By the Yellow River

By the Yellow River
Originally uploaded by paulbrockmann.

This is an irrigation canal, hooked up further upstream to a pump that

may or may not still work to bring water directly from the river up

the this level, about 100 feet above river level or so. After this

you’ll see two shots that show the contrast: a downright Disney-esque

castle that serves no function I could see: it was empty. In the

foreground there you will see some agricultural workers walking the

road in front of it, but the castle itself appeared utterly empty.

I’ve a feeling it was built in anticipation of a glut of tourism that

has yet to fully materialize here. You’ll also see some weeds piled

next the bicycle their picker rode to work and will load them onto for

the return home. As you’ll see in later shots taken from the train,

and you may have seen in other shots from Guangxi, the vast majority

of farm work here in China is still done individually or by families,

by hand.