Yunnan Charm

Himalayas & Local Farmer

Up next on our Chinese adventure was a trip into the mountains of the Southern province of Yunnan. We were a little tired of the constant mayhem & development of city life & were ready for a little nature & small town charm. We decided to book a flight from Chengdu to Lijiang instead of take a 25 hour train. It was a great call despite the monk in the row behind us chanting during the entire early morning flight! I know violence against monks is unspeakable, but Jody was tempted!

Bustling Streets of Lijiang

Lijiang is a beautifully preserved ancient Chinese Town in the mountains of the Yunnan Province. Built 800 years ago, the “new” old town is now geared towards Chinese tourists.  Every shop was selling similar stuff & we even managed to find the obligatory McDonalds & Starbucks! Despite being overcrowded & touristy, we really felt like we were stepped back in time here. Spending the day getting lost in the winding cobblestone streets, flowing canals & bridges was a nice change of pace.
















Lijiang reminded me of Venice. Water everywhere and no grid structure for the streets, so every turn takes you into some new, interesting area. It’s impossible not to get lost especially with the hoardes of Chinese people everywhere. We found a recommended restaurant for dinner & enjoyed dining on the local Naxi (indigenous) cuisine. Back at the hostel, we played some pool, met some travelers & booked our future transportation.

Hangin Around in Shuhe

Shuhe Night Dancing

Lijiang turned out to be a little overcrowded & touristy for us so we decided to venture out to some of the surrounding towns. We spent a night in the little quaint town of Shuhe (about 20 minutes by public bus from Lijiang).  Shuhe was similar to Lijiang but so much more peaceful. They say that it’s what Lijiang used to be like 10 years ago. We spent hours stopping in cute little cafes, shopping for handmade leather purses & sitting down watching daily life go by. The locals even washed their vegetables in the crystal clear streams that wound their way around the cobblestone alleys. We attempted to dance with the locals at night. I say attempted because each song has a dance routine that is excessively more difficult than the night markets of Thailand we’re accustomed to. It was interesting to see the community gather round a bonfire & joyfully dance the night away.

Beautiful Bike Ride!

The following day, we rented bicycles and rode around the surrounding countryside for a few hours. It was a beautiful bike ride yet surprisingly difficult. You see, these mountains that I’ve been talking about are actually the southern- most section of the Himalayan Mountain Range! The majestic snow capped Jade Dragon Snow Mountain overlooks the entire valley. We were biking directly towards the mountain and some fierce, frigid mountain breezes as well. Add to that the steady incline that comes at the base of the most notorious mountain range in the world, and it was a tough ride. Still, we enjoyed strolling past flower patches, local farmers plowing their fields with oxen & elderly Chinese sitting on curbs gawking at us.

Baisha

We stopped in the little town of Baisha for lunch. Even more remote & less-touristy than Shuhe, Baisha Old Town is the real China. It was the first city we’d come across that isn’t developed or developing. It was refreshing to see the locals still living in original houses & the peace & quiet that comes with no construction! We enjoyed a quiet lunch with Yak Butter Tea in this little village that’s overlooked by most tourists. A tranquil, genuine experience indeed.