There are many cities in China. Guilin is my favorite city because of its beauty, its waterways, its cafes, and most of all because I met my wife there. It is her hometown and we will both retire(退休) there in a few years.

Not only is Guilin a wonderful city, but there are many interesting places to visit within a short drive from there.

The Ling Canal, one of the wonders, is the oldest canal in the world. It was built about 2,200 years ago and connects two major river systems, the Yangtze and the Pearl River.

The Longsheng Rice Terraces is another man­made wonder. It was built around 650 years ago. I have some photos of both of these places in my China Daily Homepage Albums.

The Gudong Waterfall Park is another famous place that is worth visiting. The hike to the top of all these waterfalls isn’t very difficult and if you want, you can take ride to the bottom on personal rail car. You can control the speed or stop the car with a brake. If you want, you can also climb up some of the waterfalls with the help of chains(链条). It is very convenient for the climbers.

I have only been in Guilin during the winter and spring, but my wife tells me it gets pretty hot in the summer time. That's OK because I grew up in the Midwest of the US where it gets very hot and wet during the summer months.

In Guilin, almost everything is within walking distance. If you need to go further, the buses come by every 5 minutes on the busy streets. There are plenty of taxis, too, and most trips are only 6 yuan. Guilin is a perfect place to have a retired life.