I took the bus from Mohan to Mengla (勐腊), my intention it was to take another bus to Yuanyang ( 元阳), but there’s only one at 7am. I bought the ticket for the next morning...
The market of Mengla I like very much and I start to feel the difficulty to communicate.
Next morning, having breakfast, I realize that I didn’t change the time of my mobile phone (my alarm) and that means that was about 7:45! My first transport that I lose.., what can I do?
The thing unexpected was that when I was going to buy another ticket to somewhere else, they give me the money back!
Just at 8 is living one bus to Jinghong (景洪) and 15 minutes after arriving at Jinghong, another to Kunming (昆明)... about 13 hours.
The cultural chock that I found at Kunming (3.5 millions habitants, modern city with a lot of commercials malls, lights, cars, etc...) I felt out of place and the first place that I ask for accommodation I say yes. I slept at the DVD room of a centric Young Hostel for 20 元 (2€) cose the rest was full.
Next day I try to book a ticket train to Dali (大理). The Train Station is completely full of people! Is Sunday, end of holidays and I don’t know what else.... So, I booked ticket for a night bus.
I have lunch with Linda (that I meet in Vangvieng) and Jon. We had a traditional soup and we xat for a while.
Night Bus and we wake up at Dali (大理市).
Dali is one of the oldest cities of Yunnan. Is located next to the Erhai Lake, with traditional architecture and settled by the Bai (and also Yi and Hui), ideal for relax.. I get there just at the time to see the old people doing tai chi.
There is the “2th Dali International Photography Exhibition” that during one week they put photo exhibitions around all the city, and I enjoyed...
At Four Seasons Young Hostel, I meet Daniela (Argentina) she is relaxing few days on her trip in Dali.
I visit the local market in Wase Village at the other side of the lake with two couples from Asturias (Spain) and one Italian. The people from the village are lovely! Next to the market the Bai woman’s were doing an offering singing and burning fake money, incense and colour papers. They offer a delicious sweet rice tea...
Doing the rest of the round at the lake, we stop to see the fisherman’s recollecting the fish and let it dry.
Next day I do a walk around the mountains (tracking) and at afternoon relax with a beer and watching the retired Chinese play cards at the cultural square of Dali, at the same time young Chinese practicing martial arts, beginners musicians learning how to set up their instruments and some people just philosophy himself (in Chinese, of course).
I left Dali by bus to Lijiang (丽江市). At half of the journey the bus make an unexpected hour stop in a huge jewelry shop in the middle of nowhere!!
I like very much Lijiang, a lateritic city with traditional house (originals, rebuilt and news) and the majority Naxi ethnic. Is plenty of nice and friendly Chinese tourists.
At the Mama’s Naxi Guest House (where I stayed) I meet a lot of travelers a! some of them are Xavier (Barcelona), Rebecca and Helen (USA), Ana (Colombian), and a very nice group of Madrid people...
At night Jon and I went to try if we can listen a traditional orchestra from outside the auditory (la Dayan Naxi Ancient), but we weren’t listening anything ... but anyway we sat for a while to watch the Chinese pass through in front of us. And then, a couple from germany went out of the auditory and give us their tickets! So, at the end we saw the Orchestra in the best place and for free.
The Night bars in Lijiang are so chicly and with the music very laugh. Otherwise the yogurts, coffee’s and Tea’s shops are so warm and comfortable to relax.
The Tiger Leaping Gorge is the next place that I go. I do the Leaping Gorge in two days doing overnight at the Halfway guest house. The track goes next to the gorge all the time and goes up till 2670m doing a serpentines, then goes flat passing a very spectaculars landscapes! (Tracking)
I did the track with Jon, Ana, Mieke and Niek (Belgium), Paulina and Michal (Poland) and Kasia and Beat (Poland)...
At the end of the route, we share a mini bus to Dukezong (Shangri-La) passing a very beautiful landscapes.
The village of Dukezong was a key point of stop of the legendary route of tea (Tea Horse Route, chamadao or 茶马道).
The old town of Dukezong of 1.6 Km2 is built in accordance with Tibetan Buddhist Geomàntic theorem, having arranged all the 1084 homes radiated based on the Turtle Hill (龟山).
- In 2014 most of a 1,300-year-old Tibetan town Dukezong (Shangri-La) was destroyed by a fire. (CCN news) -
After relax of the Gorge, we went for a breakfast and to Songzanlin temples by bicycle. Is a spectacular group of Tibetans temples builds in 15th century by the 5th Dalai Lama. Is a very good day and I take 1000 photos.
In China the communication is slow, you have to be patient.
Now is time to Sichuan Province.
Some Photos
2010-08-Yunnan (CN) https://photos.app.goo.gl/QW2ojYDULqMocnSx7
---
Versió catalana
---
No comments:
Post a Comment