Getting to Guilin from Guangzhou by high-speed rail is incredibly convenient. We left Guangzhou South Station at 9 a.m. and arrived in Guilin by 12:30 p.m., with the whole journey taking less than three and a half hours. The weather in Southern China in May can be unpredictable, and the forecast for our three days in Guilin wasn't ideal. However, when we arrived, the skies cleared after days of heavy rain. Thank God, it seemed our luck was pretty good.

Our hotel was right across from Guilin's most famous attraction, Elephant Trunk Hill Park. After dropping off our bags, we immediately headed over to visit. The afternoon sun was bright, and the park was bustling with tourists. To get a photo of Elephant Trunk Hill from the classic angle, you had to be quick — just as you'd focus the camera, a few strangers would often suddenly walk into your shot.

Elephant Trunk Hill Park was the first "must-see" spot on our Guilin trip. My daughter was especially keen to see the place where her parents made memories on their honeymoon, which gave our journey a special significance.

Forty years ago, my wife and I had just gotten our marriage license, and I was about to go to Shanghai for my graduate studies. Two weeks before school started, we quickly decided to go to Guilin for a "travel wedding."

The term "travel wedding" sounds romantic, but in that era, it was actually the simplest, most economical, and most practical way for us "living paycheck to paycheck" young people to get married. There was no wedding ceremony, no banquet, and no grand affair — everything was kept simple. That was how we hastily decided on our wedding format back then.

My father-in-law was quite upset about it. He had worked at his job for decades and was very popular. He had hoped to host a grand wedding for his eldest daughter, celebrating with friends and family. But we got married so quietly that we didn't even send out a single wedding invitation. He felt he had lost face, and also felt a little hard done by, since all the money he had given as wedding gifts to others would now go unreturned.

The night my wife and I first arrived in Guilin, it was already past 10 p.m. We were in an unfamiliar place and lacked travel experience, so we were a bit nervous. After getting off the train, a man pushing a handcart, who was soliciting for a guesthouse, took us to a small inn not far from the train station. It was a very basic place, costing just over three yuan a night. The room was tiny, about three meters long and two meters wide, with only a single bed. The conditions were as you'd expect. In those days, for two young people from ordinary families, just having a place to stay for the night was more than enough.

The most memorable part of that first Guilin trip was Elephant Trunk Hill. Back then, there weren't many tourists, and the park was peaceful. We rented a small boat, each took a paddle, and sat on opposite sides, paddling and chatting as the beautiful scenery of the Li River slowly drifted by.

The Li River in mid-summer was exceptionally clear, not too deep, and the current was slow. Our little boat drifted downstream, and before we knew it, we had gone quite far. We realized we were getting further and further away from where we started. When we tried to turn back, we discovered paddling against the current wasn't easy. My wife wasn't strong enough to paddle, so I had to do all the work, but the boat kept veering to one side. We switched places and tried again, but the bow stubbornly turned to the other side. The boat just kept going in circles, unable to return to where we started. As it drifted further and further downstream, we became both anxious and helpless.

Luckily, I was a decent swimmer in my youth. Seeing that this wasn't working, I took off my shirt and jumped into the water. Grabbing the rope on the bow, I swam and dragged the boat against the current, which made my wife laugh until she cried.

After a great deal of effort, I finally dragged the boat back to a calmer part of the river. We moored our small boat on a sandbar across from Elephant Trunk Hill, set up the camera, and sat back-to-back on the sand — my wife in her swimsuit and me bare-chested — creating a moment we would cherish forever with Elephant Trunk Hill in the background.

Many years later, on this trip to Elephant Trunk Hill, my daughter specifically told me she wanted to sit back-to-back with me on the ground and take a photo of the "elephant trunk" from the same angle as my wife and I did. But there were too many tourists now. We waited on the steps by the water for a while and finally managed to get a few back-to-back photos.

We later realized that our old photo was taken on the sandbar opposite Elephant Trunk Hill. Without a boat, it's impossible to recreate that exact angle from the other side. My daughter's and my photo, however, was taken from this side of the mountain. Though the locations were different, this "forty-year echo" still held a unique charm and meaning.

Elephant Trunk Hill isn't very tall, about seventy meters, but the path is incredibly steep. We chose to climb from the back. Since I have a fear of heights, I barely dared to look down and just focused on climbing one step at a time.

From the observation deck at the top, you can overlook the entire city of Guilin. Decades ago, I stood here and was captivated by the beautiful mountains and rivers stretching as far as the eye could see. Now, the small city of Guilin is full of skyscrapers, and the distant mountains are almost hidden, with only their peaks faintly visible. The "Guilin's scenery is the best under heaven" beauty has been altered by rapid urban development in just a few decades, no longer possessing its former charm.

I also remember that when I was descending the steps from the top of Elephant Trunk Hill back then, there was a particularly steep section that I was too scared to walk down. I ended up sitting on the steps and slowly sliding down one by one. My wife often teased me about it later.

This time, returning to Elephant Trunk Hill, I was extra careful on the way down, gripping the stone railings tightly and taking each step cautiously. I made it down the whole way without having to sit and slide, so it seems my fear of heights has lessened.

On our second morning in Guilin, we took a cruise to Yangshuo. The departure dock was about forty kilometers from the city center. For convenience, we booked our cruise tickets two weeks in advance through Ctrip and paid 70 yuan to reserve a private shuttle service.

That morning at 7 a.m., our driver, a lady named Ms. Wang, picked us up. She was very warm and capable. She not only drove steadily but also gave us detailed explanations of the scenery along the way. The mountains and rivers on both sides of the highway were picturesque, and her lively commentary made the ride very enjoyable.

Because of her thoughtful service and excellent arrangements, I booked her again for our return trip from Yangshuo to Guilin two days later. On the day we were leaving, she not only picked us up from Yangshuo on time but also gave us a five-hour tour of several city parks before dropping us off in time for our 3 p.m. high-speed train. The total cost was 370 yuan, which was a reasonable price for such attentive service.

Cruising the Li River in Guilin was the most delightful part of our trip. The boat sailed downstream from Guilin, with unique peaks, winding turquoise waters, and famous spots like Nine-Horse Fresco Hill all coming into view. The boat ride felt like traveling through a living landscape painting. We spent most of our time on the top deck, not wanting to miss any of the beautiful scenery along the banks, and cherished this short but precious journey.

As we neared Yangshuo, an announcement from a gentle-voiced woman on the boat advised tourists to be careful after disembarking at the Yangshuo pier, to avoid private taxis, and to take the government-run electric shuttle carts to their hotels or back to the Guilin station. The fare was a fixed 15 yuan.

After getting off the boat, we bought two shuttle cart tickets outside the pier, but the line was long, and we waited for more than ten minutes. When we finally got on, we realized a dozen or so passengers were squeezed into a rickety, open-air cart, which felt very unsafe. The driver was also unfriendly, and our hotel was less than two kilometers from the pier. Looking back, the "gentle reminder" on the boat, while sounding thoughtful, seemed more like a deliberate attempt to mislead out-of-town tourists, which was both frustrating and amusing.

In Guilin, especially in Yangshuo, you can really feel the enthusiasm of the Chinese for doing business. Since Yangshuo doesn't have other major industries, running a business is the main way of life for many people. Yangshuo's West Street is only a hundred meters long but is incredibly lively. There are hundreds of shops, bars, and restaurants packed in. You can find handicraft stores with a strong ethnic flair, selling batik, stone carvings, and calligraphy; and pastry shops one after another, with the most representative being Guilin's osmanthus crisp candy.

Walking down the street, we were often offered free samples of freshly made osmanthus candy. I have a sweet tooth, and as I passed a pastry shop, someone handed me a piece of white, fragrant candy. I took it without thinking, but before I could eat it, my daughter quickly stopped me, saying, "Don't eat it, don't eat it, it's not hygienic." I understood her concern. I had been coughing since the beginning of our trip, almost every day, taking medicine while continuing our journey, and she was worried that eating street food might hinder my recovery.

Yangshuo's West Street is home to a wide variety of Western restaurants and bars, and the competition is fierce. Many businesses do their best to attract customers. While some restaurants were empty, other bustling places hired pretty young women in ethnic costumes to sing and dance on stage. The tourists below drank and chatted enthusiastically, creating a stark and memorable contrast.

We chose a highly-rated restaurant, "Brother Liao's Local Crucian Carp." Although it wasn't on the main West Street and was a bit out of the way, when we arrived at 5 p.m., both dining halls were already full, much livelier than the other nearby restaurants. Most of the diners were young people, who had clearly done their research before traveling and were very good at finding information and making choices.

This restaurant was indeed affordable and delicious. The decor and menu descriptions had a rustic feel, and customers had to serve themselves for tea and rice, which added to the unique experience. We ordered a plate of bullfrog and two seasonal green vegetable dishes for less than 100 yuan. We came back the next night and specifically ordered a Yangshuo/Guilin specialty — beer-braised fish. The flavor was rich and rustic, exceptionally delicious and memorable.

However, a notable feature of traveling in a place like Guilin and Yangshuo, which has a lot of water, is the abundance of mosquitoes. My daughter shared on our family group chat: "The mosquitoes are crazy! As soon as I go out, even when I'm eating at a restaurant, they can bite me through my leggings. I've already been bitten in over 15 places, and the number keeps going up."

On our first afternoon in Yangshuo, we visited Xianggong Mountain. Located about thirty kilometers from Yangshuo, it's a beautiful spot and a fantastic viewpoint to appreciate the scenery of the Li River. The mountain is quite high, offering a panoramic view of the winding river and layers of mountains. The steps are steep, and while the climb is tiring, the view is well worth it.

On our second day in Guilin and Yangshuo, we had originally booked a bamboo raft tour for the morning, and we were excited to experience the beauty of the landscape firsthand. Unfortunately, there was a sudden downpour in Yangshuo the night before, and we received a call at 8 a.m. informing us that all rafting activities were temporarily canceled. So, we changed our plans and went to Xingping Town in Yangshuo to see the classic Li River scenery featured on the back of the 20 yuan banknote. We took a small boat from the Xingping pier and slowly cruised along the Li River behind Dahebei Village, spending the entire morning immersed in the poetic and picturesque landscape.

A one-hour Didi ride from Xingping Town took us to Ruyi Peak. The Ruyi Peak scenic area is a place that combines natural beauty with thrilling experiences. Visitors first take a ten-minute cable car ride, crossing three peaks to reach the area near Ruyi Peak. Then, you walk across a Ruyi Suspension Bridge, which is over a hundred meters long and two meters wide. The bridge hangs between two mountaintops, with dozens of meters-deep valleys on both sides, and it sways slightly, making your heart pound. I was so nervous that I didn't dare to look up and just hurried across with my head down. It was truly a heart-pounding experience.

That day, I also experienced a winding glass bridge for the first time. One side of the bridge was transparent glass, and the other was an opaque metal walkway. I carefully stayed on the metal part the whole time, so my fear wasn't as intense. Nevertheless, the whole process was still thrilling and unforgettable — a truly special adventure.

My daughter wrote on social media: "Dad worked up the courage to challenge several high glass bridges near the Ruyi Suspension Bridge. He walked on three out of the four, but decided to skip the last completely transparent one. But these bridges are very well-built, and they are really high!"

After coming down from Ruyi Peak, it was after 2 p.m., and we went to Yangshuo's most famous attraction, "Ten-Mile Gallery." However, it was a bit different from what we had imagined. The "gallery" isn't a continuous stretch of natural beauty. Along this main tourist route, visitors pass several scenic areas, one of the more famous being the "Big Banyan Tree." Unfortunately, this ancient tree has been fenced off in recent years, and now tourists must pay a 25 yuan ticket to see it.

Just as we were feeling a bit lost in the Ten-Mile Gallery and unsure where to go, we happened to meet a local tricycle driver outside the Big Banyan Tree park. I chatted with him, and he enthusiastically said, "70 yuan an hour, and I'll take you for a spin and show you the most unique spots." So he took us along the small roads by the Yulong River to see the scenery locals consider most worthwhile.

It was a Sunday, and the sun was shining. The country roads by the river were bustling with young people riding small electric scooters in groups. Some sections had been specially renovated after becoming popular on Douyin (TikTok), with good road conditions and especially beautiful scenery along the way. In the fields, you could see farmers working in the paddy fields and herding cattle, a scene of rural life. While tourism has driven local development, rural life in Yangshuo is still hard in some ways.

One of the featured attractions in the "Ten-Mile Gallery" is the bamboo raft drifting on the Yulong River. The rafts float leisurely down the clear and gentle river, making you feel as though you're in a living landscape painting. The water is clean and calm, surrounded by mountains and green fields on both sides, with ancient bridges and villages dotted here and there. The scenery is poetic and beautiful, a truly enchanting experience.

On the country roads, we often saw people riding electric bikes or motorcycles, eating mangoes, or snacking on buns. Some were even holding hands with friends on a neighboring motorcycle, laughing and chatting, a scene that was relaxed, carefree, and very characteristic of rural life.

There are countless beautiful sights in Guilin and Yangshuo, and we visited about ten different spots. To truly appreciate the stunning natural scenery, you have to climb to the top of the mountains. Although the mountains in Guilin aren't very tall, the paths are often steep, and the climb isn't easy. The biggest feeling of traveling with young people is that they have endless energy and a fast pace, ticking off one spot after another, which meant I, being older, had to try hard to keep up. But, while it was tiring, sightseeing while getting some exercise felt very fulfilling and enjoyable.

My daughter wrote in her journal:

"Travel allows us to see the lives of many ordinary people. I especially love listening to my dad chat with the young Didi drivers. The reason they choose to stay local instead of working in big cities is that they feel they wouldn't earn much more there, and the pressure of life is much greater. In their hometown, they can be with their parents and children and take care of their families. The little extra money they could earn isn't worth the extra hard work and anxiety.

Most of these people live in the countryside, farm and grow fruits in their free time, and save enough money to buy land and build their own houses. The houses they build themselves are not only cheaper than those in the city but also more reliable and can be designed to their liking."

Our short three-day trip to Guilin and Yangshuo was both visually pleasing and full of reflections. The journey not only allowed us to see the scenery but also to glimpse another way of life for many ordinary Chinese people.