Enchanting China - Yunnan Province
28 Nov 07: My journey of a lifetime began, where I boarded Cathay Pacific Airways for Kunming via Hong Kong with six other travel agents. We were lucky enough to be upgraded to business class from Johannesburg to Hong Kong, which was a wonderful experience from take off to landing!
29 Nov 07: Arrival at Kunming, the capital of the Yunnan Province. Kunming is known as the City Eternal of Spring and a good place to discover the diverse cultures of Yunnan's 26 minorities. On arrival, we were met by a representative of Topline Tours who took us on a short tour of this wonderful city, which is among the first group of famous historical and cultural cities and one of the top tourist cities of China. We spent our first night at the Kunming Hotel. The location was very central and within easy walking distance to most areas of interest, namely, the fantastic flower market (a must see! approx. 10 minute walk) and the Old Market (where one can bargain down to almost less than 50% of their asking price on certain items- approx. 20-30 minute walk). It is relatively safe to walk the wide streets of Kunming at night, although I would be careful of the child beggars (one of which, latched onto my leg & refused to let go until I gave him a 'donation'! Thankfully, I was 'rescued' by a very kind, old gentleman!). I would rate the hotel ( by S.A. standards) as a 3 & a half star. Clean, fair size rooms, adequate amenities, however a little old fashioned in the decor department. Language is a huge problem as most of the locals (incl. the hotel staff) could barely speak a word of English.
30 Nov 07: Boarded our flight on China Eastern Airlines (very impressed with this airline) to Lijiang. On arrival, we were met & transferred to visit the Old Town & Black Dragon Pool. Lijiang's Old Town is a World Heritage Site with it's delightful jumble of cobbled streets, streams & bridges which meander between ancient wooden houses. Sadly, we only spent one night in this delightful city. Our accomodation at the Banyan Tree was 5 star! Luxurious villas including your very own jacuzzi & a backdrop of a snow-capped mountain!
01 Dec 07: After an early breakfast, we set off on our long drive to Zhongdian (Shangri-la). En route we visited the Tiger Leaping Gorge (1st bend of the famous Yangtze River, where Kublai Khan & his army crossed). Breathtaking views & approx. 3300m above sea level! On arrival at our hotel, the Banyan Tree Ringha, we were greeted with such peace & tranquility, it was deafening! Original Tibentan-style accomodation situated in the remote village of Hong Po. We indulged in the various spa treatments offered by the hotel, followed by an authentic Tibetan meal.
02 Dec 07: Full day visit to the Songzanlin Monastery, Bita Lake & a Tibetan family. I found the visit to the Tibetan family a wonderful experience. They are warm, friendly, generous people. They are also very hard-working. A typical Tibetan home is approx. 3 stories high. Ground level - house animals, second level - family area, with the kitchen being the main focus of the home. Their kitchens are enormous, with pots still being used after hundreds of years & passed down generations. The top level is to store their grain, namely, Barely.
03 Dec 07: Fly back to Kunming. Visit to the local flower market & Dianchi Lake.
04 Dec 07: Visit to Stone Forest located approx. 3 hours drive from Kunming. A spectacular area, which, according to geologists, was a vast expanse of sea about 270 million years ago. Known since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.) to be one of the first Wonders of the World! A breath-taking experience & definately worth the visit.
My visit to this remote & very un-touristy part of China was an incredible experience. You can only marvel at how the many minorities live side-by-side, incorporating the new as well as the old world into their daily lives. I would highly recommend this trip to the more experienced traveller, who is looking for a very unique experience. I hope that you have enjoyed reading my journal.