After a long day in Arashiyama we set out to find a good meal. Since I have been eating mostly katsu since I arrived, I decided to eat katsu again. A heaping portion. It was the best I’ve had thus far. We then just walked around. Some places packed with people, others not.Read more
We decided we didn’t get enough of Arashiyama, especially the hillside. A quick snack was a beef flavored hashbrown. Seiko had this soy soup thing. I had Cherry Blossom flavored ice cream We visited the bamboo grove. Jōjakkōji Temple 常寂光寺 This temple was constructed in 1596 and is wellRead more
A beautiful morning in Lijiang old town. This is the view from the hotel. Looking down on the courtyard of the hotel. This is where the owners play cards all night and keep me awake. The street in front of the hotel. Heading into old town This canal comes from theRead more
Leaping Tiger Gorge Tour – Part 1 A hastily-purchased tour pass in the Old Town led to an early morning pork bun breakfast around the corner while waiting for a group bus. My expectations were a casual stroll up the paved path of this renowned gorge. Video: waiting for early morning pickup. TheRead more
Morning in Dali Old Town before train to Lijiang A snack some sauce-covered flap of something on a stick. Not bad. Streets right outside the old town have some good bargains. I bought a traditional Dali Blue tie-dye cloth here. Killing some time in a temple in the oldRead more
I had a green JR rail pass, which allowed me unlimited travel on trains, including the shinkansen (high speed) trains. I took one to Osaka to meet up with another penpal. Osaka is about an hour way by high speed rail. The ride is comfortable, smooth, and blazing fast. The scenery just flows by. IfRead 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
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
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