traditional houses

30% less Oxygen

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September 11th 2010
We are now in Zhongdian, otherwise known as Gyeltang, Gyalthang or Shangri - la. Having four names gets particularly confusing - especially when you are trying to catch a bus. Officials named the town Shangri - la in an effort to boost tourism after James Hilton's novel. While us Brits refer to the town which is the last before the Tibetan border by this name none of the locals do. It is ... read more

Asia » China » Yunnan » Shangri-La

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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