Rainy Day Lugu Lake

Today I took a van packed with 14 people to Lugu Lake. We experienced windy cobble stone massage inducing roads. The driver competed with goats, cows, pigs, people and trucks for road space. We passed by some tiny villages. The couple next to me happened to be Chinese who live in Michigan. At times they'd inform me all that the driver was telling our van. The area we passed through is one of the 10 most poor places in all of China. The driver said he had to be careful not to hit any animals or the local tribe would give him an expensive fine.

On our way to Lugu we stopped several times at less than comfortable WC's--bathrooms. I must say I've never experienced a toilet experience like today. And I know I shouldn't share but how can I not share? The toilets in the rural areas are of the squat kind. Ok, that is expected in a non-western and very rural area. However, the WC consisted of 6 stalls with the walls coming up to maybe my thighs. There were no doors and absolutely no privacy. You do your business with the rest of the women. It is a communal experience and the kind I'd rather not experience if at all possible. The fact that we were all women was the only redeeming factor. There is a trough where all the waste from everyone falls. I've seen the kind where the left is raised up and all the stalls to the right are lower and lower. You don't even have your personal "squat" hole. Ok, enough of that. I just acted like I was totally used to it but inside I was screaming, "Are you kidding me?" Well, I am in rural China! I can handle it for a while!

At lunch we stopped by a restaurant. We were asked to go into the kitchen where the cook had all these huge metal bowls full of dishes for us to choose from. I recognized a few of the options. However, everything in me was saying, "I don't want to get sick!" It wasn't exactly the most up to par place. I choose the option that looked the hottest--like almost boiling still and so far so good. Go with the flow Julene!! Actually the food was tasty and I ate lunch with two other girls who work for an international (Canadian) company. They spoke great English. Lucky me.

It is a rainy day at Lugu Lake. I think I'm the only westerner here. Odd. If the rain keeps up it is going to be a quiet and restful two days. I might be grateful for rain!