Camel Ride on the beach:
Camels were historically used all across China, as beasts of burden, on various routes of the famous Silk Road.
It was fun and interesting, and it made me think of the books we've read recently about missionaries exploring China camel-back in the 1800's.
I definitely did feel sorry for the camel, but I suppose he was "staying alive."
Click here to watch the camel walk down the beach.
The camel's foot was really, really big:
The humps were quite amazing, and his head seemed disproportionally huge.
(Notice the ladder in the background, for mounting.)
This was the SAD part.
This was (is) the way the camels of the Silk Road were controlled, and thereby made to form long, connected lines in a caravan; carrying silk, tea, and porcelain across China, to the Middle East and Europe.
The master of this beach camel (at least) seemed fairly patient and "kind" .....???
The camel seemed incredibly bored with the whole arrangement.
Another interesting event, on this
South China Sea beach, was watching a bunch of guys get their boat motor started.....and try to launch the boat into the sea.
First, they had to add gasoline, from a pop bottle.
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| Finally, into the sea |
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| Bringing on the nets |
The next day, we went out to an island
(in the South China Sea),
and had a fishing boat ride:
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| The beach is strewn with mattress-shaped chunks of styrofoam, used (along with long poles) to transport people out to the fishing boats. |
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| Qing, being transported |
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| Our boat, one of many |
Our driver, steering with his foot:
The fisherman
Apparently, the people on this island are beginning to consider how much money tourism can/will bring into their economy.
Our "catch" for the afternoon was:
2 prawns, 1 shrimp, 5 five-inch-average fish,
and 1 14-inch eel.
Click here to see the guys letting the nets out.
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| Pulling in the nets |
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| "Minnesota Fish House" of the South China Sea |
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| One of our "catch"....We threw him back into the sea. |
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| We didn't catch them on this day, but the guys just happened to have these two horse-shoe crabs on board.....obviously, for tourists to photograph. |
Click here to see the horse-shoe crab IN ACTION.
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| Fishermen, after working hours |
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| The styrofoam floats provide great places for kids to play in the evenings. |
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| Qing bought all of this woman's (all day) catch, to have cooked up for our dinner. Qing likes to buy from local fishermen/ women, each and every day. |
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| Interesting phenomenon.....little balls of sand (like this) were noticed on several beaches! |
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| .......and here is the tiny "spider crab", who makes them |
Qing, having fun, trying to catch the little guys!
OFF-LIMITS LIGHTHOUSE
We took an excursion to this historic light-house, built by the French in 1899, but were not allowed to climb the steps to the top, because we were "foreigners." .......There were "security issues".....We might see and/or photograph some kind of top-secret technology.
Click here to see a video of the light-house, IN ACTION.
Sam and Melody
We are having an awesome time with great friends, walking in the warm sand, enjoying the warm sun, celebrating a great place to spend winter days of February, 2011.
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