Heading North

I'm going away earlier than i expected. hmmm..... to be frank... the next trip that I've already planned is at the end of this year. But just got to know that next weekend, i'll be heading to KL over the weekend to attend the Human Revolution (HR) festival that the Soka members of Malaysia has prepared and will be putting up.


Its a great priviledge to be able to head there with some other fellow Soka Gakkai leaders. At the moment i don't have the agenda yet. But I guess that weekend will be pretty much packed from morning to night. I'll try to snap as many pictures as I can... and hopefully I'll be able to upload them + the entries here the week after next. Pretty much looking forward to the short 'get-away'. Not sure if I'll be able to meet my friend Keiko.... hmmm... have to check with her if she'll be in KL during that weekend. (Coz Keiko sometimes head to 1 of the universities in KL to collect samples for her research project)


Till then! Adios!! =D

Yunnan Trip 2010 - Kunming 15th May

2nd last day for this trip. Today we'll be visiting some of the sights in Kunming. and I must say that there are not much things to see in the city itself. If u really want to see places of interests, u really need to travel out of the city. And the weather in Kunming is really hot.... coz considering that the past few days the weather was cool... Kunming really is cold. Hahahha... in this trip i got to experience hot to super cold weather juz withing a span of 8 days.

these are the limestones tat u'll see along the way to Jiuxiang (九香)

Entrance of the Jiuxiang (九香) park

This old man was smoking a water pipe

anyway today we'll be visiting the Jiuxiang (九香) where we'll be taking a short boat ride in the gorge and following that we'll be walking into the caves to view the limestone formations.

Dad waving from the boat. we're going to cruise down the river in the gorge

The gorge

The tour guide told us that Jackie Chan filmed a couple of his movies here... coz he was very fascinated with the scenery. I can't really remember what were the films that were being filmed there.

and i tell u the walk in the caves was really really long.... and a couple of aunties thought that their legs would not be able to take the long hike, they decided to take sedan chairs. hahaha... interesting... but its a form of earning money for the Yi zhu (彝族) people.

Mum and the 2 aunties who took the sedan rides

the pictures taken in the caves didn't really turn out very nice coz it was a little dark in the caves. it was quite a distance from our hotel in Kunming to Jiuxiang. as we were nearing Yiliang region (where the Jiuxiang caves are), the vegetation and scenery also changed. That is when u look out the windows of the coach, on both sides of the expressway, u'll see lots of limstone structures/rocks formation sticking out of grass pastures. This place is also where the famous Shilin is. But we will not be visiting Shilin in our trip as that venue was not covered. The major ethnic group living in Yiliang county (宜良县) is the Yi zhu (彝族) people. 

I must say that the caves was really very majestic.... hmmm why i would say this is because.... the caves was really huge. and there were juz so many stalactites and stalagmites. also i saw 1 of the largest limestone terraces. its almost similar to the one i saw in lijiang and turkey. but this one is pretty well kept. but the waters in the terraces was cold... unlike the ones in Turkey, which was warm.

Entering the caves

Mini waterfalls in the caves

these are the terraces that i'm talking about

Mum & dad posing for pictures in the caves

after finishing walking the caves (by the way, you can only walk in 1 direction), we reached the other end of the cave. To return to the entrance where we started, will require us to walk the 3.7km... and i think this maybe too much for the old folks. At the so-called exit, we took a cable-car ride back to where we started. and this is not your normal cable car... its somewhat similar to those sort of cable cars you'll find at ski resorts. Yeah... the passengers are not enclose in a 'box'. this was a pretty awesome ride. But may not be nice for people who are afraid of heights. but this allows passengers to breath in the fresh air, take wonderful pictures. but one thing was... it was extremely hot. the sun rays were all beating down on us.

this is the cable car that I'm talking about. u get to enjoy the nature... hee hee...

Butterfly hard at work

A dam i saw on our way to lunch

when we got off at the entrance, it was time for lunch. we went to a well known restaurant for lunch. and lunch for today is the guo qiao mi xian, which my family already tried it on our 1st day in Kunming. the Guo Qiao Mi Xian here is not as good as compared to the one that we had previously. But this restaurant served some pretty interesting appertizers. Often in chinese restaurants the appertizers would be steamed peanuts. But for this restaurant the appertizers served was fried silk worms and bee pupae. Hahahaha... interesting!!!

of course i tried! how can i not try such interesting food... people who know me well, know that in my trips i would try at least 1 so-called 'exotic' food that the locals eat but when s'poreans hear it... they will cringe or shudder....

At the restaurant waiting for lunch to be served

I must say that they tasted pretty ok. quite like french fries... hahaha... nothing weird nor smelly... juz french fries taste. and heard that eating such bugs, provides super high proteins!
hahahaha... so the next time u need eggs and u run out of them... perhaps u can try eating some bugs??? =P
The restaurant that we had our lunch had a pretty interesting setting... sort of like mongolian sort of houses. hahaha... perhaps because the Yi people are pretty closely related to Mongolians... pity i did not managed to capture a picture of the bugs... otherwise i could have uploaded them here... anyway juz head there and try it out for yourself. =D

after the interesting lunch, we visited Qicai Yunnan Park (七彩云南公园). hahaha... sounds very nice... but its quite nice lah... i mean the scenery. if u count man-made scenery as scenery. anyway this park rear quite a number of peacocks. that's why its called Qicai.

Entrance of 七彩云南公园

Other than the caged up peacocks, there's nothing much in the park.

A peacock spreading his tail

Man-made water in the park

After this, we visited a silk making factory. hmmm... its the 2nd time for me to visit a silk making factory. the 1st time was when we visit Beijing. anyway the things there are super expensive... i think a couple of the aunties and uncles bought some products there. Otherwise.... we juz walk around and see and touch the silk. hahaha...

after all these walking around seeing not very nice things as compared to the past few days... we went to a place where the so-called chinese physicians were trying to sell us their herbal products and bao fu ling ( a sort of cream that can heal burts, piles etc) and we also get to have a foot massage by some TCM students.

me and mum with some 'go yo' at our temples receiving foot massage

after all these..... its dinner time! hahaha... seems like today we juz keep eating and walking huh... but tonight's dinner is susposedly fit for the king and 1 of the most expensive and a must-try when u're in Yunnan. we're having mushroom steamboat! hahaha.... unique isn't it?? yeah... the steamboat really is made of a lot different kinds of mushrooms i've ever seen in my entire life... hahaha...and this steamboat was really nice.

after the sumptuous dinner, we headed back to our hotel... and since it was still early.... we went to the shopping district nearby to walk around before calling it a day.

tomorrow will be our last day in Yunnan then its back to singapore. =D

Yunnan Trip 2010 - Lijiang 14th May

Last day in Lijiang! but i must say that today is one of the most fantastic days in this entire trip! As mentioned in previous entry, today we'll be watching a performance 'Impression Lijiang' that was directed by Zhang Yimou. This performance is at the foot of Yu Long Xue Shan (玉龙雪山) (Jade Dragon snow mountain). Impression Lijiang is a cultural show which demonstrated the traditions and lifestyle of local Naxi, Yi and Bai ethnics of the area.

At the carpark where we alight from the coach

Impression Lijiang performance

The performance stage is specially designed to showcase the mountain as the best backdrop of the show. More than 500 local people from ten ethnic groups have been selected from over 16 towns and villages nearby to take part in the performances which includes folk songs, dances as well as rituals for tourists. when we were there, there were already many tourists. and majority of them had dorn on the red cap that was given.

Sea of red caps

and when i said many it was really many... to the extend that when we were exiting the place later after the show, we were pushed,. squeezed or could have even falled down with all the constant pushing by those tourists. it was totally horrible!!! and majority of these tourists are China people... and they can be really rude. hiaz...seems like they've still got a lot of decorum to learn.

Unlike many other shows which had taken place in the evening with the help of a lot of lighting devices to increase the performance effects while covering up mistakes and blemishes, Impression Lijiang which Zhang Yimou had spent two years for the preparation was innovatively staged in the morning. As an outdoor performance in full daylight, no rooms for mistakes were allowed. Zhang Yimou has become the first person who dares to put an outdoor performance during daytime.

The performance began with more than 400 male performers wearing in their traditional costumes of respective ethnic groups and lineed up accordingly along the mountain path, shouting to the sky “We are farmers, we are stars”.

All the songs and dances performed throughout the show largely portrayed the daily lives of the local people. Perhaps, the tourists might feel surprised by the matriarchal context of the performances which depicted the women going to work while the men are just laze around and get drunk. This culture is different obviously when compared with other ethnics even with the Han Chinese culture. In comparison, the ethnic of Mosuo is practicing a very strict matriarchal culture while ethnic of Naxi is having a relatively substantial matriarchal element.

Scene of the men lazing around

Men performers dancing on horses

On the other hand, there were performances that depicted the well known tea trading culture of Yunnan Province as well. The Ancient Tea Route (茶马古道) was a network of mule caravan paths winding through the mountains of Yunnan Province. It is also referred to as the Southern Silk Road. From around a thousand years ago, the Ancient Tea Route was a trade link from Yunnan, one of the first tea-producing regions: to India via Burma; to Tibet; and to central China via Sichuan Province.

Women performers carrying the huge baskets full of tea

About 500 amateur performers from 10 ethnic minority groups selected from some 16 towns and villages around Lijiang took part in the US$31-million production by acclaimed Chinese director Zhang Yimou. The show takes place inside Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Park at 3500 meters in an outdoor theater specifically designed to showcase the mountain which is used as a breath-taking backdrop.

Performers in their ethnic clothing

after the performance, we got onto trams to get to 3 different parts of the park to view some really really fantastic sceneries. I can't really remember what exactly are the names of the various places that we visited in the Jade Dragon mountain park (Baishui River, Blue Moon Valley). But juz take a look at the pictures that i've uploaded here.. and u'll understand what i mean by fantastic sceneries. u can really swoon when u see the sights.... really beautiful.

mountains at the back whilst in the front are water terraces

Some chinese tourisits were in traditional costume taking pictures at the mini waterfall

With our tour guide, Xiao Deng

relections on a pond

A bee taking nectar from chinese sakura 

After visiting the various areas... its back to the coach for a short ride to a place called yushuizai (玉水寨). Over here, we had our lunch and also to walked around the premises. as i mentioned in yesterday entry that we'll learn more about the Naxi culture today right? yes... this happen to be the place where we got to have a Naxi crash course... hahaha.

terraces of green patches

Dongba Village is within the Yushui Village Scenic Area that is a Naxi theme park with a museum, gardens, ponds, and a stream. There are a few old Naxi teachers teaching about the ancient Naxi hieroglyphic writing system, the Naxi religious system called Dongba, and Naxi culture and history. The Naxi people in the region lived in a number of towns and participated in the regional and international trade of the Chama Road (茶马古道). In exchange for tea, silk and other products from the Yunnan region and the rest of China, the Chinese imported horses and other things from Tibet. So the trade route was called the Chama Road (茶马古道). In this area, the Naxi people who had their own distinct language developed a complex writing system of their own using hieroglyphics instead of Chinese characters. They used this writing system to transmit their religious beliefs, history, and legends. During this visit to this combination of school, museum and little theme park, visitors can gain an appreciation of this ancient culture that is almost extinct.

Naxi murals on walls depicting some religious stories

The Dongba Village site isn't well known, but it might be one of the best places to go in the Lijiang area to learn about Naxi culture and writing. Naxi culture is special because the people are less modernized and the people developed a writing system, a music style, and a religion different than the majority of Chinese. The Naxi people created a unique and distinctive ethnic culture. Perhaps some of the distinctiveness arose from the wide-ranging contact that the Naxi had with other Asian cultures. The Naxi developed two writing systems. They had a phonetic system called Geba. They also developed a hieroglyphic (pictorial) writing system that is said to be the world's sole surviving hieroglyphic writing system.

A temple in the village

In the worship of the spirits of the nature, the Naxi people created their own religion, Dongba Religion. It was born in Baidi, which lies at the foot of Haba Snow Mountain by the Jinshajiang River. It has developed from the ancient worship for the nature in the period of united tribes. In the long history of its development, Dongba Religion absorbed some ideas of the ancient Tibetan religions and Lamaism and finally formed its own unique ethnic style. Dongba Religion holds that all living things have spirits. It advocates worship of the nature and the ancestors and to keep a harmonious relationship with the nature

That a golden statue with upper body of the Buddha and bottom 1/2 of a snake

.

Close up view of the statue

People throwing coins into the water after making a wish

After our visit to the area, we were driven to Lijiang airport, where we'll be boarding China Air Eastern airlines to kunming where we'll meet the dreaded tour guide. Before we headed to the airport, we had a super early dinner. then its bye bye to Xiao Deng. I must say that this tour guide, Xiao Deng had been pretty awesome. She was really nice and shared a lot with us. she is really very informative and friendly. We exchanged contacts with her. Coz u never know, 1 day i may head back to Lijiang again. but more for visiting the Tiger leaping gorge. and today we'll bid farewell to Lijiang. This i must say is 1 of the more interesting and something that will be imprinted in my mind for this entire trip!

Tomorrow we'll be visiting some of the sights in Kunming.



Yunnan Trip 2010 - Lijiang 13th May

This morning, we woke up to a cold morning.... burrrr.....
After our morning breakfast (buffet style) we got on the coach and headed down to Lijiang. Yeah so u see... there are not really many things to see in Shangrila. Most backpackers juz stay put for 1 night before heading up to Deqin, where they will go and see the Meili Xue Shan. But that place is not covered in our tour package... so we'll be heading back to Lijiang today. The bus got back onto the same route to get back to Lijiang. Think its the fastest and safest route back to Lijiang... maybe...

A herd of yaks crossing the highway

but anyway, we reached Lijiang around noon?? hahaha... i think i was around that time... coz, by the time we reached Lijiang, it was time for lunch. Oh yeah before i forgot, continuation of toilet stories.... i realised that the more north we head up in Yunnan... the worse of the conditions of the toilets.... hmmm... not juz only there are no doors... but the constant horrible stench coming out from the toilets. hahaha.... in fact i was joking telling my parents that if we need to look for toilets... juz let our nose lead us the way... coz its really really too horrible. and the people here probably has a culture of not flushing the toilet after they have done their business... and they throw soiled papers into a basket not into the toilet bowl. hmmm... anyway its pretty disgusting... and the aunties before they enter the toilets, they will apply lots of 'axe oil' on their noses so as to cover up the horrible stench. hahaha... and btw... u must always be armed with tissue paper when u enter toilets in China. coz they do not provide toilet papers....

ok... enough of toilet stories.... so we met Xiao Deng at the place we departed ways yesterday. And today we'll be visiting the old towns and also do shopping. hahaha... we asked her what are the good things to eat and buy in Lijiang. Coz we need to 1 short do all our shopping as our hotel is pretty far away from shopping districts. So she brought us to the Old Town of Lijiang (丽江古城). This town has been classify as UNESCO World Heritage Site. And when u're there... you'll understand how come it has been classify as a UNESCO site. Its really very nice..... with running streams in the town... and people even use the water to wash, rinsing etc.

Along the way to the old town, we had to pass by a huge statue......hee hee... decided to take a picture of it.

Every Chinese 'idol'. not me lah... i'm talking about Mr Mao Ze Dong

The town has a history going back more than 800 years and was once a confluence for trade along the old tea horse road. The Lijiang old town is famous for its orderly system of waterways and bridges. The old town of Lijiang differs from other ancient Chinese cities in architecture, history and the culture of its traditional residents the Nahki (纳西). Naxi people have very interesting culture. The official Chinese government classification classes the Mosuo as part of the Nakhi people. However, despite similar origins and very striking resemblances from a linguistic point of view, the two groups are now culturally distinct, the Nakhi more influenced by Han Chinese culture, the Mosuo more influenced by Tibetan culture.

As the heads of the family, the women gave inheritance to the children either through the mother, or to her nephews through her brothers. This is called matrilinear decent, where one belongs to one's mother's lineage.
A matriline is a line of descent from a female ancestor to a descendant (of either sex) in which the individuals in all intervening generations are female. In Nakhi society, women also acted as the main work-force; thus they were respected at home and in the Nakhi society. Women have to go out to work, take care of families, cook etc. whilst the men juz laze around. U can say that the women are the breadwinners... and they lead very tough lives. The Naxi people are believers of Dongba reiligion.

Entrance of 丽江古城

The 2 huge water wheels u'll see @ Entrance of 丽江古城

Streets of 丽江古城

Old ladies in their traditional costume walking on the streets

Super huge waxed pig. U can sit on it u kno?? hahahaha........

Naxi old lady selling her wares on the streets

Anyway enough about the Naxi people, coz tomorrow we'll be learning more about Naxi culture and the people. So today we visited the ancient town. when u walk on the streets, its as if you in a different world. the streets are made up of cobbled stones and on both sides of the streets u'll see traditional wooden shop houses selling things. and when you're nearing the center of the ancient town, that's when u'll see streams of flowing water and horses there for people to take a ride. By the way, this old town was not juz visited by foreign tourists... to be frank when we were there.... i saw a lot of china people there!!! they are are other parts of China. Yeah so u can see... its a place that is visited not juz by foreigners by locals too!!

Typical sight of Lijiang old town. Flowing stream with weeping willows

At that time when we were there, we saw a lot of old ladies in their Naxi traditional costume. They were all sitting down talking. When i ask Xiao Deng what they were doing, she told me that they were there to do some practices... hmmm... maybe they have some performances coming up.

Naxi Ladies in their traditional costumes

lots of old folks taking a break

People riding horses in the city central area

after walking around the streets, Xiao Deng brought us to view the city from above. as we were climbing the steps to the top of the hill i came across several wooden cards that were hammered into walls or columns to sort of create awareness in people to protect the old town. as i was reading what was written on these wooden cards, i cannot stop laughing... take a look and u'll understand why.

Pretty funny isn't it??

anyway continuing on, we reached the top and got to look down at the city. Hey, this is the famous sight of Lijiang old town. take a look and you'll know what i mean. coz its the typical picture that u'll find in guide books or magazines introducing Yunnan.

A sea of grey roofs. this is the famous sight of Lijiang old town

Family photo with lijiang for background

Yeah so basically today was just to explore the old town. i took this photo at a venue near to the place we had dinner. coz after dinner we went to a local market, coz a few of us wanted to buy some chinese herbs, fruits. whilst we were there, i saw this kid crying... i think he wanted attention from his parents. hahaha... so when i asked him if i can take his picture... he tried to hide behind his mother's legs... and he stoppped crying. when i walked away, he climbed onto the scooter... and that's when i snapped a picture of him. hahaha.. don't he look cute??

Naxi kid on a scooter in a local's market

Tomorrow, we'll be watching a fantastic performance and visiting one of the most beautiful places in the world and taking a flight to Kunming. Till tomorrow then! =D