Scenic getaway for tired urban souls
(China Daily)
Updated: 2005-09-19 08:51

A pleasant walk

I woke up to the sound of birds outside my window and decided to stroll around the village in the cool of the morning.

I walked along a stone-paved road towards the upper section of Jiaju and got a closer look at the village.

Big walnut, juniper and pine trees were everywhere. The stream, roaring down the slope, sends clean water to every family. More than 100 houses were scattered on the slope in groups.

The big group had five or six houses clustered close together; the small one had just two or three houses. Between them lay tracts of woods and fields.

There are a few stone watchtowers scattered throughout the village, but all have fallen into ruin.

I tried to follow the stream to its source a waterfall hanging down the mountains behind the village, but failed as the climb seemed endless.

Back at Baosheng's house, Labu Gexi told me that the village covered an area of more than 5 square kilometres. To reach the waterfall, I would have had to climb one whole morning.

Baosheng was not at home during my stay. His wife told me that he had served as an official with the county government. After retiring in 2000, he had returned to his hometown and started the nongjiale business.

With more visitors, more families have joined the business. Now there are 15 families providing this service.

Last year, the family welcomed more than 2,000 guests from home and abroad. "We are the most popular nonjiale at the village," the wife said proudly.

I saw that popularity in action.

Day trippers came, in twos and threes. They entered the house, asked the hostess to prepare lunch for them, climbed onto the flat roofs and took pictures. I acted as their photographer from time to time. Soon the house became crowded.

I started to rejoice in my luck of the previous day as the only guest of the family, and decided to leave.

Labu Gexi saw me off at the entrance of the village. I told her that I would come back sooner or later.

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