Where's Gigi from?

Gigi was born in Rongcheng Town, Rongxian County, in the Guǎngxī or "Guanghi" province of the People's Republic of China--the world's most populous and one of its biggest countries. Which is to say that our little girl is from the far southwestern coast of China, not far from Vietnam and the Gulf of Tonkin. The Guangxi province is marked by some of the most picturesque landscapes and greatest ethnic and linguistic diversity in China. It's in the Cantonese region--that segment of southern China where most speak the other version of Chinese.

Gigi and her parents have one thing in common: We were both born and, in our case, grew up in mountainous regions. Gigi's is surrounded by mountain ranges on all sides, right down to the coast. To imagine Giangxi's coast, think of the Fjords of Norway, but more pointy and verdant--with bands of terraced rice fields, rather than grazing sheep. A couple photos:

http://www.goldenbridge.net/Guangxi-LijiangatSunset.htm

https://mmm02.rapidsite.net/adamp1/gallery/228-01.htm

As explained in a Wikipedia entry on Guangxi, it "has a subtropical climate. Summers are generally long and hot." In other words, we'll be cooking at an even temperature during our two weeks in southern China. We should be well done and tender when upon returning.

As the home to China's Zhuang ethnic minority, Guangxi is known as the "Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region." Even in the capital of Nanning, four languages are spoken: Southwestern Mandarin, Cantonese, Pinghua, and Zhuang. John Lewis's Dad, Eugene Needham, is coming along for the trip. A polyglot who has studied a dozen languages and achieved proficiency in more than a few, we think we can dissuade him from taking up Pinghua while there, but no promises on Cantonese.