Just a quick note to say I'm back in the "free blogging world" again as I sit on the ferry looking at the sunshine and beautiful blue skies and ocean outside. Everything went smoothly on the trip home. It's certainly novel to leave Kunming on Wednesday morning at 7:30 am and arrive in Vancouver on Wednesday morning at 9:30 am. However, my brain can tell that there have actually been many hours in between (3 hour flight to Shanghai, 3 hours in the Pundong Shanghai Airport and then 10+ hour flight to Van). Fortunately the timing was great for the Pacific Coachline bus so I'll be in downtown Victoria by 1:30 pm and then home for a nice cup of tea, with real milk and honey! (which reminds me of the Apple Milk I grabbed for breakfast in the Kunming Airport - is it milk? is it apple juice? Yes! - not recommended)
I'm experiencing brain fog and a little culture shock. The airport, streets and ferry seem so empty and orderly - and it took a while to realize I could ask a question and be understood right off the bat - Great! Sadly wasn't able to bring the vacuum packed yak meat into the country: "no meat from China".
Well time to call Ian and let him know I'm back and then track down a cup of coffee (with real cream!) and enjoy a peaceful voyage to Swartz Bay :)
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Saturday, 24 September 2011
Shiboa Shan Pictures
Jackie With Elephant Hide Rock
Temple And Flowers In Field
Temple Scribe
Jackie & Large Buddha
Large Buddhas Close Up
Octopus Beard Statue
Monkey Warning Sign
Monkeys
Rubber Tire Tools
Unprotected Carving On Cliff Side
White Dragon Pool
White Dragon Temple In Field
Temple And Flowers In Field
Temple Scribe
Jackie & Large Buddha
Large Buddhas Close Up
Octopus Beard Statue
Monkey Warning Sign
Monkeys
Rubber Tire Tools
Unprotected Carving On Cliff Side
White Dragon Pool
White Dragon Temple In Field
Shiboa Shan and more Shaxi photos
Shaxi Old Village Farming Valley
Shaxi Old Village Narrow Pathway
Village Woman
Shaxi Ornate Archway
Shiboa Shan Friendly Budda
Shiboa Shan Jackie and Andy
White Dragon Pool 400yr Old Bridge
Shaxi Old Village Narrow Pathway
Village Woman
Shaxi Ornate Archway
Shiboa Shan Friendly Budda
Shiboa Shan Jackie and Andy
White Dragon Pool 400yr Old Bridge
Sept.24
Saturday Sept 24
Wow, 5 days since my last post - I knew it had been a while.... During that time I've changed accommodations 3 times and cities twice. My original intention had been to stay in the Old Town of Lijiang for 3 days but I left after 2, which gives me an extra day here in Shangri La. The Old Town of Lijiang has been around for 800 years, and is very pretty and quaint,with rivers and streams running through it, stone roads and bridges. So pretty that it attracts masses of tourists to it's baffling maze of narrow streets that have little English signage. After wandering lost for some time, I was surprised how much better I felt after finding an oasis above the crowds in a 2nd storey cafe that sold coffee and western food - N's Kitchen. I went back for supper and breakfast. Although I left Lijiang early I'm glad I was there to see the town, the Black Dragon Pool, and Mu's Residence - a massive walled complex where the Mu Clan of the Naxi people ruled for over 400 years. Although the complex was destroyed in a war it has been impressively rebuilt.
I haven't made it to the monastery yet because there's a lot of climbing involved and I'm feeling the effects of the altitude, but will attempt tomorrow. Today's horseback ride was full of surprises - I was led by a woman from the village on a little horse for 1.5 hours in the area behind the village, through fields where cattle and yaks were grazing. Then she invited me into her traditional home for lunch - yak butter tea, yak cheese, yak yogurt and flat bread. The water was boiled over an open firepit that vented through a smoking rack up through the roof. It was amazing - her young daughter and I helped each other with our languages - she pulled out her English workbook. After lunch I went to the Tianshenqiao Hot Springs which are beside a river and a cliff overhang. The womens' sauna is actually a blocked off area of the overhang, laid out with a long wooden platform with a headrest for people to lie on and buckets of cold and warm water to cool and wash off with afterwards. Clothing optional! If I went back I'd be a little bolder now I have a better idea of how it all works.....
Wow, 5 days since my last post - I knew it had been a while.... During that time I've changed accommodations 3 times and cities twice. My original intention had been to stay in the Old Town of Lijiang for 3 days but I left after 2, which gives me an extra day here in Shangri La. The Old Town of Lijiang has been around for 800 years, and is very pretty and quaint,with rivers and streams running through it, stone roads and bridges. So pretty that it attracts masses of tourists to it's baffling maze of narrow streets that have little English signage. After wandering lost for some time, I was surprised how much better I felt after finding an oasis above the crowds in a 2nd storey cafe that sold coffee and western food - N's Kitchen. I went back for supper and breakfast. Although I left Lijiang early I'm glad I was there to see the town, the Black Dragon Pool, and Mu's Residence - a massive walled complex where the Mu Clan of the Naxi people ruled for over 400 years. Although the complex was destroyed in a war it has been impressively rebuilt.
On a clear day a visit to the Black Dragon Pool includes a beautiful view of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain - although there was some sun while I was in Lijiang it wasn't clear enough to see the mountain but I've included a stock photo. There was also pouring rain which I only got caught in once. The Pool is actually a park that is lovely to walk around and also offers Naxi music demonstrations. And it was here that I found out that the colourful equipment I'd seen in this and other parks was not for kids to play on, but for people to take exercise breaks on - I took some photos of that too.
Another high point of Lijiang was Lucy, the English-speaking daughter of the owners of the Shanghai Family No. 68 Hostel where I stayed, who was very pleasant and helpful even after I let her know I was changing my booking., and didn't apply a penalty even though I offered to leave my deposit.
Another high point of Lijiang was Lucy, the English-speaking daughter of the owners of the Shanghai Family No. 68 Hostel where I stayed, who was very pleasant and helpful even after I let her know I was changing my booking., and didn't apply a penalty even though I offered to leave my deposit.
So on Thursday Sept 22 I was on the 4 hour bus ride to Shangri La. As my booked hotel didn't have a room available for the extra night I went on Trip Advisor and booked a room at the Shangri La Lamtin Youth Hostel. After crossing a pass in the Three Parallel Rivers area the terrain, housing, and agriculture change drastically. The surrounding hills are higher, although the peaks are still below the tree-line until Shangri La. Farm animals, including long-haired, long-horned yaks, roam the plains and tall drying racks for mostly hay dot the countryside. The houses are spacious and imposing 2 storey boxes with ornate doors, windows and pillars. I get a sense of wide-open spaces and I was excited to see more.
The hostel was nice, in the Old Town of Shangri La (every place I've gone to has an Old Town except Kunming). My only complaint is that the mattress felt like a board (I put the 2nd twin bed's quilt over it which helped). Before checking out the next day at the civilized time of noon I visited the world's largest prayer wheel (incredibly large and gold coloured), had a yak hot pot, and visited the Shangri La Women's Craft Centre. Thanks to a miraculous chance encounter with a shaggy-looking white guy speeding by on his little motorbike I was able to find the rendezvous place for the Songtsam Lodge driver. This is how I described the lodge to Ian.....
"I think I'm in Paradise (it's funny how one's concept of what Paradise is after 2 weeks on the road). To me it now has:
- computer wifi that works on my computer so I can e-mail, Skype and download movies for the 12 hour trip back to Kunming (legally through MoviesCapital.com)
- a beautiful hotel with a beautiful view
- a library of English books so I can trade mine when i'm done, which will be soon.
- people that speak English and are able to answer all my questions and booked me a sleeper bus seat to Kunming
- the ability to take a Western credit card so I can use it for my meals, tours, and laundry
- a kettle and a cup so I can have a cup of UVA tea (with some sort of milk)
- a restaurant with an English menu so i know what i'm ordering with the optionof a set supper so i don't have to think!
- an amazing, multi-level, gold-roofed monastery next door
- faceclothes
- 2 apples and a knife iin the room"
I haven't made it to the monastery yet because there's a lot of climbing involved and I'm feeling the effects of the altitude, but will attempt tomorrow. Today's horseback ride was full of surprises - I was led by a woman from the village on a little horse for 1.5 hours in the area behind the village, through fields where cattle and yaks were grazing. Then she invited me into her traditional home for lunch - yak butter tea, yak cheese, yak yogurt and flat bread. The water was boiled over an open firepit that vented through a smoking rack up through the roof. It was amazing - her young daughter and I helped each other with our languages - she pulled out her English workbook. After lunch I went to the Tianshenqiao Hot Springs which are beside a river and a cliff overhang. The womens' sauna is actually a blocked off area of the overhang, laid out with a long wooden platform with a headrest for people to lie on and buckets of cold and warm water to cool and wash off with afterwards. Clothing optional! If I went back I'd be a little bolder now I have a better idea of how it all works.....
Monday, 19 September 2011
Monday, Sept.19
A successful day visiting Shiboa Shan - a park reserve with 7th Century rock carvings, temples, monkeys and beautiful, forested hills. Many steps were involved in reaching the mountainside temples and I'm not sure I'll be able to do that 5 years from now.
Andy and Jackie were great travelling companions, and our driver handled the hair-pin turns, oncoming traffic, and farmer and farm animals like a professional rally driver. I have many more photos to edit now, although only one of the ancient rock carvings as most are in video-monitored areas where photography of these "national relics" is forbidden. However, we did see a lone carving on a cliff in a non-temple area. Other highpoints of this terrific day were having tea with the staff at one of the temples, getting to know Jackie and Andy, and seeing a 400 year old arched bridge and a relatively unrestored nunnery high up one of the trails (where there were Chinese delphiniums). Hiring the driver for the day (9:30 am - 6 pm) was only 200 CNY and there was admission to the park of 50 CNY.
Right now I'm sitting at Meizi's again, using the internet, listening to the music in the square where adults and children are again dancing. Tomorrow I'll be pulling up stakes again to go to Lijiang, but Shaxi holds a special place in my heart with it's peaceful, relaxing pace and beauty. I can understand how Lily ended up staying here to write her 2nd book.....
Sunday, Sept.18
Today was my first full day in Shaxi which I spent puttering around and renting a bike (that had almost no brakes). I crossed the highway, rode along a road made of little stones to an even smaller village on a hillside, then through the village out to the farming area behind. I finally broke down and asked a tiny elderly woman who was carrying a very heavy load of wood if I could take her picture - although I actually felt I should be offering to carry the basket for her. She didn't mind and I gave her a little money afterwards, but I wished that I had thought to show her the photo as well. When I thought of it later I rode back to find her but she was gone. Leaving the village I went back into Shaxi on a different route and then cycled on the roads beside the river which were gravelled and flat. There was time for reading before supper so I took my book down to the river. 3 young men showed up with tubs of noodles which were tossed into the river when they were done (I had to bite my tongue). As they were leaving one (who wore an earring) came over and sat very close beside me with his face up to mine, ostensibly to look at my book - several younger boys had also showed up and were directing comments at me too - it was the first time I'd felt at all fearful since I arrived - somewhat like I was being swarmed. But I showed him my book, resisted the urge to stand up, and they left shortly after.
A happier encounter at the river was with a young couple whom I'd met earlier in the day. I'd mentioned that I was hiring a car to see the stone carvings and asked if they wanted to join me and share the cost of 150 CNY - at the river they let me know that they've decided to come. So at 9:30 am we're off to visit various sites on a mountain where temples and statues have been carved into the mountain sides. They're from the UK, have been in China for 2 months of the 10 they plan to stay for, and he's a photographer. I'd like to ask him how he manages photographing people, although he has a large zoom lense so perhaps his subjects don't even know they're being photographed.
At 7 pm the hostel had a "family dinner" cooked by the owner, Shirley. No other guests were there - it was Shirley, Sleeper (a young Chinese employee), and Lily Hyde who is an author (Dreamland) from the UK, and lightly employed at the hostel. Lily's been in China for 10 months and is writing her 2nd book while she's at the hostel. The dinner was delicious and the conversation good as both as both Shirley and Sleeper speak English. Shirley shared her plans to start a kindergarten with some friends in Dali that will focus more on play than academics - she talked about the common stereo-type of Chinese people being studious, academically accomplished and no fun. Her friends have children who are about to go to kindergarten and who don't agreee with the current emphasis on academics for young children and believe in the need for play and creativity at this age.
I'm looking forward to having company on my trip tomorrow and being able to speak more English
Goodbye Dali, Hello Shaxi
On Friday the 16th I spent the day wandering around Dali and taking pictures with no particular plan in mind. I found a little park area and some peace and quiet by the South Gate. Because there is a 1000 CNY daily limit to withdrawing funds I took some money out to prepare for going to Shaxi and planned to take more out and cash my traveller's cheques the next day. I went back to the Garden Restaurant for another hot pot - unfortunately this time I got a fish bone stuck in my gum and couldn't fully enjoy the spicy lobster I'd ordered (which I thought would be a few in the hotpot but ended up being about 20 on a plate - very messy and tasty).
On Saturday I visited a dentist early in the morning to help remove the fishbone and bought some hydrogen peroxide. To communicate my needs I Google translated the phrases I wanted to convey, copied and pasted them onto a doc and showed them to the dentist and health goods store. Eventually the bone came out. However, even though it was a minor ailment, I realized how isolated a solo traveller can feel in a foreign country where there is a language barrier. Luckily Ian was at hand on Skype for support and advice. Not all banks deal with traveller's cheques but Bank of China did. I had to fill out a couple of forms and line-up - luckily it wasn't as crowded as I have seen it at times. I wouldn't want to rely on traveller's cheques but I suppose they'd be a good back-up if I couldn't get an ATM to work.
My errands done I paid up at the Moonshine Inn (750 CNY for 4 nights which included 30 CNY for laundry) and went with the driver the innkeeper had called to the bus station - the ride cost 40 CNY. As with Kunming there is more than one bus station - however, this Dali station was nowhere near as large or chaotic as Kunming, and right away I approached a woman with a shoulder purse and cell phone who seemed to be my Kunming angel's counterpart. Sure enough she pointed me to the right ticket window where I asked the agent to write down the cost for a ticket to Jianchuan (35 CNY) and departure time (20 mins), and other people helped me find the right gate.
The bus was quite small, but not as small as the bus that took me 3 hours later from Jianchuan to Shaxi for 10 CNY which had seats for 8 and carried 11, plus large plastic bags of something. Forty-five crushing minutes later we were at the Shaxi bus station - basically a collection of mini-vans on the street. (Someone in Shaxi told me that 11 people is not unusual - it can be as high as 13-14 - any limit is not enforced, and she thinks won't be until there's a serious accident as there has been elsewhere). I followed the directions down to the Horse Pen 46 Hostel, through a very ancient looking section of the town. The Horse Pen 46 Hostel is off an old courtyard where it's not hard to imagine people gathering in olden times. Also there is the original old temple which houses a lot of information about the restorations efforts that have taken place since 2004. The village began in 1400 but fell into disrepair and until recently the "unstable political climate" did not value saving it. It is the last village remaining on the Tea and Horse Caravan Trail and was short-listed on the World Heritage Site list and amazing work has been done to restore it. Shaxi is a quiet little place that is surrounded by hills and farms and the hostel backs onto a river that provides peaceful places to sit. The view from my 3rd floor room balcony is of the hostel's courtyard and over the rooftop to the hills. The pace is very relaxing and peaceful here. Every year students from a well-known Chinese art school come here, and the hostel owner laughingly told me that Shaxi is popular because the people around town the students use as models don't move for long periods of time.
Random Tidbits
Random tidbits
- Always carry a pack of tissues with you for the bathrooms when you're out and about, it's rarely supplied. You can buy little packs for about 1 yuan. Also, some bathrooms charge .50 yuan to use.
- These are the common crops I've identified so far: rice, corn, sunflowers, lotus root, sweet potatoes, chilies, watermelon, pumpkin, Plus many other green vegetables I've seen on display at restaurants, watermelon, and green beans.
- Chinese people seems to be refreshingly practical, more worried about whether something works than how it looks.
- There is a vast variety of clothing styles: traditional minority, very modern,"party" green and blue, school uniforms, casual modern, lots of women in pants, some in short skirts, Chinese slippers, very high heels.
- It's helpful to have paper and pen on hand for people to write down prices, times, dates if needed. Also, to jot down notes for the diary.
-
Many houses have solar panels that are attached to water tanks. However, I haven't been able to have a hot shower in either of the guest houses I've stayed in so far.
- In Dali I saw toddlers being suspended over the earthy area beside the sidewalk to poop.
- I've seen tai chi and mahjong in the parks.
- I've seen women driving buses and taxis, rowing fish boats, and on road crews.
- Being a passenger is not for the faint of heart - it often feels like the vehicles are playing chicken with each other.
- There are huge walls of webs spanning between trees that can contain 50 or more fierce looking spiders. The wasps here are also fierce looking - larger and thinner than ours with black and orange stripes.
- There is a beautiful aquarium that takes up an entire wall in the Vancouver International Departures area that is topped by a First Nations design and contains salmon, red snapper, a wolf eel, starfish, sea anemones and other varieties of fish.
- On the China Eastern Airline flight the meals were good (I had fish and noodles for lunch, omelette with sausage and hashbrowns, yogurt and fruit for breakfast), we were handed warm damp faceclothes at the start of the trip, and at the end there was a video that took us through some exercises to invigorate us after the long journey.
- The Moonshine Inn had several Chinese TV stations with very western looking newscasters and commercials for such things as electronics, make-up, clothing, cars (including Chinese manufacturers), food. Chinese drama series seemed to be popular.
- In the Shanghai Airport there are hot water dispensers for people to make tea, noodles and just drink plain.
- My $4.00 international plug adaptors from the Dollar Store worked fine.
- School kids start their day at 7:45 am with approx 1/2 hour of singing and exercises together. Kindergartens are very academic; however, some kindergartens are trying to take a different approach.
- Gluten is tasty. In Shaxi I had a dish of pea jelly cut in strips with chilis and cabbage and it was tasty too.
- Sign at construction development site in Kunming: "Urban renewal, Life more beautiful".
- There is a lot of trust involved when neither of us know the other's language - I'm putting myself in the hands of strangers who give directions and offer assistance, take money for payment and make change. It has worked out very well so far.
- There are many Muslim Chinese women wearing headscarves, and I've noticed that bull clips can be used to secure the scarves under the chin.
- I haven't seen many Chinese people with tattoes or men with earrings, but have seen some.
- There are many long above-ground viaducts and cement irrigation channels carrying water to farmed areas.
- At a farmhouse outside Dali I saw many rods with noodles hanging over them drying outside.
- There are lots of tiny mosquitos here - I stopped counting at 39 bites on my left ankle and foot. Luckily they're not very itchy, and this isn't jungle area so I'm not worried about malaria.
Sunday, 18 September 2011
Photos From The Hotsprings
One Of Many Cliff Shrines
Caroline's Good Luck
Caroline's Good Luck
3 In The Pool
Nibbling Fish
Liu and Daughter
Sweetie
Milk Pool
Green Pool
Lemon Pool
Rose Pool
Sun And Luo
Saturday, 17 September 2011
Post For Thursday Sept.15th
Thursday Sept 15
The tour day was wonderful and another day of firsts...
- Being on a tour with 7 people and the guide, none of whom spoke English at all. Once again the Chinese people were gracious hosts to me in their country and continually helped me out. I felt like a 54 year old child! As anticipated, being on an organized tour has its benefits and drawbacks, but overall the benefits definitely won out.
- Paddling a Bai fishing boat on Erhai Lake. and watching a fisher catch fish using cormorants. After 3 boats of us rowed out we were joined by the female rower and the fisherman who proceeded with their demonstration of the fishing technique. The fish are so large that the cormorants are not wearing collars to prevent them from swallowing as I'd expected.
- Another first was the singing that the guide, boatsman, fisherman and tourmates did on the way back in. At least some of the songs seemed to be traditional and one guy in particular had a very good voice.
- Eating fish for lunch at a Bai fish camp - which consisted of fried fish and skewers of crunch fingerlings and yellow something I didn't recognize (perhaps the stage before fingerlings?)
- Watching a Bai folk dance performance while having a 3 course tea (this is basically 3 types of tea served at intervals, 2 of which were very tasty and unusual (one sweet one with possibly ginger)
- Going to Heaven Dragon's Cave.This attraction was definitely one of the more incredible I've ever seen. It begins with an open air cable car ride part way up the Cangsan Mountains - the breeze was very welcome because it was a hot day. From the cable car I walked thru a little tourist market area to the amazing entrance to the Dragon's Cave, where a very long dragon carving rises up from the opening - it's tail continues on inside. A staircase rises up through the mountain and leads to a labyrinth of pathways, rock formations and chambers. The second half is very steep and challenging - but not for the woman in the red, studded stiletto-heeled boots (Quite amazing). From the staircase we emerged from the mountain and followed a pleasant descending pathway with a spectacular view of the lake and surrounding area back to the cable car terminal. Unfortunately I know virtually nothing about the origins of the cave - although it was one of the only places with an English description giving some history I experienced the joys or tours when there wasn't time to stop and photograph or read it without getting left behind and possibly getting lost in the labyrinth! And I have been able to find nothing about it on the internet either, except the lovely photo I've used that was so much better than the one I took.
- Going to a "marble factory" which was actually a large building housing LOTS of lovely jade jewellery, statues and other, and a small selection of Dali marble which is beautiful and apparently renowned. I broke down and bought a cheap jade/string bracelet for 116 CNY, but was sorely tempted by more expensive items, including marble which is not easy to pack around!
- Visiting a silver sales pavillion - once again lots of tempting items, and also incredibly carved silver.
- Sharing a meal with my tour mates - this was the only time I felt uncomfortable and clumsy. It reminded me of Sociology 200 and Erving Goffman's view of the importance of feeling competent. Also I didn't want to make the others uncomfortable with my presence but silence - however, you cannot eat alone at a Chinese meal that served communally! Nevertheless, the food was tasty and the people helpful.
- Visiting a tea house and having a lesson from a tea teacher. Most of the tour group bought tea afterwards and I wanted to buy the smallest tin. However, once again my tour-mates were watching out for me and would have none of that because they gestured it would not be a good tea for my stomach (because it was black?) and were happy when I selected a green tea.
- The tour as advertised included a visit to San Ta - the beautiful 3 pagoda temples, the oldest of which is 1200 years old. However, it was only a drive-by at the end to take a photo which I didn't mind because the day was very satisfying regardless. When we found this out shortly after the beginning of the tour one tourist reacted very strongly to the point of ranting and I would say yelling for about 20 minutes (sometimes it's hard to tell because to me speakers can sound like they're yelling when its more like being strident). The guide said her piece in response and then was very calm - and it was interesting that no one even raised an eyebrow or made any interaction with each other - just listened the whole time. Eventually things calmed down and the guy ended up participating happily in the activities. It was also interesting to see how the guide presented her information - basically speaking rapidly and non-stop for almost the entire time that we were in the mini-bus without notes and people didn't ever stop her to ask questions. It was more relaxed towards the end.
- Paddling a Bai fishing boat on Erhai Lake. and watching a fisher catch fish using cormorants. After 3 boats of us rowed out we were joined by the female rower and the fisherman who proceeded with their demonstration of the fishing technique. The fish are so large that the cormorants are not wearing collars to prevent them from swallowing as I'd expected.
- Another first was the singing that the guide, boatsman, fisherman and tourmates did on the way back in. At least some of the songs seemed to be traditional and one guy in particular had a very good voice.
- Eating fish for lunch at a Bai fish camp - which consisted of fried fish and skewers of crunch fingerlings and yellow something I didn't recognize (perhaps the stage before fingerlings?)
- Watching a Bai folk dance performance while having a 3 course tea (this is basically 3 types of tea served at intervals, 2 of which were very tasty and unusual (one sweet one with possibly ginger)
- Going to Heaven Dragon's Cave.This attraction was definitely one of the more incredible I've ever seen. It begins with an open air cable car ride part way up the Cangsan Mountains - the breeze was very welcome because it was a hot day. From the cable car I walked thru a little tourist market area to the amazing entrance to the Dragon's Cave, where a very long dragon carving rises up from the opening - it's tail continues on inside. A staircase rises up through the mountain and leads to a labyrinth of pathways, rock formations and chambers. The second half is very steep and challenging - but not for the woman in the red, studded stiletto-heeled boots (Quite amazing). From the staircase we emerged from the mountain and followed a pleasant descending pathway with a spectacular view of the lake and surrounding area back to the cable car terminal. Unfortunately I know virtually nothing about the origins of the cave - although it was one of the only places with an English description giving some history I experienced the joys or tours when there wasn't time to stop and photograph or read it without getting left behind and possibly getting lost in the labyrinth! And I have been able to find nothing about it on the internet either, except the lovely photo I've used that was so much better than the one I took.
- Going to a "marble factory" which was actually a large building housing LOTS of lovely jade jewellery, statues and other, and a small selection of Dali marble which is beautiful and apparently renowned. I broke down and bought a cheap jade/string bracelet for 116 CNY, but was sorely tempted by more expensive items, including marble which is not easy to pack around!
- Visiting a silver sales pavillion - once again lots of tempting items, and also incredibly carved silver.
- Sharing a meal with my tour mates - this was the only time I felt uncomfortable and clumsy. It reminded me of Sociology 200 and Erving Goffman's view of the importance of feeling competent. Also I didn't want to make the others uncomfortable with my presence but silence - however, you cannot eat alone at a Chinese meal that served communally! Nevertheless, the food was tasty and the people helpful.
- Visiting a tea house and having a lesson from a tea teacher. Most of the tour group bought tea afterwards and I wanted to buy the smallest tin. However, once again my tour-mates were watching out for me and would have none of that because they gestured it would not be a good tea for my stomach (because it was black?) and were happy when I selected a green tea.
- The tour as advertised included a visit to San Ta - the beautiful 3 pagoda temples, the oldest of which is 1200 years old. However, it was only a drive-by at the end to take a photo which I didn't mind because the day was very satisfying regardless. When we found this out shortly after the beginning of the tour one tourist reacted very strongly to the point of ranting and I would say yelling for about 20 minutes (sometimes it's hard to tell because to me speakers can sound like they're yelling when its more like being strident). The guide said her piece in response and then was very calm - and it was interesting that no one even raised an eyebrow or made any interaction with each other - just listened the whole time. Eventually things calmed down and the guy ended up participating happily in the activities. It was also interesting to see how the guide presented her information - basically speaking rapidly and non-stop for almost the entire time that we were in the mini-bus without notes and people didn't ever stop her to ask questions. It was more relaxed towards the end.
It was a very full day from 8:30 am to 5 pm, the best 160 CNY I ever spent!
After the tour I went out for a late supper after some downtime in my room, and had my final first of the day - seeing my first brothel - then my 2nd, 5th, and 8th - all within 4 blocks. I hadn't been out that late in the evening before and the storefront operations are shuttered during the day. Although prostitution is illegal in China I think Dali must be one of the areas that the law isn't enforced, as mentioned in an
interesting Wikipedia article on prostitution in China. Because I find it unlikely that the police haven't noticed the pink-lit lounges with large posters of naked women and/or couples in flagrante delicto, and a bevy of attractive and for the most part quite young-looking women with short skirts, low tops and high heels sitting around chatting, watching TV and doing their nails and make-up. At least the men seem to have found them anyway.... The article mentions that the popularity of prostitution may in part be due to the one-child policy which resulted in a disproportionate representation of men in the population. (And as I've read that the male/female ratio has had other unforeseen societal results as well.)
Although I found the final discovery disturbing, all-in-all it was another very fine day!
Thursday, 15 September 2011
Photos of the Moonshine Inn
Moonshine Inn Roof Detail with Dali Stone (Marble)
Front Door
Moonshine Inn Ladies
Patio View
Front Door
Moonshine Inn Ladies
Patio View
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
Day 3 in Dali
Day 3 in Dali - Sept 15
It's 5:38 am in my sweet room on the top floor of the Moonshine Inn, where I have a patio all to myself that overlooks the mountains . I've been waking up early most mornings and have decided that it's easier just to get up and do something than try to go back to sleep - I can sleep when I get back to Victoria. At 5 am, during a break from the rooster crows and occasional dog bark I heard a large gong being rung at 5 second intervals - the haunting sound drifting over from the cloudy Cangshan Mountains behind me. An awesome reminder that I'm in China..... Now it's 6:27 am and I hear very slow horn music coming from the direction of the mountains to my left.
There are 2 parts to Dali - Xiaguan, Dali New City - and Dali Old Town, Dali Old Town, which is where I and most tourists stay. Dali began in 738, and was rebuilt in the early 1400s by the Ming Dynasty. The people from minorities in Dali are mostly Bai with also many Yi and Hui. Wikitravel is a good source of information for the places I'm visiting - both historical and practical.
I arrived in Dali on Tuesday the 13th after a 5 hour bus ride which started at a chaotic, crowded bus station that had no English signage. However, I was saved again by yet another guardian angel who hurriedly scooped me up, took me to a wicket, arranged my ticket and delivered me to the bus before I really knew what was happening. (Although there's not generally a lot of rushing - when things get moving they REALLY MOVE).
I was pleased to get into the countryside - particularly movingly beautiful I found the lush green plots used for crops that follow the contours of the land on steep hillsides and stream beds - each one is planted in rows and contains several crops (I recognized corn and I'm not sure what else was there, perhaps tobacco). In many areas the soil appeared to be red clay, so I'm surprised at how well things grew. Also scattered around are farmers' low houses and out-buildings, that I think are made with clay bricks and roof tiles and look ancient. Closer to Dali the farms were much larger and had communities of homes together with what I'm guessing were farmworker's homes and fancier homes with bars over the lower floor windows. I saw what I believe were water buffalo, goats, horses and mules along the way.
Fortunately the bus made a WC and snack break after 2 hours at a stop that offered food and some tourist wares. The WC was the communal squatting kind, and did have dividers between each stall but no doors. For lunch I purchased peanuts in the shell (raw, not boiled), shrimp chips, longuns and giant red grapes (saved the grapes for later after remembering Dr. Johnson's caution about unwashed veg & fruit).
Dali New City seemed much more accessible than overwhelmingly busy and sprawling Kunming. I knew that from the bus station I needed to get to the Old Town - an approx 50 yuan taxi ride. Stepping off the bus I was approached by an older, non-English speaking guy who said he could take me there. I didn't realize he wasn't a taxi driver until I reached his lorry van - however, he was charging 60 yuan and I was already at his vehicle so decided to go with him anyway. He was insisting I pay the fare before we left but I refused and just as well, because he had no idea where the Moonshine Inn was and tried to leave me at a couple of other places before we finally found it (he would've been successul the first time if not for the intervention of a passing stranger).
The Moonshine Inn is lovely, and the architecture and character are well represented by the Inn's website. In addition to those, there are other advantages to staying here which include:
Yesterday was my first full day here. It began with the soothing sound of pouring rain, and I was looking forward to spending the day holed up in my room puttering. However, the rain lifted, the sun came out and instead I spent the day:
Today I'll go back to Sister's Cafe at 8:30 where my day of touring begins. Unfortunately the guide doesn't speak English, and I'm not sure that other people on the tour will either so once again I'll only be getting a partial picture of what I'm seeing, but at least I'll be experiencing it. The cost of a private English speaking guide would be much higher than the 160 yuan I'm paying - however, I might try arranging that at some point. I have some photos of yesterday which I'll organize and load later. Time for tea and breakfast pastries from the 88 Bakery. Sooo glad Ian convinced me not to ditch the UVA Highland tea leaves and powdered honey at Van Airport when I was worried about the size of my carry-on pack, and that I've found some milk (sweetened, in a little bag, yet close enough). A little bit of home! Looking forward to Skyping with Ian tomorrow at 8 am-ish here, 6 pm-ish there. We've done it twice, and miraculously Michelle called while we were on yesterday so we were able to have a 3 way conversation. It was so good to hear her voice as we haven't heard from her for 6 weeks - how serendipitous is that! Signing off at 7:35 am to the sounds of car horns insistently honking to warn drivers and pedestrians they're coming and birds singing. (Pedestrians definitely do not have the right of way here! Size wins.) Zaijian....
It's 5:38 am in my sweet room on the top floor of the Moonshine Inn, where I have a patio all to myself that overlooks the mountains . I've been waking up early most mornings and have decided that it's easier just to get up and do something than try to go back to sleep - I can sleep when I get back to Victoria. At 5 am, during a break from the rooster crows and occasional dog bark I heard a large gong being rung at 5 second intervals - the haunting sound drifting over from the cloudy Cangshan Mountains behind me. An awesome reminder that I'm in China..... Now it's 6:27 am and I hear very slow horn music coming from the direction of the mountains to my left.
There are 2 parts to Dali - Xiaguan, Dali New City - and Dali Old Town, Dali Old Town, which is where I and most tourists stay. Dali began in 738, and was rebuilt in the early 1400s by the Ming Dynasty. The people from minorities in Dali are mostly Bai with also many Yi and Hui. Wikitravel is a good source of information for the places I'm visiting - both historical and practical.
I arrived in Dali on Tuesday the 13th after a 5 hour bus ride which started at a chaotic, crowded bus station that had no English signage. However, I was saved again by yet another guardian angel who hurriedly scooped me up, took me to a wicket, arranged my ticket and delivered me to the bus before I really knew what was happening. (Although there's not generally a lot of rushing - when things get moving they REALLY MOVE).
I was pleased to get into the countryside - particularly movingly beautiful I found the lush green plots used for crops that follow the contours of the land on steep hillsides and stream beds - each one is planted in rows and contains several crops (I recognized corn and I'm not sure what else was there, perhaps tobacco). In many areas the soil appeared to be red clay, so I'm surprised at how well things grew. Also scattered around are farmers' low houses and out-buildings, that I think are made with clay bricks and roof tiles and look ancient. Closer to Dali the farms were much larger and had communities of homes together with what I'm guessing were farmworker's homes and fancier homes with bars over the lower floor windows. I saw what I believe were water buffalo, goats, horses and mules along the way.
Fortunately the bus made a WC and snack break after 2 hours at a stop that offered food and some tourist wares. The WC was the communal squatting kind, and did have dividers between each stall but no doors. For lunch I purchased peanuts in the shell (raw, not boiled), shrimp chips, longuns and giant red grapes (saved the grapes for later after remembering Dr. Johnson's caution about unwashed veg & fruit).
Dali New City seemed much more accessible than overwhelmingly busy and sprawling Kunming. I knew that from the bus station I needed to get to the Old Town - an approx 50 yuan taxi ride. Stepping off the bus I was approached by an older, non-English speaking guy who said he could take me there. I didn't realize he wasn't a taxi driver until I reached his lorry van - however, he was charging 60 yuan and I was already at his vehicle so decided to go with him anyway. He was insisting I pay the fare before we left but I refused and just as well, because he had no idea where the Moonshine Inn was and tried to leave me at a couple of other places before we finally found it (he would've been successul the first time if not for the intervention of a passing stranger).
The Moonshine Inn is lovely, and the architecture and character are well represented by the Inn's website. In addition to those, there are other advantages to staying here which include:
- It is down a funky alley that is off a busy main road, which helps keep it quiet.
- The view includes the Cangshan Mountains, a small waterfall, and one of the San Ta pagoda temples.
- The couple running the place are friendly and helpful, and the wife speaks a little English.
- I get to see sparkly Chinese fireworks every night - there's some sort of show going on in a nearby stadium and each performance has 2 firework displays.
- It is located at the edge of the action, so still close to many things.
Yesterday was my first full day here. It began with the soothing sound of pouring rain, and I was looking forward to spending the day holed up in my room puttering. However, the rain lifted, the sun came out and instead I spent the day:
- walking around the vicinity
- finding a Western breakfast and a yummy cappucino (that took about 20 minutes to lovingly prepare - my first coffee since Sept 9th!) at Sister's Cafe, and booking a tour thru them
- having a 60 minute "traditional Chinese medicine massage" from a guy with extremely strong hand(brutal, but satisfying in a masochistic kinda way - and I did feel good afterwards although little tender in my shoulders today)
- my first solo-ordered Chinese meal (supper, and again facilitated by a helpful bystander)
- troublesome banking at the Construction Bank of China (the ATM ate my card, which was actually fortuitous because it put me in touch with an extremely patient teller who nursed me thru trying 2 different credit cards, and finally my debit card that worked (which was strange because the ATM only had Mastercard and Visa logos on it).
- Buying a new book to read (Frangipani) as Nanny Diaries is almost done.
- Being amazed at the variety of transportion and load-carrying methods that included: electric scooters and bikes, motor scooters and bikes, giant electric carts that seat 14, motorized tricyles that have 3 bucket seats, scooters with small open truck beds, bikes with carts, ornate baby carriers, cane and modern baskets for the back, and large sacks carried on the back by a band around the forehead. I even saw the quintessential elderly woman in a pointed cane hat carrying 2 large bucket loads suspended from each end of a rod across her shoulders.
- An amazing temple that unfortunately I know nothing about because there was no English info - the shrine area had a massive 20+ foot gold coloured statue of a dominant warrior(-god?) with two slighly smaller gold statues on either side. I was awestruck by the power of it.
Today I'll go back to Sister's Cafe at 8:30 where my day of touring begins. Unfortunately the guide doesn't speak English, and I'm not sure that other people on the tour will either so once again I'll only be getting a partial picture of what I'm seeing, but at least I'll be experiencing it. The cost of a private English speaking guide would be much higher than the 160 yuan I'm paying - however, I might try arranging that at some point. I have some photos of yesterday which I'll organize and load later. Time for tea and breakfast pastries from the 88 Bakery. Sooo glad Ian convinced me not to ditch the UVA Highland tea leaves and powdered honey at Van Airport when I was worried about the size of my carry-on pack, and that I've found some milk (sweetened, in a little bag, yet close enough). A little bit of home! Looking forward to Skyping with Ian tomorrow at 8 am-ish here, 6 pm-ish there. We've done it twice, and miraculously Michelle called while we were on yesterday so we were able to have a 3 way conversation. It was so good to hear her voice as we haven't heard from her for 6 weeks - how serendipitous is that! Signing off at 7:35 am to the sounds of car horns insistently honking to warn drivers and pedestrians they're coming and birds singing. (Pedestrians definitely do not have the right of way here! Size wins.) Zaijian....
Breaking The Silence
Breaking the silence.....
How's that for drama! I haven't been able to post because 1) I've been very busy, 2) I've been "aclimatizing" to this new world and to travelling alone, and 3) when I did have a chance to write my time was spent trying to figure out how to post. I've discovered that in 2009 China banned all blogs (as well as many downloading sites) - a minor detail I missed in my research! After unsuccessfully trying work-arounds using blog editors Ian's agreed to copy and paste e-mails into the blog. Thanks Ian! I'm glad to be able to have a record of my trip to look back on. Each day has been a gem, better than I imagined - I've met many incredibly friendly and helpful people, and I'm gradually adjusting to solo travelling and having only the schedules and expectations I set for myself. So far I've taken about 300 photos (surprisingly not all masterpieces :p ) but I could've taken hundreds more - there's so much I want to capture! I've only added a few as some serious editing has to be done.
Sept 9 - 13 The flight....
Was very long! 12+ hours to Shanghai from Vancouver, a 4 hour wait in the Shanghai Airport, and a mere 3 hour flight from Shanghai to Kunming. Laptop movies, talking with my row-mate, and The Nanny Diaries got me through though. The airports in China weren't what I expected - not a mad crush of rushing people. Actually, I find the pace here quite relaxed after all. The Shanghai (Pudong) Airport is very modern, clean and somewhat stark and institutional. One worry I'd had for arriving in Kunming at midnight had been about finding a ride to the hotel while in a groggy state and in a place where little English is spoken - indeed it was challenging, because my hotel - the Eway Xintiandi Kunming - was towards the outskirts of the city, 12 km from the airport and as it turned out very unknown. Neither the people at the taxi stand, my taxi driver (who spoke zero English) or the 6 people he asked along the way (including other taxi drivers out there) knew what or where it was. However, patience conquered all and I finally arrived safely at 1:30 am to a hotel that sits at the end of a long dark driveway. Although I was dying to sleep registereing was quite time-consuming because the night staff spoke little English, I speak no Chinese, and my phrasebook seemed useless - even so I was thrilled because the place looked even better than in the photos - beautifully done for approximately $50/night. Once in the room I sent a quick e-mail to Ian to let him know I'd made it and finally to bed.
Thanks probably in large part to the No Jet Lag I diligently took throughout the first flight I was up for breakfast at 9 am, where I met my first Kunming guardian angel Sun, who approached me in the dining area. Sun studied for 3 years in Austria and her English is good. She was visiting friends who live in Kunming for the Mid-Autumn Festival, and when she found out that my plans were the same as hers (to go the the nearby Yunnan Minority Village and ride the cable car up the mountain) she asked if I wanted to do them together.
It was an amazing day and the weather was beautiful. I got to see and try many new things:
Sun returned to her home in Qingdoa (pronounced Chingdoa) the next morning and I decided to travel out to the Anning (also referred to as Anming) Hot Springs, 34 kms southwest of Kunming and about an hour's bus ride. I had planned to take a cab to the bus station at 11 am using the Chinese directions for the taxi driver that the hotel's front receptionist had written out for me. However, due to miscommunication the taxi showed up 15 minutes after breakfast (at 9:30) and rather than try and sort it out I decided to scramble my stuff together and just go with it. Which was a very good thing, because on the bus I met lovely Liu and her sweet 5 year old daughter (I have a hard time remembering names in Chinese unless I can write them down). We were sitting across from each other on the bus and the little girl said Hello, waved to me a few times and was watching me. When we arrived at the Hot Springs I was surprised to find that there are actually several establishments with hot springs and with my lack of Chinese I wasn't sure where to go next. Happily, Liu and her daughter approached me and asked if I would like to join them - it was also their first time and a driver who talked to Liu when she got off the bus showed her a brochure for "the best hot springs there". And I believe he was likely correct - at the Jinfang Hot Spring ("Jocundity, Mildness, Romantic") there are at least 20 separate pools in a natural forest setting, including pink rosewater, yellow lemon, white milk, and something very green pools, and one pool with many little fish in it that nibble soakers (an extremely unique sensation!). We all squealed at that and Liu's daughter had a very long giggle. There was a tremendous kid's pool, and a swimming pool, and various water massaging showers and beds, and also a very good restaurant where I had delicious crunchy dried/steamed fish and other tasty dishes that Liu ordered. Once again I was not allowed to pay for or contribute to lunch - but Liu did let me buy the ridiculously inexpensive bus tickets back (8 CNY for an adult). Liu told me later that her little girl had told her on the bus to Anning that she wanted to be friends with me, and I imagine that was at least in part the inspiration for us getting together. I think she was curious about me, and you don't have to be a very tall white guy (MK) to be a novelty in China - people do stare, and one boy at the hot springs got quite scared of me. As it was still the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday the hot springs was very busy and yet I was the only non-Chinese person there - at one point a man asked Liu to ask me if the teenager he was with could have her picture taken with me and I was happy to oblige. After leaving the Kunming Airport Sunday midnight I don't think I saw anyone who wasn't Chinese until on the way to Dali on Tuesday afternoon.
Liu and I parted ways when the bus got back in Kunming but we will stay in touch. I left on the bus the next day for Dali. I was sad to leave because of the wonderful time I had there and the beautiful hotel with my balcony overlooking the forest and a pond, but I was also excited to see my next stop.
Catapillar Fungus
Eway Xintiandi Kunming Foyer
How's that for drama! I haven't been able to post because 1) I've been very busy, 2) I've been "aclimatizing" to this new world and to travelling alone, and 3) when I did have a chance to write my time was spent trying to figure out how to post. I've discovered that in 2009 China banned all blogs (as well as many downloading sites) - a minor detail I missed in my research! After unsuccessfully trying work-arounds using blog editors Ian's agreed to copy and paste e-mails into the blog. Thanks Ian! I'm glad to be able to have a record of my trip to look back on. Each day has been a gem, better than I imagined - I've met many incredibly friendly and helpful people, and I'm gradually adjusting to solo travelling and having only the schedules and expectations I set for myself. So far I've taken about 300 photos (surprisingly not all masterpieces :p ) but I could've taken hundreds more - there's so much I want to capture! I've only added a few as some serious editing has to be done.
Sept 9 - 13 The flight....
Was very long! 12+ hours to Shanghai from Vancouver, a 4 hour wait in the Shanghai Airport, and a mere 3 hour flight from Shanghai to Kunming. Laptop movies, talking with my row-mate, and The Nanny Diaries got me through though. The airports in China weren't what I expected - not a mad crush of rushing people. Actually, I find the pace here quite relaxed after all. The Shanghai (Pudong) Airport is very modern, clean and somewhat stark and institutional. One worry I'd had for arriving in Kunming at midnight had been about finding a ride to the hotel while in a groggy state and in a place where little English is spoken - indeed it was challenging, because my hotel - the Eway Xintiandi Kunming - was towards the outskirts of the city, 12 km from the airport and as it turned out very unknown. Neither the people at the taxi stand, my taxi driver (who spoke zero English) or the 6 people he asked along the way (including other taxi drivers out there) knew what or where it was. However, patience conquered all and I finally arrived safely at 1:30 am to a hotel that sits at the end of a long dark driveway. Although I was dying to sleep registereing was quite time-consuming because the night staff spoke little English, I speak no Chinese, and my phrasebook seemed useless - even so I was thrilled because the place looked even better than in the photos - beautifully done for approximately $50/night. Once in the room I sent a quick e-mail to Ian to let him know I'd made it and finally to bed.
Thanks probably in large part to the No Jet Lag I diligently took throughout the first flight I was up for breakfast at 9 am, where I met my first Kunming guardian angel Sun, who approached me in the dining area. Sun studied for 3 years in Austria and her English is good. She was visiting friends who live in Kunming for the Mid-Autumn Festival, and when she found out that my plans were the same as hers (to go the the nearby Yunnan Minority Village and ride the cable car up the mountain) she asked if I wanted to do them together.
It was an amazing day and the weather was beautiful. I got to see and try many new things:
- Dianchi Lake and Dianchi Lake Park.
- The spectacular Lakeview Restaurant (where Sun's friends worked) which has huge tanks of live fish, many different dining areas and an amazing menu with photos of dishes with unusual ingredients, such as caterpillar fungus.
- The cable car that went over Dianchi Lake and then up the mountain, with amazing views. Luo (sp?),Sun's friend, joined us and was quite nervous about the height, laughing and grabbing onto Sun.
- My first real meal in China (not counting the rice porridge and steamed custard bun I had for breakfast) that we had up the mountain. I learned valuable lessons from eating with Sun and Luo: it's gonna get messy, there will be a lot of food (although even Sun who ordered was surprised at the number of dishes we were served), and a lot of it probably won't get eaten. It was novel to see the side plate, bowl and cup come as a plastic wrapped set and I tried to copy how Sun and Luo approached eating their food. I wanted to treat us to lunch but that offer was soundly refused.
- Temples built into the sides of the mountain - Sun and Luo offered prayers with joss sticks at one of them.
- Total strangers talking to each other as if they were well-acquainted. I've witnessed this countless times since I've been here - one Chinese person approaching another for assistance or directions without thinking twice, and the person responding in kind.
- In the evening I did Chinese folk dancing around a fire pit with the performers and other audience members at the excellent evening show at the Yunnan Minorities Village, which celebrates the music and dancing of some of the minorities in Yunnan.
Sun returned to her home in Qingdoa (pronounced Chingdoa) the next morning and I decided to travel out to the Anning (also referred to as Anming) Hot Springs, 34 kms southwest of Kunming and about an hour's bus ride. I had planned to take a cab to the bus station at 11 am using the Chinese directions for the taxi driver that the hotel's front receptionist had written out for me. However, due to miscommunication the taxi showed up 15 minutes after breakfast (at 9:30) and rather than try and sort it out I decided to scramble my stuff together and just go with it. Which was a very good thing, because on the bus I met lovely Liu and her sweet 5 year old daughter (I have a hard time remembering names in Chinese unless I can write them down). We were sitting across from each other on the bus and the little girl said Hello, waved to me a few times and was watching me. When we arrived at the Hot Springs I was surprised to find that there are actually several establishments with hot springs and with my lack of Chinese I wasn't sure where to go next. Happily, Liu and her daughter approached me and asked if I would like to join them - it was also their first time and a driver who talked to Liu when she got off the bus showed her a brochure for "the best hot springs there". And I believe he was likely correct - at the Jinfang Hot Spring ("Jocundity, Mildness, Romantic") there are at least 20 separate pools in a natural forest setting, including pink rosewater, yellow lemon, white milk, and something very green pools, and one pool with many little fish in it that nibble soakers (an extremely unique sensation!). We all squealed at that and Liu's daughter had a very long giggle. There was a tremendous kid's pool, and a swimming pool, and various water massaging showers and beds, and also a very good restaurant where I had delicious crunchy dried/steamed fish and other tasty dishes that Liu ordered. Once again I was not allowed to pay for or contribute to lunch - but Liu did let me buy the ridiculously inexpensive bus tickets back (8 CNY for an adult). Liu told me later that her little girl had told her on the bus to Anning that she wanted to be friends with me, and I imagine that was at least in part the inspiration for us getting together. I think she was curious about me, and you don't have to be a very tall white guy (MK) to be a novelty in China - people do stare, and one boy at the hot springs got quite scared of me. As it was still the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday the hot springs was very busy and yet I was the only non-Chinese person there - at one point a man asked Liu to ask me if the teenager he was with could have her picture taken with me and I was happy to oblige. After leaving the Kunming Airport Sunday midnight I don't think I saw anyone who wasn't Chinese until on the way to Dali on Tuesday afternoon.
Liu and I parted ways when the bus got back in Kunming but we will stay in touch. I left on the bus the next day for Dali. I was sad to leave because of the wonderful time I had there and the beautiful hotel with my balcony overlooking the forest and a pond, but I was also excited to see my next stop.
Catapillar Fungus
Elephants At Xintiandi
Wednesday, 7 September 2011
Phrase book
I' have 2 phrase books (a 1980 Berlitz and a 2010 Lonely Planet) and wanted something more concise, so put a 4 page table together of the top words and phrases I think I'll use the most. Adding the tones was a lot of work! Because many vowels have tones. I'd attach it here for others to use if I could..... Getting closer - only 3 more nights. Lots of details to take care of here and at work, which makes it hard to focus on being excited :)
Saturday, 3 September 2011
Where I'm staying
According to the 2010 census, China has a population of more than 1 billion people (1,339,724,852 to be exact). In 2010, Yunnan had a population of almost 46 million people.
It will be interesting to see what this actually looks like on the ground. I'd heard there are communities of people everywhere, and it took me some time to realize that even some of the quaint looking Dali and Lijiang are home to over a million people. Shangri la is smaller, and Shaxi is so small that I couldn't find a population for it.....
Links to information and photos of the hotels and guesthouses that I've booked.....
Kunming - population 6+ million
Eway Xintiandi Hotel $40/night
Dali - population 3+ million
Moonshine Inn $27/night
Shaxi - population of Jianchuan County 170,000
Horse Pen 46 Hostel $7/night
Lijiang - population 1+ million
Shanghai Family No. 68 Hostel $10/night
Shangri la - population 130,000
Songtsam Hotel $100/night
It will be interesting to see what this actually looks like on the ground. I'd heard there are communities of people everywhere, and it took me some time to realize that even some of the quaint looking Dali and Lijiang are home to over a million people. Shangri la is smaller, and Shaxi is so small that I couldn't find a population for it.....
Links to information and photos of the hotels and guesthouses that I've booked.....
Kunming - population 6+ million
Eway Xintiandi Hotel $40/night
Dali - population 3+ million
Moonshine Inn $27/night
Shaxi - population of Jianchuan County 170,000
Horse Pen 46 Hostel $7/night
Lijiang - population 1+ million
Shanghai Family No. 68 Hostel $10/night
Shangri la - population 130,000
Songtsam Hotel $100/night
Friday, 2 September 2011
Open letter to Dr. Laura regarding God's Laws
Sorry, this has nothing to do with China, but it's one of the most entertaining things I've read in a long time.... I did see it while I was on the computer looking for images of China if that counts, listening to Pink Floyd who have had some of their albums released in China (by EMI China and China Record Shanghai Corp). However, Richard Wright's solo album "Broken China" seems to have nothing to do with China the country.
http://www.yuricareport.com/Parody%20and%20Humor/OpenLetterToDrLaura.html
http://www.yuricareport.com/Parody%20and%20Humor/OpenLetterToDrLaura.html
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Itinerary
- Fly on Friday Sept 9 from Vancouver to Shanghai, then onto Kunming in the province of Yunnan. I arrive at 00:23 on Sept 11. There is a 15 hour time difference.
- Kunming, Dali, Shaxi, Lijiang, Shangri la (formerly Zhongdian), then a 14 hour bus trip back to Kunming.
- Depart Kunming on Wednesday Sept 28 at 7:30 am, arrive Wednesday Sept 28 in Vancouver at 9:30 am (yes, that's 2 hours later!)
- Back to work on Thurs Sept 29 - in great shape and raring to go I'm sure!
Map of Yunnan
Hotel in Kunming
What I've learned so far....
- I have a passion for trip planning and it's a terrific part of the travel experience.
- Lots about China than I didn't know before.
- That I can reach out to people for help.
- There are incredible sources of information at my fingertips on the computer keyboard: translating programs, travel reviews, photos, e-mails to and from guesthouse proprietors, booking sites.... I've been able to find an answer to almost every question I’ve had, sometimes just by typing the question into Google.
- I need to trust my instincts more, which led me to Yunnan in the first place.
- It's cheaper to fly to China than to Canada's East Coast ($950 return)
- I can call and text to China! My first call to a guesthouse in China filled me with trepidation although. I'd read that Lucy the proprietor could speak English. I was surprised when Lucy – who sounds like she’s in her 50s or 60s - suggested that I text her my e-mail address. Off went my text to China and back came my reply – a surreal experience for my non-texting self. To reach China I dial 011 + 86 + area code + phone number.
- There's a lot to see in China, and there are many sights I want to see that I’ve had to let go of for this trip. For my first time I’m staying on a fairly well-travelled tourist path and staying with attractions close to that path.
- Ways to safeguard my health. Most of these precautions aren’t covered by BC Health Care and aren’t cheap – and you need to plan ahead. I was referred to a knowledgeable travel doctor (Dr. Johnson) by my GP. On the flip side, a nurse I know and respect who has travelled extensively doesn't get any innoculations to go and hasn't had any problems.
- IM shots for Hep A and B.
- Tetanus (covered by health care).
- Ingestible solution for Beijing Belly.
- Diamox for altitude sickness (above 3,000 metres).
- A prescription to take with me in case I get diarrhea.
- Consultation chat with the doctor about how to stay healthy.
- No Jet Lag, for jet lag.
- Insight into impacts on relationships.
- Travellers to China need a 3-month tourist visa. To get it I had to hand over my passport to Foster for 8 days, and when I got it back the visa was stamped on a page right in it – very cool looking!
- I’ve learned a lot about small computers – in particular the Acer Aspire One as I bought one 2nd hand for $100. It has a 9” screen and is very portable. I also ventured into e-Bay to purchase a 6 cell battery. I wanted to take a computer with me to watch movies on the flight, bus trips, log my travels, and keep in touch with e-mails.
Getting Ready
My first post! I decided to take this trip back in July - sitting in Chinatown having lunch, looking at a travel agency across the street dreaming again of going there, and then realizing that the only thing stopping me from going was me!
So far it's all been an adventure – deciding to go, plotting my trail, choosing accommodations, deciding what to take and shopping for what I don't have (mostly at the Village of Value). Part of the joy has been giving myself permission to indulge in the exploration I want to do.
I haven’t felt anxiety about launching into my trip yet, and I’m trying to plan for eventualities as much as possible – in recognition of the language barriers and possible panic at feeling lost and frustrated. I'm working on the language with phrase books, Mandarin lessons on CD, the Say It Right in Chinese translation system. I have Chinese and phonetic translations of place names and addresses that I checked with Foster (the Victoria agent from FlyGreatChina who arranged my travel), and translations from the accommodations themselves. I like the way Chinese sounds and feels on my tongue. I wonder if I'll have the courage to use it! Well, I'm very comfortable with "Ni Hao"! (Hello)
Michelle told Ian that it will be good for me to do this trip. She is a seasoned traveller and a wise person in many ways - in my imagination she meant that this will be an opportunity to: overcome some fears, experience the joy of travelling that we both share, and follow my dreams.
My cynical self knows that reality can be very different than the ideal. At the worst I might: not find China full of beauty, feel very out of place, stay in my room the whole time, get very sick, be lonely, go a little bit crazy, be in danger, have made the wrong choices, not remain open to the experience, and on and on..... At the best I might find my wings and fly, be strengthened by my self-reliance, relish the license to set my own course, love my courage.... it’s likely that the reality will lie somewhere in between. I don’t want my practical self to drown out my best hopes. And at the very least I will learn and I do love to learn.
Beth said that her trip to China changed her life as much as having a child. I won’t speculate on how it might change mine. Maybe this trip really is motivated as a bucket list item, or it could be a distraction to keep my mind from going into negative places. Perhaps both....
So far it's all been an adventure – deciding to go, plotting my trail, choosing accommodations, deciding what to take and shopping for what I don't have (mostly at the Village of Value). Part of the joy has been giving myself permission to indulge in the exploration I want to do.
I haven’t felt anxiety about launching into my trip yet, and I’m trying to plan for eventualities as much as possible – in recognition of the language barriers and possible panic at feeling lost and frustrated. I'm working on the language with phrase books, Mandarin lessons on CD, the Say It Right in Chinese translation system. I have Chinese and phonetic translations of place names and addresses that I checked with Foster (the Victoria agent from FlyGreatChina who arranged my travel), and translations from the accommodations themselves. I like the way Chinese sounds and feels on my tongue. I wonder if I'll have the courage to use it! Well, I'm very comfortable with "Ni Hao"! (Hello)
Michelle told Ian that it will be good for me to do this trip. She is a seasoned traveller and a wise person in many ways - in my imagination she meant that this will be an opportunity to: overcome some fears, experience the joy of travelling that we both share, and follow my dreams.
My cynical self knows that reality can be very different than the ideal. At the worst I might: not find China full of beauty, feel very out of place, stay in my room the whole time, get very sick, be lonely, go a little bit crazy, be in danger, have made the wrong choices, not remain open to the experience, and on and on..... At the best I might find my wings and fly, be strengthened by my self-reliance, relish the license to set my own course, love my courage.... it’s likely that the reality will lie somewhere in between. I don’t want my practical self to drown out my best hopes. And at the very least I will learn and I do love to learn.
Beth said that her trip to China changed her life as much as having a child. I won’t speculate on how it might change mine. Maybe this trip really is motivated as a bucket list item, or it could be a distraction to keep my mind from going into negative places. Perhaps both....
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