Shangri La

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I am not making it up. I am in Shangri La. This is a recent name for this Tibbetan town.It is also called Zhongdian and Gyalthing. My journey here by public bus. I was the only westerner on the bus. It was a varied journey through a peach and apple growing area and then to the higher mountains. As we drove further north there were signs of Tibbetan Buddhism, prayer flags and white stupas. Unfortunately as it was a public bus I missed the photo opportunities along the way. The popular stops for the tour groups were a mountain scene with Tibbetan villages and a scene with pine forest in the background and a plant with red leaves in the foreground. I also spotted the bridal couple who had chosen haystacks as their background. I became horribly lost trying to find the hostel, a story too long and boring for the blog. Shangri La old town is perhaps not paradise on earth, but so far it has had plenty to offer. I ate in a small Tibbetan restaurant, a delicious chicken hot pot. The flavours were not far off Sichuan cooking. In the main square there was dancing. The dancing is led by a group of local matrons, some dressed in local costume. Tourists and locals join in. I watched for a while and joined in one dance. I will be back tomorrow evening for more.

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