Sungtseling from afar

Shangrila

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September 19th 2007
Zhongdian is otherwise know as Shangrila, marks the western most point of my journey on this backpacking trip. The city itself is prosperous thanks to a booming tourist trade. Here, it is possible to get a small peek into Tibetan culture without going to Tibet and dealing with all the hassles of getting a permit associated with it. For anyone going to Tibet, this would probably be a nice stop ... read more

Asia » China » Yunnan » Zhongdian

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For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. A... ... read more