In Ma'an

After a couple of days in Beijing we caught a flight south to Quilian in southern China. At the airport we were put into the VIP lounge due to my accreditation -being a judge at the Olympics has its advantages. We were also taken VIP off the plane at Quilian which we didn't see as headed straight out to Ma'an where the wind and rain bridges span across the river originally built to protect the locals from the elements now a tourist attraction but no tourists there just us really. Spent two days wandering around the villages five in total and all within an easy walk of each other living standards ranging from extreme poverty to almost relative OK living conditions. We stayed in a small family guest house above the river serving the best chicken and peanut dish I have ever eaten with no air con or hot water working which wasn't as issue as it was over 35 degrees so cold showers were just perfect. The family was lovely and we thoroughly enjoyed our days relaxing and exploring the countryside. We were very taken with the fact their houses are all wooden but only built to last 5-7 years as the wood isn't treated and just rots. There is some cement now used for the foundations which will help. When new house is needed the whole village helps build it so it may take 18-24 months and during this time the family just live in the leaky, open to the weather houses. Cooking is over wood fires and every one works so hard starting early in te morning and not finishing until dusk merges into darkness at night. Then its happy water time. The little villages are very traditional with women in the home and working in the family fields, only men are allowed to smoke and some of them seem to have more time to pass the time of day where as the women seem busy all day working. A women working on the road can retire at 45 as it is deemed hard labour but no one in China gets a Government allowance until 80 so they must find some other form of valuable work to do in their communities.
Heading off to the hillside paddy field next. Driving crazy!