China - Yunan Trip Part 8 (Finale)

Day 8
Today we took a 4 hour bus ride from 丽江 to our next destination which is 香格里拉.
Firstly, we went to this 草原 to ride on horses.
It was really fun, but my buttocks was so painful after the ride. And riding a horse is really not easy. Really 佩服 those people who act in those 古装, and can ride on horses so well.




After house riding, we went to this place where they sell divine stones.
Not really a believer of all these kinda stuff. My mum bought one of the stones cos she wanna 保平安 for the whole family.
She asked me to accompany her to the shifu to bless the stone.
Well, as a Christian, i really don't believe in all these stuff, but i just go along and see.
Then the shifu started using this weird look to look at me. Wah lau, so scary, i was like thinking gosh does he like know any of my darkest secrets? Then he started looking at my palm and said that one of my weakness is that i am not daring enough, don't have enough guts. Not really a risk taker in other words.
Which is like so true, cos sometimes i really wish i am daring and 潇洒 enough to do certain stuff, it might be an obstruction to success at times.
But after i return to the bus, i keep thinking and did a lot of reflections. Well, having more guts is one thing, but i guess it is also good to be careful at times.
I think moderation is the best. Being careful or daring at the right time is something i wanna achieve, not just simply being daring all the time. I think being daring all the time and not thinking about the consequences is quite stupid and irresponsible. So i would rather be careful and think through the whole process carefully. Luckily what the shifu said didnt affect me sia.
One's weakness could be another person's strength.

We checked into Shun Xin Business Hotel of the night.



Day 9
We woke up early today so that we could reach the 香格里拉 airport on time to return to 昆明 city. Domestic flight. Of to 昆明......


After we reached 昆明, we still have sometime cos our flight to Singapore is at night, so the tour guide brought us to do some sightseeing and shopping.
We went to 圆通寺. Again, though i am not a believer, but i think the temple is very nice. Inside the temple still got fish pond.





After visiting 圆通寺, we went to visit 翠湖公园. Its a park where a lot of lovers love to meet.




Oh yar, in the evening when we were having dinner. There is this craftsman at the restaurant we will cut out people's faces using just a pair of scissors. So skillful can.
This is his masterpiece of me. Haha.

Do you think it looks like me???

We then headed back to the airport and flew back to our homeland Singapore.
Home Sweet Home. I still like my little sunny island the best. Haha.

Thoughts and Reflections:
This trip has really been an eye opener for me. Seeing other people's lifestyle and their culture. Plus the many beautiful scenery.
But as i have said, i think it is better to come with the right group of people.
I wouldn't want to share a room with my brother ever again.

My friends, i really hope we can go on to a tour together someday.
Hopefully that day will come soon.

With that, i end my China Yunan Trip report.
Next time if u go to Yunan, i recommend u go to 丽江 and 昆明.
Basically we were quite dissapointed with 香格里拉. And i wouldn't want to go back to 女儿国 again, cos the bus ride is damn tiring.
丽江 and 昆明 is the best places in Yunan. Places that u must visit there include, 玉龙雪山, 石林, 九乡 and 丽江古城. Performance u must watch include 云南映像 (the peacock dance) and 印象丽江 directed by 张艺谋.

Hope you like my China Yunan Trip report.
Thank you all for supporting.

Xian Hao

China - Yunan Trip Part 7

Day 7
Today its the 7 hour bus trip back the same long and windy and scary road back to 丽江.
With today's 7 hour bus ride plus yesterday's 7 hour, its 14 hours altogether. I already got the phobia of taking bus.

Along the way, we stopped to rest and saw all these small children.
Some of the aunties in our tour group decided to give them some sweets.
They were like so happy to receive the sweets, and see from their expression and smiles. So easily satisfied and content.
I guess life is really simple for them and they do not even have the luxury of having sweets. I was so touched by their purest and innocence, these qualities are rarely seen on children of big cities these days. So touched that after the bus left that place, i was still thinking of them and my eyes were a bit watery.

Okay after 7 hours of really gruesome ride.
We reached 丽江.
Today the road is quite chaotic because they are preparing for the Olympics Touch arrival the next day. And the city is doing its last minute preparation.


Oh yar, and halfway through all these. It started raining.
Not water droplets, like ur usual rain. But solid ICE. Its 冰雨.

You see those white colour stuff on the ground?
Its actually ICE that dropped from the sky!!!!


Wah, so amazing, first time see this kinda thing. Haha.
Okay, nothing besides all these nothing really much happened. We were all so tired from the long hour bus ride.
Some scenery photos:


Thats it for the day!!!!

Xian Hao

China - Yunan Trip Part 6

Day 6
Today is a really tiring day for all of us.
Its a 7 hour bus ride to 泸沽湖 aka 女儿国.
All the roads look like these.........

Shocking right??
And im telling the truth. That is the kind of road that we travelled on during these 7 hours.
Its really a long and windy road.
The twist and turns are very scary and dangerous also.
Imagine travelling on these kinda road for 7 hours. I can die.

Thats why i am so happy today when i receive sms from Mango and Reiko today.
They decided to try sending out messages to me to see if i can receive their message. N i did. So happy.

Halfway down the road. We stopped to take pictures of these beautiful scenes.





After the 7 hours of long and winding ride, we reached out 1st destination in 女儿国.
We are supposed to go to an island on boat.
So cool right!!!

And these boats are rowed by man. Like this.....

This guy that rowed our boats look very young lor. Like our age like that.
Think thats their way of lifestyle ba. Rowing a boat with about 10 people on it by himself for about 30 minutes is really not a thing that anyone can do.

And the water is so damn clear.



I have never seen any waters so clear before. Its really beautiful!!!

After 30 minutes we finally reached the island and we went sightseeing on the island.
More Photo Taking.....





After that, we rowed back again. To check in our hotel.
女儿国大酒店.

I must say. This hotel is really lousy.
The service is really bad. Half of the time, no one is even at the counter. Plus the food is terrible also. Then when we were resting, the hotel suddenly black out!!!

I guess though 女儿国 is a beautiful country but if u want me to stay here longer, i would have gone crazy.

After settling down, the tour guide bring us to a traditional household to understand their way of lifestyle.


Their marriage system is very complicated one. Their marriage is no need to register by law like one. Its so complicated that i shan't talk about it here. But i guess even some Westerners who come here will also be really shocked by their system.

Then we went to watch this really boring show. Haha. Music and dance that kind.
So boring. Then very jialat one lor, halfway through the show, suddenly black out. Wah. First time i see shows like that one lor. Haha.

But luckily got this cute little young boy who sat beside me. His brother was performing. Throughout the whole show, i just talk to him lor. Haha. So fun.
And he literally knows all the dance step lor. And even noes what happens next.
I am also touched by his aspiration also. He says he wants to earn lots of money so that his family members will have a good life.
I asked him if i can take a photo of him. He agreed and even do pose for me lor. Haha.

Because the place so dark. Thats why cannot take a gd picture. Pity. But he is really cute. If not for him, i would have fallen asleep during the performance. Haha.

Well, thats all for today!!!!

Xian Hao

China - Yunan Trip Part 5

Day 5
Before you guys forgot, here is a recap.
By the end of Day 4, we have already entered a new place called 丽江.

丽江 is famous for its snow mountains. All year round, the mountain peaks will be covered with snow, regardless of the weather or season.
This mountain is called 玉龙雪山.
For your information, this mountain although not as high as the world's highest peak, Mount Everest, NO ONE has ever climbed this mountain and reached its peak before. There have been lots of attempts to conquer the mountain, but all of them end up as failure attempts. So till this day, 玉龙雪山 is still a "virgin" mountain.

Today, we set of to take a look at 玉龙雪山. If you ever come to 丽江, 玉龙雪山 is a place where you must come and visit.


On our way to visit, 玉龙雪山. Picture taken from the bus window.

After we reached the destination.
The first part is to take these buses for the first part of the journey.


The scene as we alight from the bus. Pretty right? Mountains and Clouds!!!

2nd part, we have to do some hiking. And while hiking, we saw these cows, They were like so close to us lor. Haha.




Me, taking a picture with the beautiful scenery as the background.


After that, we went on to see other attractions there.





Down here, you can actually ride these cows up the 梯田. Though it looks quite cute, but these cows are really too smelly. Haha. That's why i dun dare to ride on them.

Saw this flowers growing on the trees. Pretty right?

More Beautiful scenery.....
The Water, Mountains, the Clouds.....




All of us were simply so excited when we finally saw these.
The 玉龙雪山 showing its snow peaks. All of us "Chiong" to take pictures.
Really really beautiful.




Then after we had lunch, we headed down to a special place to watch an open aired live performance directed by the very famous 张艺谋. The show is called 印象丽江. Just look at the set. Very special.
The set uses the 玉龙雪山 as the back ground. A performance that is close to nature.

Pictures taken during the performance....




They even have waterfall as special effects.

Halfway through the show, the snow peak showed itself again.
We are so lucky!!!


I managed to video down one part of the show. Enjoy!!!!


After the show, while going to our next destination, we saw so many people gathering around the side of the road. Well the Olympics Touch happens to arrive a few days later so these people are gathering around for rehearsals.
And we, the tourist from Singapore of cos grabbed this opportunity to take pictures.




Our next destination for the day is 丽江古城.
Wah this place is really quite happening, i must say.




Very pretty place right? Well i happen to see this halfway through my trip.

These weird characters are actually their languages.
Sort of ancient language like that.
The amazing thing is that it is still in use till this day.

丽江古城 is its day and night time is really completely different.
Here is 丽江古城 at night....



And there lots of pubs and bars are opened here at night.
So its literally the Zouk or Mohammed Sultan of 丽江.

I happened to see this small little girl dancing to the music that is playing. I find it so cute!!!
So decided to video it down. Haha.
Part 1

Part 2

So cute right? She is like totally not shy lor. And dun care what other people think, she just want to dance. I guess she will be a good dancer in the future.

Thoughts and Reflections:
The clouds, the mountains and the snow peaks feels so totally unreal. As if it came out from a Chinese Painting.
At some point of time, i felt that i am in Heaven. But i guess Heaven is even more amazing, more beautiful and more spectacular than what i saw.
It sort of lighten up my moody spirits.

That the End of Day 5.

Xian Hao