Blogs from Lijiang, Yunnan, China, Asia - page 2

Written June 10, 2015. Am enjoying the writing of the events as I sit at the cottage/cabin/camp with the water lapping at my toes. It has not yet become hot enough for the blue algaeto become a nusiance (sic). Will try not to overload with publications. Odyssey HK to Lijiang - Pack up all the stuff … leave behind plastic bags, skirt thats too long and the rubber sandals I bought just for the HK heat … which disappeared suddenly ... the heat that is. - Took taxi to the airport express. - SIGNED IN HERE!!! Was rid of the big backpack … just like that…would not see it again until Lijiang - Boarded MTR train and sped to the airport. - All of the above were not accomplished without asking for clarification … it was ... read more

Geo: 26.8841, 100.221A late start with Lily saw us leave at 9 o'clock and I think we are getting used to this because we didn't stir till after 7 (unheard of for me!)We headed for the only park in Lijiang, a sprawling greenscape that is the cultural centre for the young and old of the city. We were still early enough to see Naxi woman starting their day with group dancing, large groups enjoying tai chi, elderly people doing their morning facial exercise (seriously...an organised group) and the lazy Naxi men gathering in the park to smoke, talk and showcase their beautiful singing birds.The park entrance is flanked by four dragons...the two inner dragons have their mouths open and the two outer have their mouths closed. These dragons symbolise the Naxi people...the two outer dragons have ... read more

Geo: 26.9025, 99.9316After one day delay, (hum the fish in overdose is not good for the organism), we set off for the Tiger Leaping Gorge aka the mandatory hike when you are in this area! And it is well worth the effort. As we were leaving our hostel, we met three guys who were also heading to the Gorge. When they found out that we were planning to walk the upper trail and overnight in the Gorge they disappeared, only to reappear few meters further saying they would come with us! So along our travel we learn the magic Chinese word: "Itshi!!", which means “together” thus we start to slowly understand the Chinese psychology, that falls down on our head in many other times… (see next)I think the photos of the Gorge are going to talk ... read more

I had some weighty thoughts about drunken singing stints in an old city night club but let me just say we had fun last night and the band, for some reason, kept buying me beer. Always a mistake. Jinyi got some kids from Shenzhen up dancing with us so it wasn't so embarrassing until the bandleader kept asking me to sing the final song. I thought he meant we were to get up and dance one last time but he wanted me to sing and Jinyi was running around snapping photos so …. Sorry about that China: Hey Jude never sounded so bad! I'm adding as many photos as I can. Hope you can understand how to get here.... read more

One of the special animals of China is the snub-nosed monkey. There are actually five species. The golden snub-nosed monkey is the most widespread but also annoyingly difficult to see, especially now that China has forbidden access by foreigners to all the habituated troups (this was the species I went to Zhouzhi to try and see and was refused admittance). Then there's the Yunnan or black snub-nosed monkey which is restricted to a small area of northwest Yunnan, and the Guizhou or grey snub-nosed monkey which is found on just one mountain in Guizhou. These second two species were both formerly treated as subspecies of the golden monkey, which is quite ridiculous if you see how completely different they all are! Down in North Vietnam is the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey, and over in Burma is the ... read more