Leaving China

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Despues de una noche de competencia con un senior en el tren nocturno, llegamos a la ultima de las grandes ciudades en el sur: Kunming. Aqui nos quedamos solo lo que lleva curarse del mareo y reservar boletos para Dali. La maniana siguiente ya ibamos rumbo a las montanias del suroeste de China, donde el color de las minorias, su comida, ha sido una experiencia memorable.

Hablando de comida, creo que nunca hemos tenido tanta hambre para disfrutar de nuestra primera sopa de vibora y una sopa que lucia tremendos gusanos que no creo que hayan sido de maguey, que nos bajamos con tremenda cerveza sabor a rosa.

Memorable fue tambien el Viejo Camino a Burma, que nos reventamos en bicicleta (40 buenos kilometros). Las fotos cuentan la historia de una celebracion que por suerte encontramos. Usando el lenguaje universal de la hospitalidad, las mujeres Bai se aseguraron que nos fueramos bien comidos, despues de darnos la unica oportunidad de ser parte de un ritual que no creo que hayan visto ojos occidentales.

De aqui agarramos un sleeper bus, que es un camion con camas en lugar de asientos, para ir a Jinghong. Aqui el ambiente ya huele al sureste asiatico. Maniana buscamos el Mekong para cruzar la frontera a Laos, nuestra proxima parada.

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After a night of sleep on the train where we held a signing competition with a Chinese old man, we arrived in Kunming where we stayed just long enough to get over a tough motion sickness and to book a ticket for Dali. The next morning we were heading into the mountains of South West China. The ethnic minorities let you experience another side of China...colorful dress, different food.

The old Road to Burma, explored in a bike, took us to Bai villages where no westerners ever come. The pictures tell the story of a local ritual we were lucky to observe. Using the universal language of hospitality, the Bai women took care of us with great farmers food, before biking back the last 20 kilometers.

A sleeper bus took us to Jinghong, where we felt more in South East Asia already, with palm trees lining the streets and Thai-like architecture.

We knew that we were heading in the right direction when the Mekong never left our side while our bus drove for hours along the curvy roads to the border.

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Photos

Antes del Bodorrio
Before the Wedding, in Kunming

Informed Monk
Un monje informado. Dali.

Colorful Temple
Bamboo Temple, Dali.

Minority Report
La modernidad ya llega a la minoria Bai. Modernity has come to the Bai minority.

The Burma Road
Tienda de fotografia en Xizhou, un pueblito en el camino de nuestra expedicion en bicicleta. A photo shop in Xizhou, during our biking expedition.

Les Girls
Nuestras anfitrionas.
Our hostess.

Walk in the Clouds
Above 6,000 feet.
Caminata arriba de los 2 mil metros.

Comments

[David]

OMG!!!
I am beyond amazed at what you guys are doing! And who says we need to speak the same language to communicate. If I don't speak to you before, merry Christmas, y'all !!! Love ya both - David

[Kim Adams]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MANUEL!
Greetings to you both! Beautiful and interesting photographs. Hope Manuel has a fantastic birthday today. BUT it has already started where you are! Enjoy you two...with love and blessings for easy travel today!