Had a short break about two weeks back, and went on a family holiday to the Yunnan province in China. It is located at the south west part of China, bordering Myanmar, Nepal, etc. What’s unique about this part of China is the culture, specifically that of the “minority people” (like tribes). In the whole of China, there are about 52 different types of minority people, with at least 26 located in Yunnan province itself.
This trip was unique, in that this is the first time in over 20 years that my whole family has gone on a holiday together, and that it was a customised tour just for the five of us. It was a 5D4N kind of trip, with the first night in Kunming, second night in Dali, and the subsequent nights in Lijiang. These areas are famous for the sceneries, with some townships nestled amongst hills and lakes, providing beautiful backdrops for one and all.
Travelling to and from certain areas brought me back in time, bringing fresh memories of scenes from past and present kungfu shows, i.e. gated communities with the traditional Chinese doors and walls, valleys and lakes where swordsmen (and women!) flew through the air with swords clinging and clanging trying to get the better of one another, large farming areas producing maize with many a workers toiling and sweating under the rays of the blazing sun. As a matter of fact, just walking around the past few days in China gave me a nice tan! It was highly recommended to use some sunblock as the UV rays are quite strong in these areas.
Kunming is famous for its stone forest, which is about 45 minutes drive from the main city center. The stone forest came about due to earthquakes shaping the land, forming picturesque landscapes along a huge area. Yes, we did get up close and personal with the stone structures, traversing the park with our English speaking guide.
Pathways were like mazes, winding here and there, up and down, under and over nooks and crannies. Can’t help but be amazed at the intricate architectural designs of mother nature. Also went to the flower market, selling both fresh and dried flowers alike. Could see many different types of flowers, with quite stylised presentations, and very cheap to boot. A bouquet of flowers was going for 1Yuen, equivalent to about RM0.46 (yes, it is that cheap!).
Dali, with its communities nestled between rolling hills and a huge lake, presents quite a spectacular sight. There seemed to be a sense of peacefulness and calm enveloping the place with many scenic spots. Famous for its 3 pagodas which has stood the time of over 900 years.
At least one of the pagoda slants a bit, caused by earthquake so many years ago, but not in danger of collapsing any time yet (I hope). Cannot go up the pagodas though, closed to public due to the age of the structures. Predominantly agriculture and tourism based sectors, we could see many fields where maize was grown both for local consumption as well as for export.
The “Bai” minority people have their roots set here, with many still wearing the clothing of old. There is also an “ancient town”, where the structures have been preserved and improved upon, but somehow, I felt that it has undergone much modernisation, and was “a bit” commercialised catering for visitors from other parts of the globe.
Way too many tourist for my taste in the ancient town. Still, I guess that's the price to pay for modernisation. After all, can't really expect the locals there to live as how they had lived so many years ago just to satisfy some tourists (like myself) who prefer to see the ancientness of the place. Still, there are certain areas of the ancient town which would make me go "wow"! It just needed some exploration and some luck in wandering around the place.
Lijiang, another picturesque place, but somehow different from Dali. This is like a step closer to the mountains and has large areas converted to
preserve and showcase the culture and lifestyle of the people. Certain areas somehow reminded me of “The Lord of the Rings”, and in particular, the Rohirrim with horsemen galloping across the wide expanse of land. There is also another “ancient town” in Lijiang, which is much bigger than Dali’s. Again, slightly commercialised, but quite a place to visit and do some shopping. There were a few scenes in and around the ancient town which somehow maintained its uniqueness and historical presence amidst the decay of many modernised portions.
Hang on a minute? All this talk about going here and there, and not a single mention of food? Personally, I liked the food in Kunming, but Dali and Lijiang’s cuisine doesn’t exactly make my mouth water. Will blog about the food encounters separately.
This trip was unique, in that this is the first time in over 20 years that my whole family has gone on a holiday together, and that it was a customised tour just for the five of us. It was a 5D4N kind of trip, with the first night in Kunming, second night in Dali, and the subsequent nights in Lijiang. These areas are famous for the sceneries, with some townships nestled amongst hills and lakes, providing beautiful backdrops for one and all. 
Travelling to and from certain areas brought me back in time, bringing fresh memories of scenes from past and present kungfu shows, i.e. gated communities with the traditional Chinese doors and walls, valleys and lakes where swordsmen (and women!) flew through the air with swords clinging and clanging trying to get the better of one another, large farming areas producing maize with many a workers toiling and sweating under the rays of the blazing sun. As a matter of fact, just walking around the past few days in China gave me a nice tan! It was highly recommended to use some sunblock as the UV rays are quite strong in these areas.
Kunming is famous for its stone forest, which is about 45 minutes drive from the main city center. The stone forest came about due to earthquakes shaping the land, forming picturesque landscapes along a huge area. Yes, we did get up close and personal with the stone structures, traversing the park with our English speaking guide. 
Pathways were like mazes, winding here and there, up and down, under and over nooks and crannies. Can’t help but be amazed at the intricate architectural designs of mother nature. Also went to the flower market, selling both fresh and dried flowers alike. Could see many different types of flowers, with quite stylised presentations, and very cheap to boot. A bouquet of flowers was going for 1Yuen, equivalent to about RM0.46 (yes, it is that cheap!).
Dali, with its communities nestled between rolling hills and a huge lake, presents quite a spectacular sight. There seemed to be a sense of peacefulness and calm enveloping the place with many scenic spots. Famous for its 3 pagodas which has stood the time of over 900 years. 
At least one of the pagoda slants a bit, caused by earthquake so many years ago, but not in danger of collapsing any time yet (I hope). Cannot go up the pagodas though, closed to public due to the age of the structures. Predominantly agriculture and tourism based sectors, we could see many fields where maize was grown both for local consumption as well as for export. 
The “Bai” minority people have their roots set here, with many still wearing the clothing of old. There is also an “ancient town”, where the structures have been preserved and improved upon, but somehow, I felt that it has undergone much modernisation, and was “a bit” commercialised catering for visitors from other parts of the globe. 
Way too many tourist for my taste in the ancient town. Still, I guess that's the price to pay for modernisation. After all, can't really expect the locals there to live as how they had lived so many years ago just to satisfy some tourists (like myself) who prefer to see the ancientness of the place. Still, there are certain areas of the ancient town which would make me go "wow"! It just needed some exploration and some luck in wandering around the place.
Lijiang, another picturesque place, but somehow different from Dali. This is like a step closer to the mountains and has large areas converted to 
preserve and showcase the culture and lifestyle of the people. Certain areas somehow reminded me of “The Lord of the Rings”, and in particular, the Rohirrim with horsemen galloping across the wide expanse of land. There is also another “ancient town” in Lijiang, which is much bigger than Dali’s. Again, slightly commercialised, but quite a place to visit and do some shopping. There were a few scenes in and around the ancient town which somehow maintained its uniqueness and historical presence amidst the decay of many modernised portions.
Hang on a minute? All this talk about going here and there, and not a single mention of food? Personally, I liked the food in Kunming, but Dali and Lijiang’s cuisine doesn’t exactly make my mouth water. Will blog about the food encounters separately.
2 comments:
Nice pictures! But I never see myself going to China. Dunno why.
Hi Gina, thanks! :)
Cannot see yourself going to China? Is it the toilet conditions that you may subconsciously be wary off? :P
My whole trip there, I went to an unscheduled pit stop, and yes, I did encounter the drain thingy. There's just a waist high divider separating the drain, and yes, next cubicle, someone was "doing their big business"...
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