Yesterday the 4th Guilin reading month started in the Guilin’s Central Square. This years theme is: “The most beautiful landscape, the most enjoyable reading”. From now until May 2011 there will be 13 themed activities.

The festivals activities include: “Books Drifting”(whatever that means), “Browsing through Guilin’s Culture”, Speech Competitions, Youth Animation Competitions, Youth Scientific Knowledge Competition, Good Books Recommendations, Book Collectors Advice, National Book Donation Drive, Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition and so on.

After the official opening ceremony, Guilin Central Square will hold more activities such as book and video exhibitions, promotion of intangible cultural heritage, philatelic exhibitions and author book signings.

Source: Guilin Evening Newspaper, 24th June, p.2

This is just a short announcement for all who do not get the Guilin Expat Newsletter. If you want to get informed about whats going on please subscribe.

We will have a small “After-work Party” this Friday, march 19th in Shangri-la’s shiny new U-bar. Please feel free to pop in and bring your friends.

For the long version, please click here

Originally we wanted to go to Gurong Watertown last Sunday (see newsletter), but the evening before our tour-organizer informed us (surprise, surprise) that the town has closed its doors.

As it was too late to inform everyone we decided to start the tour as planned but make a little hike a little further down the original destination and visit the house of the family of a sunny hiking club member:

The first rays of sunshine are peaking through the clouds and temperatures are finally back in the double digits. What better way to celebrate than go pick some of the first strawberries of the season?

Those of you that subscribed to our newsletter (hint, hint) had the chance of joining us and the Sunny Hiker Group last Saturday to the strawberry fields in Daxu. If you missed the tour or had to work, here are some photos:

Happened already some time ago, so here are finally the photos for the opening ceremony of the new (or rather rebuild) Chuanshan Bridge:

Winter is coming unusually early this year, so why stay alone in your windy, cold and dark flats. Join us for Sharon’s After Work Party, meet old friends or make new one (free heating included).

Date:Friday, 27th November
Time: starting at 19:00
Menu:
-Pumpkin Soup
-Crispy Pork Roast
-Chocolate Cake with Ice Cream
Price: RMB 60 per person (not including drinks)

Please RSVP as soon as possible so we know how many pigs we have to hunt down!

About Sharon’s Restaurant
Map and contact details

The “Sunny Hiker” Hiking Club is a group of Guilinese who come together from time to time to plan their own hiking trips in Guilin and the surrounding area.

The hiking leader, Mr. Johnson Xu, cordially invited the “Guilin Expat” population to join in the hikes and see a part of their chosen home that they may not experience otherwise. In his own words:

“Guilin is very popular and easy hiking place .You can find many hiking lines including river, hill and plain etc. For our local hikers, we don’t like the hot scenic place now. These places are too much commercial operation, so we design the hiking line by ourselves and seek for original and healthy points. After this, we connect those points in map and begin our hiking .We can use the mini money to earn max natural happiness. Sometimes we just spent thirty yuan per one hiking line.”

If you want to be informed about the next hikes scheduled, please click here and sign up for our newsletter. We will send out the route and description in time for you to decide to participate.

For some first impressions see the photos below, or go to the Photo Gallery for a more extensive collection of pictures.

Here are the photos of last Saturdays Party in Sharon’s Restaurant. This time we were a pretty small group, which was not too surprising, as most of the teachers and students are on summer vacation. Nevertheless we still had a lot of fun.

Here are the photos (If you have any more photos to contribute please send them to service [at] guilinexpat.com):

After an unusual long wait, Sharon’s Saturday Party is finally back. For the new one of you have a look at the photos of two of her previous parties

Date: 18th July
Time: starting at 18:30
Menu:
-Tomato Soup
-Juicy stuffed chicken “German Style”
-Profiteroles/ Eclairs filled with cream covered with chocolate
Price: RMB 65 per person (not including drinks)

Please RSVP until Friday 17th the latest if you like to attend.

About Sharon’s Restaurant
Map and contact details

Li River Around Jiefang/ Liberation Bridge

Elephant Trunk Hill & Binjiang Road

Before and during the flood

Around the corner from Airport Hotel