Day 3 - 14 Apr, Tuesday: 凤凰

One of the reasons for visiting 凤凰 was because it was on the way to 广西 province, which was where i was headed. So after reading more on the place, i realised it was the hometown of 沈从文, my favourite author among the 6 whose novels we studied during lep during my jc days. I didn't visit 沈从文‘s home, which has been turned into a tourist site but i did visit his grave.

After that, i went exploring the residential areas. 油菜花 can be grown anywhere.

Stepping stones.

Self-portrait for self-entertainment.

These are actually roof tiles. There were lots of them at this place where i walked past. As can be seen from these pictures, there aren't a lot of people and that's becoz i was out of the tourist district. I was actually talking to another ang moh for quite a while while walking with him out of the tourist district. A middle age Canadian who doesn't work cause he has buildings to collect rent from. What a good life right? But what was more interesting was the differing opinions that he and the Norwegian have of China.

Back to the touristy part of the town... 凤凰 is a artist/photographer's heaven. Lots of students can be seen sketching or painting everywhere, by the river;

or in the alleys. I did try to sketch but i wasn't patient enough to finish sketching even a page of my journal.

That's my bed for 25yuan/night. After this night's stay, i feel that there's no need to save so much for accommodation, cause if i just top up that amount by a bit more, i can get a room with a private bathroom already.

I left 凤凰 in the afternoon for 吉首, where i planned to take a train to 融水. On the bus trip, i came across this scene where kids were playing naked in the river.

I had much time to spare in 吉首 cause i reached there in the afternoon and my train was due to leave in the evening, so i went to have a haircut. 10yuan only for wash, cut, wash again and style.

I still have time to spare after the haircut and i went around town exploring before going to an internet cafe.

Cables against the clear sky. I realise i have a thing for cables, maybe coz it's something you can't find in Singapore cause they are all underground.

A train moving into the train station.

吉首火车站. I was actually dreading this train trip cause i could only get a standing ticket. At that point in time, i thought i was going to spend 7 hours standing or sitting on my bag. Luckily, i found a seat later on but then i got stuck in a conversation that i was not interested in having.