. There were a pair of Germans on the bus with us that I helped when we stopped for lunch. The bus attendant motioned to me and explained in Chinese that we would get small meals for free if we showed our tickets at the restaurant. My ears were not well trained yet but I could figure out her meaning from a few words and some good guessing. Later, the German folks had tried to ask the attendant if they could get off the bus early and then asked me to try to translate for them. I was pretty sure that the attendant was telling me she had understood and agreed to their request but it was my first time helping strangers and I was afraid my poor Chinese would create a misunderstanding I didn't want to be responsible for. It's easier to make mistakes for yourself (and your traveling partner).

The bus ride took us through beautiful fields, divided into small crops of various types, small towns and villages of old stone architecture, decorative roofs, and large healthy chickens. Large towns have big four-story buildings with shiny tiles facing the main road and shops on the bottom floor. Almost every doorway is outlined with red papers of auspicious sayings.

After we arrived in Guilin, we had the specialty noodles of the town in a place that kept live chickens, ducks, fish, and eels to the side of the entrance out front so that customers could go out and select which one they would like for their meal.

It's raining and humid here but not hot.