We previously introduced Fei'e Road, Liuzhou's clothing retail hub. Nearby is one of the most famous parks in Liuzhou, Ma'an Mountain, which we'll tell you more about here in part 2...
This is, hands down, one of the best parks in Liuzhou. Not necessarily the most beautiful, but somewhere which will, perhaps more than anywhere else in the city, show you an authentic slice of Chinese life and culture. Rising abruptly out of the ground just south of the river, it also plays host to the spot where you can see the most famous view of the city, shown below.
Local Chinese, particularly elderly residents, come to the park everyday to sing, dance, play music, play chess, gamble, feed the fish, debate and chat. This park gives you an unsanitised view of real Chinese life, in complete contrast to the shiny malls and steal and glass towers in the city centre. It's a great way to spend an afternoon, watching the impromptu concerts and groups of old people dancing in unison. Visiting the park, you'll be subject to a lot of attention and staring and the patrons will do their best to engage you in conversation; they're endlessly curious about foreigners, our lives and our culture.
The park has a cable car to take you to the top of the mountain to see for yourself the most striking view of Liuzhou. The ride itself is a lot of fun, if slightly terrifying, given that the cars are very small and only hold two people. There is also a lift to take you up and down, if you don't fancy being suspended high above the earth in a tin can, but where's the fun in that?
There are many beautiful parks in Liuzhou, including others that we'll introduce in future posts, but Ma'an Mountain is the one that, above all others, gives a real insight into what life and culture means for many people in this city. If you come to Liuzhou to work for us, do not miss the opportunity to spend some time exploring it.
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