Huangshan

Huangshan, or Yellow Mountain, is one of the most photographed places in the world. When you think of a classic China shot, with a mysterious mist of fog rising up the sides of a mountain, you are thinking of Huangshan. Karen and I had a chance to visit this iconic tourist site, and we were welcomed with almost picture perfect weather. We arrived Friday night, and stayed in a hostel at the base of the mountain. Our room had a small heater, but it wasn't nearly enough, as Karen and I shivered our way through the night, as winter had descended on this part of south central China, and flaunted its power during the weekend by keeping the temperatures in the 20's. On Saturday morning, we arose around 7 am, and walked around the streets of Huangshan(also the name of the town at the base of the mountain.) Once we found a place that sold our Chinese favorite, a breakfast "burrito" that the locals all love, we headed to the base of the mountain. We were spending the night in a hotel at the top of the mountain, and they were doing renovations to the hotel. The only way to get stuff from the bottom of the mountain to the top is to carry it. Who gets that job? Chinese migrant workers...earning less than 2000 US dollars a year, they start their day at 6 am and carry something up the mountain, which entails a strenuous 3 hour hike up the side of the mountain. They then carry something back down to the bottom of the mountain, get to eat lunch, and begin the same process again. Twice a day. 6 days a week. We can't really complain, can we?
Karen and I also got to see the most famous sunrise in China, coming over the peak of Huangshan, early on Sunday morning. We were surrounded by hundreds of Chinese tourist, who had come to Huangshan to see the same things we have, and I am sure, with the same sense of awe.