July 29, 2010 - Yangshuo, Guangxi, China

 "Liberalism is taken to mean that one may avoid conflict or work in order to be more comfortable for the moment, while the problem continues to grow."

~Mao Zedong

By hopping on a bike, anyone can take on China's unsystematic urban and rural roads.  A couple miles south of Yangshuo are the Buddha Water Caves.  Most travelers take a tour bus, but wanting to stretch my legs, I braved the chaos on two wheels.  About halfway to the caves, the usual problem arose - a light drizzle became flood rains.  Although it really didn't matter since I would spend the afternoon in cold, damp caves.

To enter the Buddha Water Caves, we boarded a flat bottom boat and then huddled down, while pushing our way along the cave roof.  I was immediately frustrated.  Gliding past massive flow stones, resembling Lotus Flowers for which they were named, exposed wiring and lights were drilled into the formations to increase the effect for observers.  After a couple meters the cave opened up for our boat departure and exploration of the interior.  

Hiring a private guide to lead me through the underground caverns to waterfalls and subterranean pools, to my astonishment, as we walked along she encouraged me to climb on the speleotherm structures.  When humans touch calcium carbonate (limestone cave formations) the bodies oils leave a black sheen on the rock, which can't be removed.  I'm assuming these caves have only been accessible to the general public for less than ten years and it's obvious from the caves blackening that thousands of people have scrambled across the once beautiful stones.  

The tour guide could read my unhappiness, so as we came upon some knobby clusters of calcite, called cave popcorn or cave pearls, she encouraged me to chip away some of the crystals as a personal souvenir... hoping this would improve my experience.  All around the cave, any reachable stalactite and stalagmite had been detached and carried off.  When I asked about bats, she informed me that the cave is now too noisy and they have been scared away.

An additional tourist attraction within the submerged caves, which cost about 150 yuan ($23 U.S.), are the mud bath and terraced hot springs which are overtaken by mostly Chinese people.  Some of these natural limestone pools had been smashes by visitors and then "repaired" by recreating a shabby cement pool in its place.

We, the human species, have the knowledge for preserving our natural surroundings for future generations.  China is currently undertaking both an Industrial and Technological Revolution at the same time.  From traveling for the last four weeks, it is obvious there is little regard for conservation, however, but being actively encouraged to deface a natural monument which took thousands of years to form is appalling.  The word that kept coming to mind was, respect.  

The Chinese people hold respect for their families, respect for authority, respect for money... at what point does respect for nature and environment come into play?