The spa was just so nice that we ended up staying there until after lunch on the last day. After all that hiking and walking and exploring, we just relaxed and recuperated in the baths. Lunch was an elaborate affair, with some more delicious foods. Mom likes the wilted leaf dish, but I particularly appreciated the chicken and corn dishes. I ended up taking a photo of our lunch rooms door handles, lotus blossoms - isn't that cute?
Afterwards, we hit the road again, this time headed home. We stopped at a small rest area and picked up some snacks for the 5+ hour long trip. There we got to see the locals roasting chestnuts that fall from the many trees decorating the mountain landscape. They had a giant roaster and were spitting them out; they sold almost as fast as they were made.
We were apparently headed to see some really big, beautiful lake, but the directional misfortune struck again. Our bus driver was going merrily along when he suddenly jerked and started shouting in Chinese. The tour guide leaned out the window and they started going back and forth. Finally he turned back and told us that if we looked out the window to our right, we would see Henan's largest Buddha statue. Also, we were about 2 hours out of our way. Apparently the big Buddha was a sign 0_0 :p
We headed back the way we came and went to a different large lake instead. We only stayed there about an hour, but that was time for a boat ride and to grab some pictures of the locals. Honestly, I didn't want to stay there too long just because it was pretty much a trash heap. China in general tends to be fairly littered, but this was AWFUL. So much trash that they were burning piles of it up and down the beach, and it still was covered in rubbish.
Anyway, we stayed there and then entered the bus for the final journey of our trip. We made it back to Xinzheng at around 9:00, and finally graced our home-sweet-home apartments at last.
It was a beautiful, amazing, oh-so-much-fun trip, and we are so glad we had the opportunity to join up. Of course, it's still alway good to be home again, home again :)
Til our next adventures! Feel free to check out our new page "Faces of China"!