Kunming and Lijiang: A Journey

We were expecting a pleasant weather, clear sunny blue skies in Yangshuo and Guilin but it was not to be.  It seemed as though we brought the cold wave with us down south.  It rained and drizzled for sometime and it was even colder indoor since there was no heating.  One day we decided suddenly and spontaneously to travel up to Kunming and to Lijiang, hoping for a better weather.

To travel within two days before the Spring Festival did not seem like a good idea but in the end it turned out that most people had already been home and we had a very peaceful and less crowded journey on the train.  Very unlike China during the season indeed!

We're thankful to Seki and his mates for their brotherly love.  Seki took care of our hotel and travel arrangement and made sure we had something to eat when every restaurant was shut down for the festival.  After celebrating the Chinese New Year (or enduring the firecrackers) at Kunming we decided to leave for Lijiang, 9 hours away by sleeper bus.

M&M and lovely Joana would not hear of us staying in a hotel.  They graciously opened their home and hosted us and it felt like home to be with this lovely family.  Really enjoyed the beautiful, clean and sunny Lijiang.  It's the home of a minority group, the Naxi.  Rich and interesting culture, and a beautiful and unique achitectural buildings of the old town, strong enough to withstand a powerful earthquake when modern buildings around the town simply collapsed like a pack of cards.

Lijiang's too nice to be true.  And like all good things, the stay must come to an end.  Kunming's wonderful too; we love it there every time we visit.  But as our friend David likes to point out, "Kunming's for wimps; real men go to Xi'an."  Lijiang's a journey, so is Kunming; not the destination.  We had to return to the good old grey Xi'an.

Here's a final installment of the photos:


Entrance to Lijiang Old Town



Water way


One of the small lanes at the old town

A lady striking a pose at the Old Town


The Black Dragon Pool







A quiet lane of a Chinese village
A view through the window

Minority Village, Kunming (and the back of Seki!)

Bamboo dance of the Jingpho (Courtesy: Sekibuhchhuak)

11 remarks:

Sekibuhchhuak February 14, 2009 at 1:10 AM  

Lijing hi chuan lung a len ber reng ani e. Thlalak pawh nalh hlawm e.

Btw, Bamboo dance ti ho khi, Jingpou zawk an ni e :-)

reverie February 14, 2009 at 1:43 AM  

@Seki, a ni tak maw, kan thlak nghal ang e...thanks.

Mizohican February 15, 2009 at 4:32 AM  

All I can say is wowww at the amazing pics. Looks like one of those chinese epic movies with great visuals and cinematography! Wish I was there.

EPISTEMOLOGY February 15, 2009 at 5:24 AM  

nice images...i blog visit hi nuam riau mai..!

reverie February 15, 2009 at 6:20 AM  

Are you guys putting me on!?!

@illusionaire: Thanks for coming here and taking the time to stop and comment. I know you are busy, with your writing, visiting and commenting on blogs to encourage people, moderating on a dozen or so sites with a heavy workload (am sure it is!) How did you do it, brother? Kima-the-other had taken the plunge and 'he did it' and any boy meets girl, how about you? lol.

@hruaia: ka lawm e...am following your writings...keep up the good work. cheers!

Unknown February 15, 2009 at 8:50 PM  

Great photos and blog from Yunnan!

There's more info about those places mentioned - and more - at www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/happysheep/shangri-la-la/tpod.html

Hriatpuia Pa March 25, 2009 at 9:18 PM  

A nalh hlawm hle mai. Professional thlalak emaw tih mai tur a ni hlawm. I ni em, hotupa? :D Bamboo dance hi hnam dangin an ti lai tak hi rawn la teh u....

reverie March 25, 2009 at 10:11 PM  

@Zaia: Ka ni love Hotupa, 'a pheikhawk hrui phelh tlak pawh ka ni lo' tih ang vel a ni. A subject-in a zir a, mood a fuh a, khuain a zir bawk a, camera ken fuh tum a lo nih hian 'Chhura um pui mu hriat'a kan hriat ang khan kan hmet thla ve leh rawk zel alawm le.

I tilawmawm e, i lo leng lut a. Cheers!

Anonymous February 22, 2011 at 6:32 PM  

thanks for this nice post 111213

Anonymous July 15, 2011 at 11:19 AM  
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
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A loner by profession entangled in a fine mess of his own making. A reclusive preacher making a calculated error of giving an entertaining sermon. A hermit in a spotlight, breaking an eloquent silence- what am i doing here?