Woman Picking Tea Leaves at Guilin Tea Institute
We visited the Guilin Tea Research Institute this morning. Li, our guide, had arranged for Nico to show us the various kinds of tea picked off the same plant. The tiny top leaves are the white tea, the next largest are green tea, then it is oolong, and the largest are black tea. Then he took us into a private room where there were specialized pots, strainers, and tiny cups. We tasted five teas including Six Treasures which is a blend of six teas. Most of us liked this one the best. It can be stored for ten years, and it gets better with age. They sell gift boxes of this tea that have been aged five years. This is the only place where this special tea can be purchased.
Nico Serving Us Several Kinds of Tea
We had another delicious lunch at a restaurant. Li has succeeded in picking great restaurants and dishes for us to try. He is a knowledgeable, intuitive, caring guide who is skilled in talking with tourists.
After lunch we had a free hour where we could go for a walk, look at the Internet in a hotel lobby, or go experience reflexology. Three of us chose reflexology. I really enjoyed the experience!
Reflexology for Me
Then Li took us to Reed Flute Cave. I love caves! This one was beautifully lighted in many sections to accentuate the stalagmites and stalactites. Even though there were over 300 steps, they were fairly easy to maneuver.
Reed Flute Cave
He had arranged our final dinner in Guilin to be at the Macau Restaurant. Again the food was excellent. The duck was the best we have eaten so far. Of course, I loved the eggplant dish again. It was then time to take us to the airport for our flight to Shanghai. The plane was on time!
When we arrived in Shanghai, we were met by our last bus driver in China. Our female guide will meets us tomorrow morning.
10,356 steps, 4.41 miles