It is a bit cloudy and rainy on this day and so the views are a little obscured, but still it is majestic. Not knowing what to do we find a recommended tour guide and ask for things to do when it rains. His choice: mud caves. We bus outside the city and do just that.

The caves here are different than the caves I am used to, they are less sanitized, less family friendly. In the States most caves seem to be so safety conscious that they suck the interest right out. Here there are still concrete steps and handrails from time to time, but there are also periods where we're hanging right over the edge, or stepping on small stones to cross large swaths of river water.

The guide, perhaps owing to speaking a second language, doesn't speak about science or geology, but instead only stops to speak when showing us how a bit of rock looks like a mushroom, or a stalactite in the shape of two lovers locked in an embrace.

The mud part of the cave is towards the end. It is a medium-sized pool of water with a good half meter of sedimental mud ready to squish between the toes at the bottom. The Chinese seem to want nothing to do with it, but they all gather around when us silly white folk decide to have a go. The water is freezing and the mud is... well, mud-like but we have lots of fun sloshing around and posing for a hundred pictures. From there we slip over to the underground river and have a swim and rinse off in the cold, clear water. This time one of the Chinese decides we're having too much fun and skimps down to his skivvies and has a go, too. Let me tell you right now, there ain't nothing like swimming in a cave with an unknown Chinese man in his underwear.

The day cleared up a bit from there and we took a boat ride down the river. The views were still obscured by clouds and still breathtaking. The boat let us off at a small village so we could see how the natives behaved. They were like much of the rest of them – trying to make a buck off of us tourists. One very cute old couple were walking outside their house when they spotted us. They spoke a little English and smiled at us with welcoming eyes. They invited us to see their garden and let us finger their herbs and admire their simple country life. Then they brought out the trinkets and asked us to buy. So much for quaint village life.