We took a cruise down the Li river on one of the boats below.
The Li river winds past ancient villages, farms, bamboo groves,
rice paddies and sharp-edged limestone peaks.

Hundreds of us were loaded onto these boats and they
all took off down the narrow, winding, shallow river.

 
 
 

Mural Hill, a 100-meter-high cliff face, has been weathered and has a
stratified rock surface in various shades. It is rumored that the colors represent
nine horses and any person who can identify them is considered smart.

 
 

It was much easier to see a man on horseback on this cliff face.

 
 
 
 

The gate to a popular riverfront village

 

Cormorants are mid-sized fishing birds which dive for their food.
Fishermen tie a cord around the bird's throat so they cannot swallow
larger fish and have trained them to bring the fish back to the boat.
   
 
 

This enterprising farmer was able to time the passage of the
cruise boat with his traditional bamboo raft to sell his produce.
    
 
 

Traditional river rafts are made of bamboo, but PVC lasts several years longer

 

Water buffalo grazing near the river
   
 
 

                                                                                                                                                                                            Yangshuo>