Yunnan China May 2016 Day 11-14
May 1-4 2016
the last 4 days of my trip, how quickly the trip has gone by but need to go back to reality.
day 11 may 1 2016
tiger leaping gorge (虎跳峡) -> lijiang (丽江）
first stop was to visit the lower part of the gorge. it was cold and very windy, you can see and hear how powerful the river can be. i would not want to be stuck in between those rocks. next time if i am back, i would want to do the hike around the gorge i heard its beautiful but also quite challenging.
next stop was to lijiang old town (丽江古城), this town is now a UNESCO Heritage site. you need to pay a one time preservation fee/ticket in order to be allowed to go inside and you must carry this ticket with you at all times just in case they check you at the entrances. we walked around the old town, which was very interesting as there are so many little alley ways, going up and down hills, so it can be quite easy to get lost. we stopped at baimalongtan （白马龙潭), a small temple then to the ancient zongyi market (忠义市场), another food market. another place worth to see is the mu mansion, we did not go inside but heard the gardens are quite nice.
the highlight of old town would have to be the black dragon pool (黑龙潭). just a few minutes walk north out of the old town you step into this peaceful and beautiful park with a large pool surrounded by temples. a very nice escape from the BUSYNESS and loudest of the town and we arrived at the perfect time to watch the sunset.
feeling a bit hungry after walking around we decided to try some local naxi specialities, naxi are an ethnic minority in and around lijiang. we went to a famous and popular RESTAURANT in town called ama yi naxi snacks (阿妈意纳西小吃院). we tried some chickpea jelly (鸳鸯凉粉), which had a very interesting texture and taste, which was fun to try. we also ordered some stir-fry meat (小炒肉) and local green vegetables (水性杨花). and lastly the most famous dish bamboo rice (竹筒饭), this was very tasty we should have ordered more. we quite enjoyed the food, many things that we have never tried before but all very tasty.
day 12 may 2 2016
Lugu lake (泸沽湖）
now off on a solo trip to lugu lake, i had heard a lot about how beautiful this place was so i had to try to squeeze it into my trip. its not the easiest place to get to, there are vans you can rent to take you there if you are a big group. however as i was going alone i joined in a van with 7 other people to take the 4-5 hour drive. but it was well worth the trip, the lake is GORGEOUS. you could spend a relaxing few days or even up to a week just enjoying the views and the different areas of the lake.
I was then taken to the Caohai Lake and the Walking Marriage Bridge which is a bit away from the lake. it was nice to see something other than the lake. then i went to have a simple dinner at a mosuo guesthouse and watched a traditional mosuo dance. mosuos are an ethnic group that are predominately near and around the lugu lake.
day 13 may 3 2016
Lugu lake (泸沽湖) -> lijiang (丽江古城)
woke up early to watch the last sunrise and it was well worth it. peace and serenity.
then back on the road for another couple hour drive back to lijiang. as i arrived back late, just had a little bite to eat then walked around to see the streets at night.
day 14 may 4 2016
lijiang (丽江古城)
the Last day of my trip started with a morning stroll through the black dragon pool, which although i had already been felt and looked a bit different than the first time. then it was a short ride to the old town of shuhe (束河古镇). it was nice to see another small town, quite similar but also quite different to lijiang. lots of little shops selling different SOUVENIRS, art, JEWELRY and, many more. there is an interesting museum about the history of pu'er tea, a famous tea that is predominated made in the yunnan region.
then heading back to lijiang for a last walk around. i walked up and around lion hill, which has a great view of the old city and the grey tile rooftops. then walk to wangulou, which supposedly is the highest point in lijiang and on a clear day you can see jade dragon snow mountain.
