July 9, 2010 - KUNMING
I have made it to 昆明 Kunming, Yunnan...and I am able to access Facebook AND Blogger :) However, I am running several applications and websites just to get these two pages up. If anyone has any suggestions on how to simplify web browsing, please message me! I would prefer something that does not want my credit card number!
My last couple of days in Hong Kong were filled with sweat and more sweat. With a heat wave over China, Hong Kong received most of the brute. As one of the closest urban areas of China to the equator, I could tell you it was NOT pleasant. Although, I did walk 4 miles in the heat yesterday, and it was filled with bubble tea. A lot of it. I experienced a little more of the Hong Kong night market life but was really drained from the humidity.
Kunming is just as I remembered it. Little city life in a big town. Since my parents enjoy taking tours that stay at 5 star hotels, we have always been far from the city life, which deeply saddens me. However, traveling with my parents means that I have no need to pay for the cab fare into the city :) We hung around the night market for about an hour before we went back to our hotel.
Before our adventure into the city, I must describe the dinner buffet we had. With over 50 different dishes, the buffet included gelato, fruit, and alcohol! I wonder how they cap off the amount people drink! I felt I was greeted well in Yunnan, which translates to "South of the Heavens".
July 10, 2010 - DA LI
Early in the morning we flew to 大理 Da Li, a city I only spent a few hours in last year. This time we stayed overnight. That afternoon, we visited the "Three Pagodas" and "Foreigners Street". We had VIP treatment headed toward the pagodas, riding in these little green buggies...they didn't think we could walk up ourselves... On Foreigners street, I stumbled upon the pizza shop a few of us ate at last year! Good memories revived!
That night, our tour included a full spa experience with a floral bath and full body massage. It was soothing, but at the high altitude the bath was truncated by my heaving and dizziness. The massage was just what I needed after the week of traveling from city to city. My right trap kept acting up so I finally had someone crunch the knots out!
July 11, 2010 - LI JIANG
丽江 Li Jiang was one of my most memorable cities from last year's trip, for many personal reasons, but mainly because the city is beautiful. While it may be a tourist trap, the 古城 or "ancient city" is anything but ancient. With a vast number of stores selling cultural goods to modern clothing, plus "bar row" blasting pop/dance music proves that Li Jiang has much more to offer than "old" buildings.
We drove from Da Li to Li Jiang stopping at a bus stop (same as last year) that had a warehouse full of jade bracelets, some costing up to $1,000,000USD...Um. No comment. Two hours later we arrived in Li Jiang and had lunch at a glorified hotel. We finally made it to our hotel by 2 pm, of course, the Crowne Plaza- which imitates the "Ancient city" structure, which is also located right behind the ancient town. Pictures below.
This afternoon, we went to 古镇 the "real" ancient town - separate from the ancient city and took a horse buggy through the streets to a coffee shop where we had some real Yunnan coffee. As a non-coffee drinker, I have to say it was pretty good. To pass time, I played some chinese checkers with the family, and of course I won, by 13 steps! Booyah. Then came dinner, hot pot full of mushrooms! Apparently, it is a speciality of Yunnan and I couldn't agree more!
The last stop was the Ancient City. We only were able to visit part of it, where the bars and and the main water wheels are located- the northern part of the city. However, tomorrow morning we will visit starting from the Southern Door - where our guesthouse was last year! I will try and snap pics if we pass it!
