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Shangri La

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September 16th 2012
I spent the day wandering in the old town. The old town is in traditional style, but much of it is a recent creation. That includes the huge golden prayer wheel - the biggest in the world perhaps. When I arrived at the wheel it was not turning. After about ten minutes one of the monks turned up and organised thlo calls to all heave on it at the same time to get it going. I joined in and it was qui ... read more

Asia » China » Yunnan

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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