The Longji Rice Terraces by Alta Fairbourne

While we were in Guilin we visited the Longji Rice Terraces where rice was grown. When we got there it was raining really hard but as the day went on it cleared up.  We hiked to the top of a small hill where we could see miles of rice paddies. It was so beautiful and I didn’t know rice could be so hard to grow! It was all misty and rice paddies looked like puddles edged into the mountainside. There was several farmers picking and planted rice plants here and there wearing there flat cone hats.

 We walked down to a local restaurant where we had lunch. It was really good! There were a few stray dogs that we passed on our walk and Everett went hunting to find them to give them our leftovers.

The village where the rice paddies were was full of woman with shiny dark hair that reached the floor.  I thought it was cool that so many people could have such long hair. They rolled it up in a bun on the top of their heads then wrapped in a material. They use a special homemade shampoo and conditioner that is made from fermented rice and other things.

On our way home we stopped and bought some special shampoo and conditioner and it is really awesome. I thought it was really interesting that the rice farmers devote their life’s to making rice and they are always working.