BootsnAll Travel Network



Archive for the 'BIG TRIP 2005-2006' Category

« Home

Lijang and the Tiger Leaping Gorge…a Yunnan Paradise

Wednesday, May 10th, 2006

Our second day in China turned out much better that the first. We continued our mad bus trip north. After taking an overnight to Kunming, we caught a bus straight to Lijang (another 9 hours away.) The ride was easy, though, on a fast, modern highway and the views as we made our way north were spectacular. Most of the trip was along a plain, surrounded by peaks of 5000m or more. We arrived in Lijang around 6:30 in the evening; it was still broad daylight as the sun doesn’t set until about 8. We walked about 20 minutes through the modern, and relatively quiet “new town.” When we arrived in the old town,we were overwhelmed by the crowds of Chinese tourists. It was the middle of a big holiday week.  We began to get nervous about finding accomodation. After checking out 4 or 5 hotels, we settled on a charming little place, the “Tea Horse Guest House” named after the famous Tea Horse Road that ran through the area.  It was the most expensive room we had had since Europe, but we were ready for a little luxury after the previous days. 

Lijang was absolutely charming and the weather was great. The altitude is 2400m, so the evenings were cool, but the days were warm,dry and sunny. The first evening we took it easy and enjoyed a good dinner and a bubble bath. Then after a good night’s sleep we spent a day exploring the little town. We climbed up a small hill with a pagoda on top to have some nice views of the old town. From many places in old town, you can see the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, a mountain over 5000m covered in snow. The views were best in the morning and evening when the clouds disappeared. Then we made our way down the hill for a fantastic Chinese lunch before continuing our visit of the old town. We went to a shop for tea tasting; the area is famous for it’s tea, and we tasted “health” tea that goes for about $30/ kilo. I opted for 100g in a small souvenir box. Then we visited a nice exhibit by the Nature Conservancy who is working with local villages to manage the environmental problems of the area. The photos were fascinating (mainly of Yunnan and Tibet.)  Finally we arrived at  Mu’s residence, one of the outstanding structures (or collection of structures in the old town.)   Here you could get a little glimpse into how the town functioned in the old days, during Mu’s (a Naxi Chieftain) time. The evening we spent preparing for a two day trek to Tiger Gorge. We found a big supermarket in the new town to stalk up on snacks and picnic supplies.

Saturday morning, we woke up early to catch a bus to the start of the Tiger Leaping Gorge Trek (about 2 1/2 hours away.) We arrived at the bus station around 7:15 to get the bus for 7:30 which was already sold out. We bought tickets for the bus, and headed back to old town to check out the morning market. A typical bustling village market, women carrying large baskets on their backs, haggling over cabbages and melons. We also took advantage of the great morning light and the dirth of tourists to take a few photos of snow mountain in the distance.

We finally arrived at the start of the trek around 11:30, a bit behind schedule. We knew it would be a long day of walking to reach the Half Way Guesthouse.  The first part of the trek was beautiful, a moderately difficult ascent; we climbed to about 4700m, but the view of the mountains, totaling around 8 peaks, many snow-covered was exceptional. Below us we could see the rushing Yangtze River. Many people were taking horses to get to the high point; we were determined to hike the trail on our own. Fabien was proving his never-ending endurance, while I quickly realized that 9 months of fried food and irregular exercise had taken its toll on my fitness. The second half of day 1 was a slow descent to the half-way guesthouse. We passed through a couple of small, charming villages. The guesthouse was great, a view of the mountains from our window and from the Chinese style toilets (ie there was only a partial wall hiding the toilets.)  We relaxed with a couple of beers,a  game of cards and big dinner to reward ourselves from a long day’s hike.

Day 2. We got a bit of a late start (around 9:00). We descended about an hour until we got to the main road following the river. Then we took a trail that descended all the way to the river so we could see the rapids (the river is completely unnavigable in this area.) Here is where we saw the “tiger leaping rock.” Legend says that a tiger jumped from this rock to other side of the river, an impressive distance, thus giving the gorge its name.   We continued the trail along the river for about 1 1/2 hours along a rocky path through a few small farms and found a cozy little spot for a picnic lunch. Our plan was to continue to a village called Daju on the other side of the river. We would have to climb back to the road, then follow the road until we came to the ferry. There were two ferrys marked on our map, the new and the old, and as the new was about an 1 1/2 hours closer, we chose to take the path to the new ferry. The path to the river was extremely steep and rocky. By the time we reached the place where the boat should pick us up, it was about 4:30 in the afternoon. We waited for an hour but no boat came. We were afraid of getting stuck there in the dark, so we made the treacherous climb back to the road and walked back to a guesthouse in a nearby village. Exhausted and slightly defeated we took a room for the evening. As we had finished about 90% of the trek, and seen the most beautiful parts, we decided to catch a bus back to Lijang the following morning.

We returned to Lijang easily, and spent the afternoon souvenir shopping. Besided tea and dried yak, they offer some pretty handicrafts as well, including pretty carved wooden pictures and leather products. We visited the Dragon Pool Park, a beautiful park in the middle of Lijang with a pretty lake, several pagodas and a beautiful mountain backdrop.  You could hardly believe that you were inside of a city.

Yesterday, our last full day in Lijang, we rented bikes and rode out to a little preserved village The village was part of the Tea Horse Trail, a charming place with stone streets and many little canals. It was a sort of Chinese Venice. Then we continued to Baisha, to see an 800 year old Buddhist fresco.
Our impression of China has changed 100% since that horrible first day (with the exception of the toilets.) Yunnan is charming both for its beautiful mountain landscape and its interesting Naxi culture.

 

Chine : une vraie bonne idee !!!

Wednesday, May 10th, 2006

Notre premier jour en Chine avait ete eprouvant. Encore dans notre bus qui venait de traverser le sud Yunnan a destination de Kunming, nous profitions du soleil et de la vue. Bientot nous arrivions a Kunming, une grande ville a la chinoise de plus de 3 millions d’habitants ayant la particularite de se situer a 1800m d’altitude offrant un climat plus clement qu’en plaine. Nous n’en profiterons pas longtemps car Kunming n’est pour nous qu’un point de passage a destination de Lijiang.

Arrivee a la gare routiere, nous faisons tout d’abord un arret aux toilettes… Des toilettes a la chinoise : sans porte et sans reelle systeme de chasse d’eau. Une odeur forte et la vue de dizaines de chinois accroupis le cul nu n’est pas la meilleure vision que l’on peut esperer a l’aube… L’arret pipi est donc le plus court possible.

Rapidement nous trouvons des billets pour Lijiang. Notre bus part dans 45 minutes. Le trajet de 12 heures s’annonce long mais c’est quasiment notre dernier long parcours du voyage alors nous le prenons comme une derniere experience necessaire. Nous avons le temps de prendre un petit dejeuner. La Chine se revele un pays vraiment peu cher concernant la nourriture. Tout comme pour la biere et les autres boissons.

Le bus part a l’heure, il est un peu vieux mais 30 minutes plus tard a une autre gare routiere de la ville, nous changeons de bus pour un plus moderne, c’est presque chic.

Le voyage se passe plutot bien. La premiere partie s’effectue sur une autoroute 2*3 voies flambant neuve. Impressionnant, d’autant que le relief n’est pas facile et les tunnels nombreux. La Chine se developpe, c’est une evidence comforte par le nombre de touristes chinois dans le bus : c’est la periode de vacances de printemps pour les Chinois, la plupart ne travaillent pas l’entiere semaine du 1er mai. Qui plus est nous remarquons que ces touristes sont relativement riches : appareils photos derniere technologie, lecteur MP3, vetements chics. Bref, c’est l’illustration de la croissance chinoise de ces dernieres annees. D’un autre cote, l’autoroute qui relie deux importantes villes en plein boum traverse des champs ou l’on voit une charue tiree par des boeufs, des paysans repiquant le riz a la main et des maisons en briques de terres a a toit de paille. C’est l’autre cote de la Chine, je suppose. Le progres economique ne semble pas profiter a tous. Je me demande si ces paysans ont touche la moindre indemnite lors de la construction de l’autoroute – qu’ils n’emprunterons sans doute jamais – a cote des leurs terres et de leurs maisons.

L’autoroute nous permet d’arriver assez rapidement a Xiaguam ou nous prenons la route vers Lijiang. Les paysages sont magnifiques : montagnes, lac (un lac d’altitude d’une taille impressionnante), rizieres ou les paysans sont en pleines saisons de repiquage du riz : penches, les pieds dans l’eau, ils repiquent des brins de riz dans les rizieres a la main. Un bol de riz coute 1 yuan (10 centimes d’euros) dans un restaurant, je me demande combien d’heures de travail sont necessaires pour l’obtenir. La route continue son chemin a travers les montagnes, et nous arrivons finalement sur un plateau a 2400m d’altitude, le plateau est immense et domine au fond par les pentes enneiges de sommets a plus de 5400m. Sous le soleil couchant, c’est spelndide. En meme temps que nous arrivons a Lijiang, nous admirons ce paysage. Deja nous sentons que nous allons aimer le site.

Nous arrivons finalement a Lijiang a 18h30. Fin de notre trajet debute a midi la veille au VietNam. Nous sommes vraiment fatigues mais souhaitons degourdir un peu nos jambes et effectuons 2km de marche a travers la ville nouvelle pour atteindre la vieille ville ou nous esperons trouver un hotel. En traversant la ville nouvelle a la chinoise (grande avenue, batiment imposant cubique), nous nous demandons si le choix de Lijiang etait le bon. A priori, il n’y a rien a voir. Et puis nous arrivons dans la vieille ville. La c’est different : c’est simplement le type de ville que l’on s’imagine lorsqu’on pense a la Chine : rues et ruelles pavees, petits canaux et puits a travers toutes la ville, batiments a l’architecture chinoise, portes sculptees, maisons traditionnelles… Bref un reel emerveillement. A priori nous ne sommes pas les seuls malheureusement a avoir trouve cette merveille. Nous sommes en pleine periode de vacances chinoises et les touristes sont venues en masse. La foule est impressionnante mais quasiment uniquement compose de chinois, nous passons inapercu : pas de sollicitation du tout. C’est vraiment un changement par rapport a l’Asie du Sud Est ou pire l’Inde. Inquiet au debut quand a nos chances de trouver un hotel, nous sommes rapidement rassures a la vue du nombre d’option mais les prix prennent en compte la periode… Nous trouvons un charmant hotel dont la chambre nous coute 26 euros ! Trois jours plus tard, elle nous coutera 8, une sacre difference mais en cette fin de voyage nous ne sommes pas prets a la nuit en dortoir (3 euros seulement).

La soiree est vite passee. Un excellent diner et au lit, nous explorerons la ville le lendemain.

La visite de la ville s’avere reellement impressionnante : non seulement la ville est magnifique mais elle est aussi situe dans un cadre extraordinaire domine par les montagnes blanchies par les neiges eternelles, elle possede de nombreux sites a decouvrir comme le palais de la famille qui a domine la ville pendant plusieurs siecles, elle possede une culture propre due a l’ethnie installe dans la region depuis des millenaires : les Naxis ayant la particularite de faire vivre le dernier langage s’ecrivant a l’aide de hieroglyphe. En conclusion, en restant dans l’enceinte de la vieille, nous n’avons pas le temps de nous ennuyer mais beaucoup d’occasion de nous emerveiller. Pour finir ma reconciliation avec la Chine : la nourriture. Le diner de la veille avait ete excellent, le repas du jour encore meilleur. En meme temps de me reconcilier avec la Chine, je me reconcilie avec les repas au restaurant. Il est bon de pouvoir commander de nombreux plats a des prix modiques et a partager avec Jenny. Vraiment delicieux et varies. Seule la quantite d’huile utilisee dans tous ces petits plats nous limitent parfois.

En conclusion, Lijiang est probablement la plus belle ville que j’ai pu visiter en Chine.

Pour continuer la visite de la region, nous partons le lendemain matin pour la “Tiger Leaping Gorge”, une des gorges les plus impressionnantes du monde. Pour la decouvrir : un trek de 2 jours qui parait prometteur. Definitivement, la Chine est une destination de premier choix !

EMAIL PROBLEMS

Wednesday, May 10th, 2006
Hello everyone, China has been an adventure so far. One of the problems we keep encountering is getting access to our Hotmail accounts. Sometimes, I can get in and read the mail, but then I can't write back. Sometimes I ... [Continue reading this entry]

Welcome to China…

Wednesday, May 10th, 2006

From Sapa, we caught a taxi van to the border of China. We had reserved bus tickets from the border to Kunming (Yunnan Province) with our hotel in Sapa, but they weren't very convincing, and we were wondering what kind ... [Continue reading this entry]

Chine : une fausse bonne idee ?

Monday, May 8th, 2006
Notre voyage vers la Chine commenca de Sappa vers 12h. Un minivan, juste un peu en retard et enfume par le conducteur n'ayant que peu de scrupule par rapport a la sante de ses poumons, nous emmenait alors vers notre ... [Continue reading this entry]

Un peu de fraicheur pour notre derniere arret au VietNam : Sapa

Tuesday, May 2nd, 2006
Le voyage en train depuis Hanoi fut relativement long mais plutot comfortable, du moins par rapport aux precedents trajets de bus que nous avons effectue recemment. En oubliant, un matinal Vietnamien discuttant tres fort des 4 heures du matin, la nuit ... [Continue reading this entry]

Last Stop Vietnam, Sapa

Tuesday, May 2nd, 2006

Fast and furious is the best way to describe the end of our travels in Vietnam. Time is creeping up on us now; we are flying back to France from Hong Kong in just 3 weeks, and if you pull ... [Continue reading this entry]

The North- Hanoi and Halong Bay

Tuesday, May 2nd, 2006
After another night bus, they're frequent these days, we arrived in Hanoi. This time, there was more of a hastle getting rid of the tour operators who ran our bus.  They literally tried to trap us on the bus while ... [Continue reading this entry]

Hanoi et la baie d’Halong

Tuesday, May 2nd, 2006
La ville d'Hanoi est differente de sa lointaine voisine de Saigon au sud. Elle est moins peuple et plus ramasse. Surtout, elle semble beaucoup plus vieille et possede un vrai centre historique ou les choses ne semblent pas avoir change ... [Continue reading this entry]

Following the coast to Hue

Tuesday, May 2nd, 2006
After a wonderful but exhausting stay in Hoi An (Fabien's right, shopping is tiring) we finally left and made our way to Hue, a few hours north and home to a few beautiful sites. Our first impression was not of a ... [Continue reading this entry]