Guilin really did make me feel almost at home--in Ipoh. I've always heard of my hometown being described as Little Guilin, so visiting the real Guilin felt almost like a validating experience. It is indeed pretty similar to Ipoh, just 3 or 4 times better. Sharp, jagged karsts in the backdrop, streams running through lush greenery, vast expanse of mountainous landscape--Guilin was pretty as a picture.
However, my trip to Guilin was a measly one-day trip. And instead of soaking up the natural tranquility of its scenic rivers and mountains, we spent our day at the tacky Bear and Tiger Park (you can tell from the photo at the entrance). Our mission that day was to find some tiger meat and tiger wine, apparently sold at the park's restaurant.
After an expose published by South China Morning Post, the farming and consumption of tiger meat and the use of tiger bones for medicinal products in China have attracted international media attention. And it is probably because of this attention that the restaurant at the park was already closed down by the time we got there. Ok, so no tiger feast. But there's a lot more action in store for us.
We decided to stay for more entertainment with the bear and tiger performance. Bears were dressed up like dolls, made to walk upright alongside children, and ride a motorcycle on a tightrope. Tigers get to on a parade, jump through hoops, get fed by children and wave to the crowd. A real circus.
A tiger on display was looking lethargic lying on a tiny platform. Upon yawning, the large cat was given a smack on the face by his trainer. "Pak! Pak! Pak!" I flinched, anticipating the beast to retaliate by biting they guy's face off. But it kept quiet instead.Hmm, no action there. So we decided to stay for the live feeding. After watching tigers pounce on their prey at the Harbin tiger park, this wildlife training activity no longer seem so shocking anymore. Just that this time, it is one-on-one -- one tiger vs one cow. And the tiger is doing it more for show than for food. Once it killed the cow, the tiger automatically returned to its cage, probably preferring the sliced and canned meat that the zoo prepares rather than such primitive means of killing for food. And humans think they're the only ones who've evolved. Click here to view the live feeding video
More pictures of Guilin here
