Guilin Winter Luxury Trip Day 2 (Part 2 - Shangri-La, Fuli Bridge, and Yulong River Countryside Photoshoot)

On the second day, we arrived in Yangshuo. After disembarking at the pier, we met up with Mr. Liao, our pre-booked photographer and driver-guide, and began our journey in Yangshuo. Our first stop was Shangri-La. Upon arrival, the staff quickly arranged for us to board a small boat. The guide on the boat was very knowledgeable and provided detailed explanations throughout the trip. As the boat entered the narrow waterway, we could feel the passage was "initially very narrow, barely passable," but after a while, it "suddenly opened up." The terrain here closely matches the idyllic landscape described by Tao Yuanming in his "Peach Blossom Spring," which is why the developers named it "Shangri-La." Sitting on the boat and admiring the scenery, one can easily imagine the feelings of Tao Yuanming at that time. Additionally, we saw some ethnic performers singing and dancing along the waterway, adding more color to our journey. After leaving Shangri-La, a 20-minute drive brought us to the Yulong River Scenic Area to visit Fuli Bridge. Fuli Bridge is located upstream of the Yulong River. It is a single-arch stone structure built during the Ming Dynasty, with a history of over 500 years. This is the only undeveloped free scenic area in Yangshuo. The semicircular bridge and its reflection in the water form a perfect circle, resembling a full moon. Perhaps due to its beautiful design and long history, I found it particularly enchanting. After visiting two attractions, it was almost 4 PM, so we immediately set off for a photoshoot near the Yulong River. Mr. Liao first drove to pick up the pre-prepared balloon props and then took us to a hotel that rented electric cars. After my partner learned to drive, we set off for the photoshoot. Our shooting locations included small paths, countryside fields, and a section of the Yulong River. We drove and walked. Mr. Liao used a drone and professional camera to capture the beautiful Yangshuo landscape and our memories. This was my birthday gift to myself this year, a memorable one. Special thanks to my partner for enduring the cold weather to drive and to Mr. Liao for his dedicated and meticulous photography and editing. Since we received all the raw footage, we can continue to enjoy editing and color grading it ourselves after we return home! After the shoot, Mr. Liao drove us to our hotel in Yangshuo, concluding our second day's journey. In the next post, I will share our hotel experience on the second night. Stay tuned.