Chengdu Panda Rescue Base For my last day in China, I head to the panda park with Jing. Fuzzy panda butt Watching pandas eat is highly enjoyable. When they aren’t eating, they are sleeping Red Pandas are always doing something cute, that isRead more
Out for a stole one day in Chengdu, I came upon an art class in session Near Jing’s apartment, this businessman claims to do it all: bike repair, locksmith, welding, mechanical work, etc. This guy sells water. It’s amazing how packed the the streets are with small businesses in China. Walmart andRead more
The Fuqin Comprehensive Market is located in the northwest side of Chengdu. Often referred to as a “Open Air Market,” or more frequently, a “Wet Market” it features both wet and dry goods from all around the region. A handful of butchers sell out of the market. Not theRead more
We visit the Lian Hua Xiaoqu Open Air Market, which I featured on Scenes from a Public Market. Often called Wet Markets recently, these are more commonly referred to around the world as “Open Air Markets.” This particular one, open daily, is a mix of wet and dry goods, much of which comes from Sichuanese farmers,Read more
Most of the week I went for walks, not even bothering to bring my SLR. Many of these photos are from a pocket camera. I did a lot of eating. Not much to show here as far as adventures. Just daily life in Chengdu, China. The first morning back in Chengdu, we head to theRead more
My remaining hours in Old Lijiang were spent hopping from shop to shop, snacking and buying some last-minute gifts. I can see why, through all the Chinese people I have met over the years, why Lijiang Old Town is often mentioned as a favorite travel spot. Its endless maze of unique and character-rich shops, streetsRead more
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain 玉龙雪山 The dominant feature of the Lijiang Valley, is actually a massif (range) of which the highest peak reaches 18,360 ft. Although easily seen from all corners of the city of Lijiang, I had no idea how massive it really was until we hired a driver to take us to it.Read more
Every cab driver we spoke to suggested we head to some lake… one of the few that still had water in it during the dry season. “it’s so beautiful.” “You must see the lake.” “Have you been on the lake?” So we decided to go. It turns out… there are several lakes in the valley.Read more
Another full day in Lijiang broguht me the realization that I could spend weeks photographing here. Every twist and turn uncovered a mix of multiple cultures, their art, their lifestyles, languages, and their welcoming to this village. I could have snapped megapixels of everything I saw while I was there, everything that astounded me, butRead more
Along with fresh produce and homemade goods, the market also features meats: preserved, fresh, and living. Smoked and preserved meat like this were being sold outside of the shed along the alley. The butcher shed, a pavilion of about 60 vendors selling fresh meats. Not a freezer or pair of rubber gloves in sight, thisRead more
I don’t recall what this is… It’s the design above the doorway of a restaurant, I think. My first experience with the “Open Air Market” (Ancient City Zhongyi Market) in Lijiang was frustrating. I couldn’t find my hotel, and I wandered into the opening of an alley from which market vendors expanded out fromRead more
I had originally flew into Lijiang, but immediately took a bus to Shangri-La and I didn’t get much of a chance to see Lijiang until the evening I returned. Surrounded by granite mountains, deep gorges, and red clay hills, Lijiang lies within a 8,000 ft high level plain crossroads of established trade routes and minority cultures. The developedRead more
The next morning we wake up early to visit the temple and then eat before our flight back to Lijiang. It seems as though in the Tibetan plateau, things get off to a late start. 9 am and many things are closed. People are just starting their day. Before entering, we circle clockwise 3 times. TheyRead more
After the Monastery we returned back to Shangri-La old town and I set out on my own to explore the temple before the sun went down. Music is playing and people are dancing in the square. Turns out there is a huge temple on a hill right around the corner from myRead more
Down from the mountain, we head back to Shangrila Old Town and then to the north to Ganden Sumtseling Monastery (松赞林寺) in the late afternoon. Built in 1679 by the 5th Dalai Lama, and the size of a small village, this is the largest monastery in Yunnan and one of the most important Buddhist monasteries in China.Read more
The mountain’s highest peak is 14,598 feet (4,449.5 meters) above the sea level, named for the red dear the range represents, it is regarded a s holy mountain for the local Tibetans. Geologically ,the mountains is known for having diverse microclimates along its range. From the grasslands we visited earlier through wooded hills, plateaus harboring ranches,Read more
Shangrila breakfastat the hotel: pork noodles, pickles, milk, rice porridge, stuffed buns and an egg. The valley west of the city is sparsely populated and pretty flat. Primarily grassland, it is used primarily for agriculture. In spring crops of flowering plant light up the valley with color. At this time it was pretty barren.Read more
Chengdu I fly west to Chengdu, one of the hubs for heading up the Himalayas. I meet up with Jing and we grab some Chengdu food. One of my favorites: Corn-fried Corn. It’s sweet corn, coated in a mix of a salted duck egg and corn starch, and then fried in oil. Crunchy, salty,Read more
My third time visiting China. I know the ropes. Since I had a very long string of small flights in the mainland. I decided to stopover in Chicago overnight, staying at the ultra-convenient on-sight Hilton. Early the following morning, I was in the first class section, for hat is probably my first and last flightRead more