MoHan, Yunnan, China. By chance it was New Year's day for the largest local minority, the Dai people the day we crossed from Boten in Laos. I have never been warped into a different reality such as crossing over that border, and I would have believed it if somebody had told me I'd just travelled around the globe. It was like walking through a door between two realities. The people of the different local ethnic minorities were out in their traditional costumes, there was dancing and bamboo rockets amongst other festivities.
We were befriended by a friendly Chinese woman who spoke English well, and she showed us around town and invited us to join the elites' table, with the town mayor and others. We were given food and far too much rice wine for the time of day. These two children had been singing to the audience.
The botanical gardens in Menglun, Yunnan. The local buses were pretty hassle-free in Yunnan, and the roads were much better than Laos.
Out with the old... this is Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan province in Southern China. Kunming has been almost entirely rebuilt in recent times to a modern and clean city. On the plain at 2000 metres, the weather is perfect all year round, and earns Kunming the title of "the city of eternal Spring".
...in with the new. Central Kunming.
A temple ascending the western hills near Kumming. I took the walk all the way up the hill with a friendly French man, and we got lost which led through a lovely area wooded by pine trees, before leading to the Dragon Gate.
Some creepy defenders of the Buddha, found hidden in the back of a temple.
A carving at the Dragon Gate. The Dragon Gate is a series of cliff-top paths and tunnels carved almost entirely by a lone monk overlooking Kunming and lake Dian.
The Stone Forest at Shiling, two hours south-east of Kunming by train. This ancient formation was created on the ocean floor before rising to the plain 2000 metres above sea-level. As with many places in China, the place was crawling with Chinese tourists. However, they never go far from their tourist buses!
The Stone Forest
A city gate in old Dali town, 12 hours from Kunming by train. Dali was full of character, with colourfully dressed locals and great restaurants and an enormous mountain on its doorstep.
The ancient three pagodas behind Dali, as I attempted to walk up the enormous mountain. I made it to about 3000 metres, and left the remaining two thousand snow-covered metres to the clouds.
An old lady in Lijiang, the town built around cobble-stoned paths and canals. I spent a while here, partially because I caught a bug. I can think of worse places to be stuck in!
The Tolkien-esque Jade Dragon Snow Mountain behind the Black Dragon Pool in Lijiang. The mountain is simply beautiful and has been climbed successfully once.
Early morning light along a Lijiang laneway
