China - 2011; Chendu, Lijian and Lunming

Chendu – July 6-7

In the late afternoon of July 6 we flew from Xian to Chendu in time to check in and have dinner. There was an optional evening show called “Changing Faces.” This is a specialty of Chendu where the actors have multiple masks and change them so swiftly you can’t see it happen. There was also a hand shadow performer who was excellent. After the show Sally arranged for us to try the hand shadows and dress up in some of the dancer’s costumes.

The morning of July 7 we enjoyed a long visit to the Panda Sanctuary – the reason for going to Chendu. The giant panda is considered a Chinese national treasure. There are fewer than 1000 left and 80% of them live in the wilds of Sichuan Province. The breeding and research center strives to create a natural habitat for the pandas and other endangered species. We were fortunate to see a number of pandas even though the viewing areas were very crowded.

There was some free time in the afternoon before our evening flight so Sally took us to an area where we could walk through a typical Tibetan street and shopping area. Most of the women opted instead for a two-hour massage.

The evening flight to Lijiang included dinner and we arrived in the lovely old city in time to check in and go to bed.

Lijiang – July 8-9

Our original tour had included a visit to Tibet. A week before our departure we were informed that China was closing the borders to Tibet for the month of July for unspecified reasons. This happens at their whim, unfortunately, but when it does happen OAT has plan B in place that includes visits to Lijiang and Kunming – two minority cities near Tibet.

Lijiang, in Yunnan Province, sits at 7,200 feet and was settled by the Naxi people about 1500 years ago. The “Old” city section is now a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site and we were privileged to stay in a lovely old Tibetan-style hotel in that area of the city. This is also the area where the Flying Tigers “Special Air Unit” trained and flew missions during WWII trying to protect China from the Japanese. The nearby mountains reach 18,000 feet and were a beautiful setting for Shangri-La in Lost Horizon. This area is also the headwaters for the Yangtze River.

We visited the home of Dr. Joseph Rock, and American self-taught botanist who went to Lijiang in 1922 to search for an herbal cure for leprosy. He stayed on to study the thousands of plant species in the area and to take photographs for National Geographic.

During a full day touring around Lijiang we stopped at other interesting spots. An Embroidery School allowed us to see how they are trying to keep this old art alive. Then there was a stop at a farming village where the ladies were buying handmade hoes while the men sat around visiting. 

This is where I took a good picture of the type of engine on two wheels such as the ones we saw in 1982. They can be hooked to many different tools like wagons, plows, and here – to a pick-up. While they are no longer the predominant source of motor power they used to be and they still exist in farm areas. Another stop was for a stroll around the “Black Dragon Pool” lake and museum of Naxi cultural art and history.

In the evening we had a chance to walk through the old town as we went to and from dinner. This is a town where I would have loved to stay a few more days. Unfortunately, due to a canceled afternoon flight the next day, we had to leave in the morning to fly on to Kunming.

 

Kunming, July 9-11

Kunming is the capital city of Yunnan Province with a population of about 7 million; 13% minority - the majority are Han. We arrived shortly after noon following an hour-long flight from Lijiang. Since we were not supposed to arrive until evening, we ended up having a free afternoon, which we used doing laundry and resting. In the evening we had the option of attending a cultural show, which turned out to be fabulous.

July 10 was a full day outing to visit the Stone Forest, about 75 miles from town. This is a large area of karst rock formations that look like stalagmites and petrified trees – hence its name. Since 2007 parts of the area have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

These formations were caused by limestone being dissolved away over millions of years. At one time this area was under water and you can see coral and other fossils. It has been uplifted to its current elevation; near 6,000 feet. Walking through this area took several hours and around each turn there were new and unusual features. It is a major tourist attraction for Chinese and some internationals.

After a late lunch, and on the drive back to Kunming, we stopped at a farming village of the old style. Sally used this time, as we walked through, to share how the community council structure works. Although the Chinese people do not have much say about politics at the national level, they do control their own community and monitor everyone’s compliance with the rules and regulations.

In the evening we walked around the area near the hotel with a stop at Starbucks. In the same shopping area were Nike and Adidas stores and an Apple Store, which looked authentic. It wasn’t until shortly after we got home that we read it was one of several unauthorized stores in China. Hmmmmm…

During the last morning in Kunming we visited a lovely park and lake. Many people were using the area to stroll, do Tai Chi, sit and visit, and practice ballroom dancing. 

We had a noon flight to Chongqing where we would board the riverboat for our three-day downstream cruise on the Yangtze River.

 


That's it for now. Grace and Paul