In one of these valleys is the tiny village of Da'zai is about a 4 hour bus trip from Yangshuo. And then (we didn't know about this) another hour-long hike in the blazing heat of the valley directly up - you guessed it - a set of stone steps straight up the mountain! It was absolutely worth it, that valley is one of the most stunning places I have ever seen in my life. We stayed with a Zhuang family and the old dad took us on an incredible 3 hour hike around the hills, stepping lightly along the terraces and into the furrows between hills which were forested with bottle-green fir trees, giant sprays of bamboo, babbling cascades and bright shocks of pink, purple, white or yellow flowers.
When I stopped to take this shot our old mate liked the idea and started picking off petals and chowing down. He motioned us to join him so we tucked in and it wasn't half bad. I guess the rice diet gets a bit old after a while.
Anyway we ran into this gorgeous Zhuang woman wearing a bright pink intricately embroided waistcoat and huge hoop earrings dragging down her lobes. She offered to let us watch her wash her hair for 10 yuan. Now I don't know about you guys, but a buck fifty to watch some chick wash her hair sounds like the greatest value tourist attraction ever!
Actually it was pretty awesome. Zhuang women grow their hair down to their ankles, then cut it once at 15. They cut it again at 25. But here's the thing - they keep the two shin-length tresses, stick em next to the still-attached shin-length hair and wind the whole thing up on top of their head under a scarf. Heavy? They must have necks like Mr T. You can see the other two tresses draped over the stick on the right of this photo.
I've got to come clean though, the woman asked if it was ok if she just pretended to wash her hair for the photo. But I can't lie to you guys, it was just dry-combing!
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