Blogs from Dali, Yunnan, China, Asia - page 16

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Asia » China » Yunnan » Dali » Caicun October 25th 2006

Just a casual ride around the lake??! Sounds lovely. 60km later and a few emotional breakdowns along the way we finally make it home. We start the day with an all you can eat buffet breakfast of 10 yuan!!! Nuts! And then hire ourselves some mountain bikes. The lower part of the old city is closely flanked with Lake Erhai, named so for it's ear shape. The other side of the city has mountains that seem perpetually covered in cloud, but have a cable car that travels about half way up. So we head to the lake where the day before Andrew had checked out the situation of ferry times etc that ran from one side of the water body to the other. As tour leader of the day we head off on our trusty steeds ... read more
The ride round Erhai Lake
The ride round Erhai Lake
The ride round Erhai Lake

Asia » China » Yunnan » Dali October 24th 2006

A day of travel really as we leave Kunming for the popular tourist destination, Dali. It was once the capital of China a billion years ago... or something like that, and the ancient city has been rebuilt to replicate the former architecture of its heydey. Turns out it's a lovely little city, very chilled out and filled with western tourists that sit in tibetan-type cafes and bop their heads to trance music. It's kind of like Byron but in the mountains. The local travel agencies and guest houses can arrange everything from tai chi classes to horseriding and cummerat fishing. I guess it's sort of a nice oasis where westerners don't have to try too hard to be understood as it is geared up for us and most places speak at least basic if not fluent ... read more
Dali
Dali
Dali

Asia » China » Yunnan » Dali October 11th 2006

11/10 - In 1300 we left Lijiang in a Van (3Hours, 30Y). We got fruit and good luck charms from Mama and we hit the road. We got to Dali at 1600 in the afternoon, Checked in to the No. 6 Hotel which is located in the eastern part of the old city, 5-10 minutes walk from the center of the city. This hotel is one of our favorite cause every room in it, designed in a different way, with a unique wall painting which was created by the owners, brother and sister, and the sister is the artist one. A double room with bath and toilet in one big room( with no separation) is 60Y per night. Dali is a great place to rest and enjoy good western food in China. Our recommendation restaurant are: ... read more
Dali from above
Streets of Dali
The lake

Asia » China » Yunnan » Dali September 12th 2006

at first i have to admit something. something absolutely cruel happened to me, or rather i did it. there is no excuse for it and i don't know how this could happen. in the short time that is left of my journey i don't even have the possibility to make up my big mistake. it actually already happened to me in chengdu but up to now i didn't have the courage to meke this confession: i forgot "war and peace" in the hostel in chengdu. i was somehow distracted before i left because i met an austrian guy shortly before departure and then there was also this belgian girl who w had to catch the same train as me and we went to the train station together. i know, these are just explanations and as i ... read more
the chained monkeys
it was a nice place up there though
realeasing gold fishes

Asia » China » Yunnan » Dali September 3rd 2006

Dali in a nutshell We got off to a bad start when we jumped off the bus a couple of stops early and we ended up in the middle of nowhere, hoping to establish from our rubbish map how to get to our guest house. After trying to find somebody who spoke English to no avail we almost had given up when luckily a random passer by in a mini van full of water bottles stopped. The friendly guy must have felt sorry for us as he rearranged his water bottles and drove us straight to the door of our guest house. Nice. Dali old town is situated next to a 7km lake with a backdrop of the mountains. It's beautiful even if the main tourist street is not what we expected; If it wasn't for ... read more
The view from the mountain path over looking Dali
Rodeo rides again...
A Dali Butterfly

Asia » China » Yunnan » Dali September 1st 2006

Dali in a nutshell We got off to a bad start when we jumped off the bus a couple of stops early and we ended up in the middle of nowhere, hoping to establish from our rubbish map how to get to to our guest house. After trying to find somebody who spoke English to no avail we almost had given up when luckily a random passer by in a mini van full of water bottles stopped. The friendly guy must have felt sorry for us as he rearranged his water bottles and drove us straight to the door of our guest house. Nice. Dali old town is situated next to a 7km lake with a backdrop of the mountains. It's lovely even if the main tourist street is not what we expected; If it wasn't ... read more
Dali
..
Sh!t that water's cold

Asia » China » Yunnan » Dali August 31st 2006

Our trip on the bus from Lijiang to Dali was not without event... Firstly, as we were going over a mountain pass, we were forced to stop and join a queue of other buses whilst the Chinese military played with their tanks. There was a race track with targets set around it and when the tanks fired their guns the windows of the bus shook. Then, as we approached Dali, the bus driver pulled over and jestured for us to get off the bus. Unfortunately we did not realise that he was trying to do us a favour by dropping us at Old Dali. So we just nodded and said "Dali bus station please". It was only when we got there, that we realised that it was New Dali bus station. So we made an about ... read more
The Artist / Architect's Garden
Cormorant Fishing
The stunning Qing bi stream

Asia » China » Yunnan » Dali August 30th 2006

We have been in Dali town for the past seven days, it's lovely here, but poor Marc has been unwell with a very nasty cold for five of those days. So, whilst I have been waiting for his health to improve and in between nursing duties, I have... ... read more
Visited a good bookshop and ...
... bought some good books.
Had a massage, a facial, ...

Asia » China » Yunnan » Dali August 23rd 2006

I'd originally planned to spend a few days in Zhongdian, but the Israeli girls I'd met on the bus from Xiangcheng were keen to move on to Tiger Leaping Gorge... and me, well I was keen for some company. I'd only seen 2 other foreigners in the last 5 days so loved the idea of practicing my English! Whilst I've enjoyed the freedom of traveling alone there are times when I've wished for company, usually when I've been near to national parks... it would have been great to strike out and go hiking for a few days, but not on my own. To be honest I probably would have started the TLG walk alone - every other traveler I'd met said it was easy to meet people along the way - but given the opportunity to ... read more
Push that bus!
TLG
Drying corn at the Naxi Family guest house

Asia » China » Yunnan » Dali July 23rd 2006

Saturday July 22nd Needless to say I woke up late on Saturday. We were planning to put our stuff in the dutch's room as we were leaving on a sleeper bus at 22:00 so we had to checkout by 14:00 from our room (wierd checkout time). We woke up too late for breakfast at the hotel so I went to City Cafe to have a chocolate pancake that was delicious. I went back to the hotel and slowly packed. I wasn't too sure what I wanted to do for the day. The brits went to the pagodas the day before and now they wanted to go to the park which is supposed to be nice on the weekend. I decided I'd go with them but I didn't say it too clearly and they still thought I ... read more
Pagodas
Pagodas and lake
Dali Old City Gate




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