Lost in Translation

During our travels through China we were surprised at how many young people spoke some English. They helped us order at restaurants, and helped us with directions and at the movie theaters.  The older generation in China, however, did not speak nearly as much English, which made for some entertaining conversations (or rather, attempts at conversations.)  We were also amused by some of the signage in English that we saw around the country.  We saw English mix-ups everywhere: government buildings, restaurants, and national parks.  Below are some of our favorites.

All flames must remain fully clothed at all times.

No Smocking please.

WARMING!  This sign was on the tourist path.

Ah yes, the infamous flyings!

I don't even know what to say about this one.

The Tourist Halts

The Moulage of Mat's Grain.  I don't know who Mat is...

To look out for falling rocks, or not to look out for falling rocks...

A dead end in the Xian metro station

Hiking up Mt. Huashan.  I have no idea what this means.

"Civilized behavior of tourists is another bright scenery rational shopping."

Hiking to Middle "Tigen" Leaping Gorge

This is one of my favorites!

I think this is part of a public health campaign.

Free use of sewing kits available at the Panda Reserve in Chengdu.

Offering a "view of taon" (town) and "chilling."

Enjoying the "Taste of fashion, experience of the most valuable" at the Great Wall.

A Taste Of Tibet

Tibetan Prayer Flags

With our great Gorge trek over with, we hopped in a mini-van for the 3 hour ride to the Northern tip of the Yunnan Province & the city of Shangri-La. We didn’t know this but, the town is actually called Zhongdian. It wasn't until 2002 that the name changed to Shangri-La. No doubt, for tourist reasons as the name alone has a “wow-factor” to foreign travelers. For those that don’t know, Shangri-La is a fictional mountaintop paradise created by British novelist James Hilton in his Lost Horizon book in 1933. Since that book, the name has been associated with a “Heaven on Earth”. Somewhere so beautifully perfect & peaceful, that it couldn’t possibly exist on this planet. I wouldn’t say Shangri-La is “Paradise” or even “Himalayan Utopia”, but I can definitely see why people make these connections.

Flags Everywhere

Located at an elevation close to 10,000 feet, it’s by far the highest place I’ve ever stayed. The region is ruggedly beautiful & rich in natural resource. Endless grasslands, imposing snow capped mountains, crystal clear lakes & remote Tibetan temples litter the landscape. Needless to say, it was starkly different than any other place in China we had been. It really ‘felt’ like Tibet. The temperature dropped significantly, the bitter glacial winds constantly hindered us & the altitude proved a formidable foe. It’s amazing how difficult it was to breathe. A simple few stairs took way too much effort.

Women Bringing "Offerings" To Be Burned

 








                      I mentioned that the name changed in 2002 as a “gimmick” to draw more tourists. I’d say this tactic has undoubtedly been successful. There are signs of Western development and I think some of the Tibetan charm has already been lost. Despite this recent expansion, the place remains very isolated & can only be reached via car so it’s still off the beaten-path. Because of its location, the town is virtually shut down in winter due to the weather conditions. We were fortunate to arrive in Early May during a stretch of decent weather.

So Comfy

We found our awesome little Guesthouse and settled into our colorful room. We knew we were in for an experience when the mattress was electrically heated. Turns out we really needed that because it was extremely frigid at night. At the recommendation of the owner, we wandered up to the 100 Chickens Temple for a view of the city. The 150 steps up the hill was a rough welcome for us. We had after just been hiking for 2 days & had to stop multiple times just to catch our breath. Yes there were plenty of chickens wandering around and the occasional Yak. I loved the thousands of vividly colored prayer flags tied throughout the grounds in disorganized chaos. On one side, we got a great view out over the city and on the other side, majestic mountains & continual grasslands. There were many locals scavenging for shrubbery & then burning it as an “offering” in big stone ovens. It was interesting to see & compare the differences between this Monastery and the Buddhist Wats of Thailand.

They Don't Call It The Chicken Temple For Nothing

Dancing In The Square

We spent most our time getting lost in the cobble-stone alleys of the old town. It was fun to eat different preparations of yak well as other Tibetan specialties. We even dined at a unique Chilean restaurant & washed down our food with homemade Tibetan rice wine. At night after a drizzle, the town turned magical. Despite the extreme drop in temperature, locals danced around the main square. It was a festive atmosphere with the scarce light reflecting off the slippery cobblestones. We ducked in and out of a few coffee shops to get toasty & replenish with warm beverages. It was great to relax & soak in this unique Tibetan culture.

Stunning Sumtseling Monastery

Our last day, we wanted to check out the largest & most important monastery in Southwest China; the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery. It was extremely impressive. Once housing 2000 monks, this Tibetan Buddhist monastery still houses close to 700! Built in 1679 when it was founded by the Fifth Dali Lama, the place seems more like a cluster of ancient castles than a solitary temple. It sits proudly atop a hill surrounded by a walled village. There are 3 main halls, each adorned with impressive Tibetan and Han statues, frescoes & relics from previous dynasties. The main hall can apparently house 1500 monks in itself, so you can imagine the size of the interior. A brilliant copper roof overlooks the complex as well as a swamp, grasslands & the aforementioned local village.

Entrance To One Of The Main Halls

Spinning For Good Luck

We particularly enjoyed spinning the massive iron prayer wheels (always 3 rotations clock-wise), listening to chanting monks & staring in awe at the sheer detail of the decor. It was an absolute color fest inside. Every wall was covered from head to toe in vibrant shades of all colors & patterns. The impressive Buddhist murals & jewel encrusted, gilded images were just as spectacular. After a few hours at the monastery, we headed back to Shangri-La with our Tibetan culture fix satisfied.

Beautiful

Overall we really enjoyed Shangri-La. It’s a unique place with a fascinating cultural influence that we were happy to experience. I hope it doesn’t turn into the tourist maze that is Lijiang. Remoteness will ensure that it won’t happen overnight. That being said, like the rest of China it will unquestionably continue to develop & westernize.

A GORGE-ous View

Another early wake-up. A van drove us along with some other tourists staying at our hostel 40 miles north along a winding, mountainous road to the town of Qiaotou. Our destination for the next few days was the infamous Tiger Leaping Gorge. Considered the world’s deepest river canyon, the Gorge was absolutely stunning. The mighty Yangtze River flows between two huge snow blanketed mountains – Jade Dragon Snow Mountain & Haba Snow Mountain creating a beautiful, diverse rugged landscape. We weren’t prepared for the sheer power & beauty that lies at this southern-most point of the great Himalayan Mountain Range.

Fertile River Valley at the Start of the Trail

We had researched a lot for this hike because there are many options to take in the gorge. Many people make it a day trip and drive straight to the middle gorge or stop for a few hours on the way from Lijiang to Shangri-La even further north. Located at above 9000 feet, we knew we wanted to hike because we heard it is one of the finest in the world. There’s a low trail along the recently paved road and a more adventurous high trail with waterfalls, cliffs & steep inclines. After the treacherous Mount Huashan experience, we figured the high trail couldn’t be THAT tough.

The Crew About An Hour Into It

We met a couple travelers on the van who we decided to hike with. Mark from Germany and Walter from Belgium. (German travelers are everywhere BTW) Long hikes are much better with company and it was interesting sharing stories with them during the two day hike. We got off the van and proceeded along the unmarked trail. There wasn’t much clear direction. Just little blue signs every once in a while giving us assurance that we weren’t completely lost. We immediately started to go up and before we knew it, we already had a great view of the fertile river valley below. The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain was immediately ahead of us shrouded in mysterious clouds.

Mark Taking a Break from the 28 Bends

After 2 hours of moderate hiking through beautiful terrain, we reached Naxi Family Guesthouse where we stopped for lunch. Most people stop at this guesthouse to recharge & refuel for the infamous 28 bends just ahead. The 28 bends are basically an insanely steep incline of 28 switchbacks straight up this massive hill. Because of the physical torture, extreme altitude & loss of breath, we had to stop every 3-4 minutes or so. Still, it was rewarding to see the views just get better and better as we struggled up and up. Eventually, we leveled off at portion with a gorgeous viewpoint over the Gorge & the powerful Yangtze River way down below. A stunning reward for 45 minutes of physical pain.

Our Reward After an Hour of Torture

Despite it raining on and off for the next 3 hours, the hike was amazing! We passed cascading waterfalls, terrifying rock face cliffs & moaning mountain goats. I can’t really describe the magical aura of the place. Just incredible views & the feeling that we were so miniscule compared to the power & mystique of Mother Nature.

Mountain Goat Man

Goats & Waterfalls

After 6 hours of hiking, the 4 of us reached our destination for the night; The Halfway Guest House. What a crazy place to spend a night. Yes, the rooms weren’t all that nice. Yes there was no heating. Yes it was noisy. Was it all worth it?? Hell yea! We had the most amazing views because it’s located directly in the middle of the Gorge! The open-air toilet looked right out over the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain! We had a wonderful dinner & plenty of Dali beers with the Europeans while soaking in the inspirational views. Their upper deck dining area is coincidentally named Inspiration Point and it speaks for itself. It was a very memorable evening at a very memorable place.

Our Guesthouse For The Night...Inspirational Indeed

More rain the next day. This was supposed to be the dry season! We headed out early and continued our trek across the Gorge. This time, we only had 2 hours of downhill hiking to Tina’s Youth Hostel & the paved road below. The views continued to be spectacular and we arrived around 10AM. We could have ended our Gorge experience at this point and waited for the minibus to pick us up & take us to our next destination Shangri-La, but we still had 4 hours to kill and we weren’t quite satisfied yet.

Despite the ever increasing rain, there was no way we were going to do this incredible hike and not go down to the Yangtze River. We decided to take on the steep climb down the ‘Middle Gorge’ to the Tiger Leaping Rock on the river. This section was actually steeper than the 28 bends we had conquered the day before. Every step brought us closer to the roaring rapids of one of the world’s greatest rivers. After the 30 minute descent & multiple entrance fees we reached the water and were confronted with a scary looking hanging wooden bridge.

Almost to Tiger Leaping Stone

We slowly walked over the bridge to the rock and had it all to ourselves! We had made it to the Yangtze River and were on Tiger Leaping Stone!  Legend says that in order to escape a hunter, a tiger leaped across the narrowest point in the river onto the very rock we were standing on. The rapids were beyond strong. It was scary just being near to the extreme power that such a massive river creates. We spent a long time just soaking in the sheer power & beauty of the scene. The river isn’t navigable. Too dangerous. In fact in the 80’s, four rafters tried to go down the river but were never seen again.

Me & The Mighty Yangtze

Heavenly Ladder

Scary But So Worth It

One the way back up, we decided to take a shortcut and climb the ‘heavenly stairs’. Basically a wobbly vertical ladder 100 feet up, it was exhilarating & scary with the rain coming down. We made it back to the guesthouse with an hour to spare & our Tiger Leaping Gorge Trip had finally come to an end.

Thinking back at it, the Gorge was definitely one of the most naturally stunning places I’ve ever been to. These mountains were so steep that they almost looked like we could hit them with a rock from the other side. 6000 feet up sheer rock faces into the snow & clouds above. I appreciated the fact that although it’s a set trail, we really felt off the beaten path throughout the trek. I’m so glad we fit this excursion into our trip because it’s a place we’ll never forget.

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.

Hot Pots, Pandas + Buddhas O My!

After a few crazy days in Xian, we planned for some rest & relaxation at our next destination. We hopped on another overnight train ride, and 15 hours later arrived in the city of Chengdu. The Capital of the Sichuan Province, Chengdu is a rapidly developing, modern city with a population of 14 million. We were glad to spend a few days soaking in a unique region of the country. Unfortunately, we happened to be travelling during a holiday – May Day to be exact. The Chinese Labor Day isn’t a major holiday but they still get 3 days off & people were everywhere!

Mr. Mao Overlooking Downtown Chengdu

After checking into our hostel, we spent the first day exploring the city. Chengdu is a giant, urban city with all the conveniences of western culture. New mega-malls, McDonalds & Starbucks were littered throughout the sprawling downtown area. A constant theme throughout our trip, there were buildings being constructed all over the place. The city seemed to be shrouded with a layer of dust & debris from so much construction which didn’t help my allergies. A new underground metro was being built & that will make transportation so much easier. We were stuck with public buses. Despite being stuffy & overcrowded, the buses were frequent & efficient. A huge statue of Chairman Mao towered over the main square & served as a reminder of the country we were in. We explored some parks and walked around the city a bit more, but honestly, we were tired after a long hike and a couple of near sleepless nights on the mountain and the train. We spent a lot of time taking advantage of our hostel’s free DVD collection and lovely outdoor garden.

Jinli Ancient Street - A Cool Place to Relax

The Sichuan province is famous for its spicy food and we definitely sampled some of the traditional cuisine. During our 4 day stay in Chengdu, we tried Mapo Tofu, Sichuan Hot Pot, Kung Pao Chicken & twice cooked pork. More on the food in a later post, but the food in Chengdu really stood out. One night after some of the best wantons we’ve ever had, we strolled through the beautiful Jinli Ancient Street. A busy commercial center since 200 BC, Jinli Street has been hustling & bustling for over 2000 years. Nowadays, ‘new’ ancient traditional buildings line the streets & it was a great place to wind down & people watch for a few hours. Among the traditional shops & restaurants were beautiful gardens & water features lit up by Chinese lanterns.

Most people make a visit to Chengdu just to see the giant pandas. Considered China’s national treasure, they are only found in this region of the country. There are now fewer than 1000 giant pandas of which 80% are within the Sichuan Province. We woke up bright & early and headed out via public bus to the Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center (6 miles away). The goal of this massive facility is to mimic the natural habitat of the giant panda in an effort to breed & increase the population of the endangered species. It is home to 60 giant pandas as well as some red pandas & 20 other species of rare birds.

Snuggles

Munching Away

Thankfully, we arrived early before the tourist crowds & were able to spend some private time with the pandas! They really are beautiful, cute bears & were so active in the morning after their bamboo meals. The facilities were impressive & the pandas had ample room to play & lounge around. We watched two cubs playfully wrestle for a good 20 minutes while the mother joined in on the roughhousing. There were nurseries for baby pandas as well as research laboratories & training centers. Unfortunately, there weren’t any babies when we were there, but we did see pandas of all ages. 

Don't Wake the Red Panda!

We checked out the Red Panda exhibit which was interesting. They reminded me a little bit of raccoons due to their long striped tail. We were walking through the exhibit & right in front of us on the path was a red panda taking a nap! We were a bit flustered because we didn’t know if the panda had escaped the exhibit or what. We slowly walked past careful not to agitate it because we read that they can be quite aggressive & bite people. It was an interesting experience for sure. We would never have that up-close & personal interaction at a Western zoo! A couple of hours is all we needed to see it all and by 10AM, the place was packed with tourists. We headed back to the city with our Panda fix satisfied.

One of the main reasons we came to the Sichuan province was to see the Leshan Giant Buddha and on our last day in Chegdu we took a van 75 miles out to the city of Leshan. Built during the Tang Dynasty in 713 AD, the statue is the largest stone Buddha in the world! It was incredible.

That's One Big Buddha!

The Buddha was actually built for protection. Located at the confluence of 3 rivers, the local people often lost ships to the dangerous water currents. They simply chalked the tragedies up to the water spirits. A monk named Hai Tong decided to carve a massive statue right on the river thinking that the Buddha would calm the waters & protect the local people from further suffering. Incidentally, the fallen stones that were deposited into the river during the 90 years of construction actually altered the water force there! The passage became safer for passing ships & the Buddha worked a miracle!

Sea of Chinese People

When it was carved, a 13 story wooden structure covered in Gold was built to protect it from the weather & deterioration. Unfortunately, the structure was destroyed by the invading Mongols and since then, the stone has been exposed to the elements. In addition to the massive size of the seated Buddha, the engineering of the statue is impressive. A sophisticated drainage system was built to reduce weathering after rains and it’s still in working order!

Staircase to the River Below

We marveled at the statue from above before waiting in a huge line to walk down the cliff to the figure’s feet. After one hour in a queue surrounded by hundreds of glaring Chinese people, we were finally able to walk down the steep steps towards water level. It was amazing standing at the Buddha’s feet looking up. We felt like ants. Just to give some perspective, the smallest toenail is large enough to accommodate a seated person and one shoulder is big enough for a regulation basketball court!

A Little Perspective

There were some interesting temples, ancient caves & waterfalls in the complex that we checked out before leaving. We really enjoyed the trip to Leshan and won’t forget the splendor of the massive Buddha.