During my trip to Yunnan Province in 1994, I visited the Stone Forest (Shilin) which is close to Kunming. Already at that moment in time, before the Chinese tourist boom, Shilin was a popular getaway for many. What I remember is that many of the 'stone trees' had been given inspirational names (like Two Tortoise Stone or Sword Peak Pond), associations with more meaning to the Chinese than the western mind.

In November 2007, I spent a few days in Yangshuo along the river Li near Guilin. This is a very touristy area, and so much different in atmosphere from the rest of China. I navigated the Li River in a small boat, the most relaxing way to see this landscape. The next day I biked to Moon Hill, to enjoy some different views of the area.