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Tiger Leaping Brawls, Following the Flags and Modern Day Cowboys

8/30/2011

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So I met an amazing crew on my way to the Gorge.  This place is truly amazing, a hike situating you into one of the mountains, and overlooking the river, which carved its way through the mountains.  There is actually a story about a Tiger Leaping over a Specific Stone, but the details of it I am not sure of.  An English woman in our group decided she did not want to pay 8 yuan to enter this area, though she wanted to take a picture in it.  She was annoyed at already having to drop 50 yuan to enter, I can understand.  Anyway, she ended up in a yelling fit with the Chinese woman, who spat at her.  This provoked the English woman to swing her water bottle at the Chinese woman, hitting her in the eye.  This action then caused the Chinese woman to pick up a stick and hit the English woman in the side with it, the escapade to be calmed down by a group of about 15 large dutch men.  I caught the tail end of the skirmish.

As the day progressed, we eventually made our way to a guest house to sleep.  The view was AMAZING and we were able to see the other mountain and the beautiful scenery.  Perhaps the reason the view was so cool was because we were IN IT.  We were in the other mountain, and had access to this incredible visual treat via the upstairs deck area, with no windows- just open air.  

I debated spending two nights, and ended up with just one, ending our hike around midday the next day.  Our group then split into two, those going back to Lijiang and those heading up to Shangri-La.  I joined the Shangri-La group and off we went!  Even higher into the mountains, and I ended up going with some Chinese friends to a Tibetan Guest House to spend the first night.  This was incredible because it was run by a Tibetan family as a side job.  We were essentially on a farm with yaks, cows, horses, etc. and living in a Tibetan style house.  It had three sides which each looked sort of like individual trailer parks, and the last side was open.  After taking numerous pictures with interesting looking Tibetans and causing quite the attention spark on the dance floor, Yuhan and I returned back to the guest house to find it locked...we called a friend to open it for me.

A Tibetan breakfast consisting of Tibetan Pancakes, Yak Butter Tea and some strange spice, which if enough is put into the Tea, turns it into a yogurt-like consistency.  I found the Yak Butter Tea salty and good, yet I could not drink too much at one time.  I love McDonalds butter, and I believe it must be made from Yaks! (not really, but it seems this tea is a liquid form of the butter!)  We spent the day observing some Tibetan temples and architecture...wildly different from the rest of China.  The temples had Buddhist Monks in them, and we were able to see these pillar-type things, adorned with the Tibetan Prayer Flags.  Apparently, when a monk leaves a temple he is supposed to leave these flags...I am trying to gather more information about this.  There was a tent composed of all of these flags that we saw as well!

The following day brought about an excursion out of the beautiful old town of Shangri-La and into the outskirts.  A friend and I found a small wine factory on the main road and tried some, strong!!  We later met some people and chatted for a while on our way into a smaller village.  After scattering the farm animals and a brief conversation we headed back to the hostel.

The next day I hopped on a bus to Dao Cheng!  This is heading West where there is a heavy Tibetan influence.  The Tibetans and the Han Chinese seem to not understand each other's language always, so you know I am struggling to speak a new language now!  Well, at the restaurant I ate at today I was actually understanding some of the conversation!!  The people are quite friendly here, almost always waving and saying "hello" or "Ni hao" (Hello in Mandarin)! 


I rented a bike and ventured out onto the Western Sichuan-Tibetan highway by bike, stopping at two small villages and a scenic lake.  It was truly incredible, and I was able to sit down with locals and chat, not understanding much, but still!  I learned that you are only supposed to walk around a Tibetan Temple clockwise for some reason, spinning these golden pillars that are outside the temple by their handles.  There are usually between 5 and 8 per side of the building.

The scenery is quite breathtaking.  Beautifully-adorned Tibetan houses are confronted by a river containing deep blue water and a plethora of rocks.  Following the houses up you get taken over by the insane green of the hills, topped by the blue sky and clouds.  Adding to the scenery are numerous Yaks and other creatures, along with the Tibetans, sporting their intricately designed clothing, which can range from full-out cowboy (including the boots!) or just brightly colored delights!  Many woman wear a pink scarf-type/bandanna apparatus around their forehead, and many have wind masks for the long bike rides along the highways.  The best way to describe this scenery would be an old-fashioned western movie, mixed with one of medieval times, and a seemingly "to-real-to-believe" backdrop.  Just three hours west and I will be in Litang..to take place either tomorrow or the following day!

Random notes: I tried chicken foot tonight - it looked way too much like what it was so I could not eat much.  I was also notified last night that there would be no hot water, actually no water at all today or tomorrow.  This has been and will continue to be interesting :)
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Final Days in Chengdu and into Lijiang!

8/24/2011

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So Leshan (the big Buddha) was enormous...the toenail was large enoug to have a picknick on!  We had to climb down a staircase to see it...worth it and very cool!  Actually it has a water drainage system built in.  I met some fantastic people in Chengdu and ended up there longer than I had imagined.  I went to see the giant pandas and these are arguably the cutest animals I have ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes on.  They roll around with each other, climb trees, hump random objects, sit back in pools and relax, and devour enormous stacks of bamboo. Perhaps I like them so much because they engage in almost the same activities that I do on a daily basis :)  

From Chengdu, a "20" hour bus-ride awaited me.  This was after being sold a ticket to Lugu Lake, which I returned because it was NOT going there, and I would have had to have transferred at 2am to the bus station in XiangXi and caught the bus there around 6am, riding in the hard seat of the train which essentially meant losing a full night's rest.  Not the most ideal of options and not worth it during a long trip.  So the bus ride actually took 25 hours due to long windy roads, but provided an incrediblly scenic view (don't worry pictures are plentiful - I have been lazy about sending them, I know I'm sorry).  I saw some beautfiul natural landscapes which appeared as the road meandered east and west and north and south up and down these mountains.  I had the pleasure of viewing waterfalls with water the normal color I am accustomed to seeing, along with Red water!  We also stopped several times due to muddy conditions on the road and other vehicles attempting to pass - these roads were quite narrow you know...Also the occasional sheep herder (yes they still exist) caused us minor delays...and were actually herding other animals too!  

So I finally arrived in Lijiang!  "Backpackers Heaven", although it hardly seems like it.  I had a walk around the old town the day I arrived.  Stunning would be the best word to describe it.  It is just as beautiful as the pictures show (the old town at least) and wandering through the streets gives you a dreamily relaxing feeling that no matter what happens in life, everything will work out just fine.  All seems well as you observe the swaying smooth sea plants lightly gripping onto the bottom of the small streams which line city streets and flow under anciently constructed bridges.  The red ornaments decorate the streets, as do the fabulous varieties of plants and vines hanging from all around the town.  The nightlife is flaring as well, as this seems to be a prime location for Chinese toursits.  Sort of random, but "Mishu" this dog's hostel is one of the finest, cudest and cuddliest canines I have yet to encounter in my lifetime.  If it were not for the Chinese police being so strict, and the staff, I might have attempted an under cover mission to string this fabulous mammal with me to my next stop!  On a random side note, I tried Yak meat - several different varieties - sweet, spicy, etc.  It is absolutely delicious!  

A friend and I rented a bike and took off this morning to vist some villages belonging to the Naxi Minority Ethnic group in China. The view on that bike ride once we got off the main road was unreal - something out of a movie might be the best attempt at using my knowledge of the English language in describing it.  With clouds hanging over the mountains and a bright blue sky, surrounded by crops and horses, cows and goats, this was just the natural and amazing sight that people had told me I would see in Southern China!  

The first village, Shuhe was was too touristy and we barely saw any Naxi people there.  It was when we got off the beaten path and into the country side where we encountered the second village, called Baixa.  This was a much more authentic experience, and the cultural component to Lijiang that both the gentleman who I was accompanied by and myself were hoping to have!  We had some authentic Naxi food there, experienced the culture, and managed to make our way into an elderly 80 something year old woman's humble abode.  Her name was Mei Liu and it will be impossible to forget her.  She gave us tea, sweets, peanuts (which I could not eat), and we saw like literally hundreds of travelrs who had signed her copious amounts of guestbooks, left souvenirs, and photos.  We also had the pleasure of meeting both her daughter and grandson! After giving a small monerary gift for her kindness, we headed back to our home base in the ancient town of Lijiang!  Next stop, Tiger Leaping Gorge!
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Off the Train and into the Fire!

8/14/2011

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"Chockkkkkkkkkkk", and then just a moment later, a drooling glob of spit released out of his mouth and onto the train floor, quickly mixed in with all of the rest of the saliva, dirt and filth found on this vehicle by his foot.  He slowly raised his head and made eye contact with me.  Once our eyes locked, I knew that this would be a long journey.  The look in his eyes, not easily identifiable.  No hostility, curiosity perhaps.  After countless train crew members trying to sell strange products which ranged all the way from toothpaste to amulet necklackes... I knew I had REALLY selected to have an authentic Chinese experience by choosing the hard seat...which certainly fit its name. 

Babies crying, noodles slurping, smoke in the air - I was not sure that I could last at first - a true test of endurance and patience to say the least.  Approaching the second evening, I decided to push past the mass amounts of people in aims of having a decent rest.  Four people in three seats, people strewn across the dirty and garbage-ridden floor attempting to get some shuteye, off I went to the sink...where I found a man laying there, blocking my path to personal hygiene!  On the brink of giving up, I finally pushed past the masses and met a gentleman who helped me to upgrade my ticket to have a bed on the train...and after a well-needed rest, I survived, only to be greeted by perhaps one of China's finest and spiciest cities of all, Chengdu - a city located in a Western province named Sichuan.

I walked around the city a bit and ate some noodles..then settled into a location!  The next day I was lucky enough to be brought to a very beautiful ancient town called Huang Long Xi - Translated into English it means Yellow Dragon Sea.  It had old buildings, beautifully carved stones in the shape of animals/reptiles such as turtles and fish, and had an enormous dragon emerging from a body of water in two spots.  Many children were playing in the water and squirting one another with it - rest assured I did NOT manage to stay dry :)  We were lucky enough to enter the older part of town, and I was shown (by my fabulous guide) where the old bank was, where the bartering house was located, and was able to see such places of worship as old temples sporting wildly decorated Buddhas.  We even saw two separate movies beeing filmed, WHOA!  Everyone here seemed happy, and that of course made me feel happy.  I like to experience the simplicity of life and I often find myself thinking that those who have less in this world appreciate more - a small town such as this certainly reaffirmed this belief.

Later that night I experienced the hotpot!  I had been hearing all about this, seeing as the Sichuan Province is known for its spicy flavor!  The whole city is hot and you'd better believe that food is included in this category!  At the hotpot, I was given a bowl of oil, fancied up with the garments of my choice - garlic, salt and herbs!  This was to remove some of the spiciness which is soaked up once you cook your food in this pot of boiling water, hot peppers and other unknown (to me) spices and things of this nature.  There is also a middle part which is not spicy - I did resort to using it at times, but for the most part stuck with the spicy flavor! (though we ordered the "medium spicy" dish...I didn't want to die right off the bat because I do not have the highest tolerance for spicy food).  The different vegetables, meats, noodles or whatever other worldy items you might want to consume are selected from a menu with hilarious and equally frightening English translations.  These are the things that you cook in the hotpot!

Tomorrow, I will most likely experience the World's biggest Buddha, but perhaps I will change my mind and visit a Panda or two...only the next 12 hours of this lifetime will decide...talking about decisions...I am getting better at making them, seeing as I have been forced to numerous times throughout this trip, and will continue to have to do so!

Random Side Note:  During my day trip to Suzhou, I was applying sunscreen on the side of the road, when out of nowhere a man on a motorcycle riding by stopped dead in his tracks.  He pulled over and made eye contact with me.  This eye contact continued for a solid 3 minutes or so, even after he refused my offer for applying sunblock for him.  My friend Zhou Lu said he had never experienced anything like this before.  Instead of feeling uncomfortable, I was happy to show another human being that aliens do actually exist, and even visit their planet from time to time!  N
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Shattered Stereotypes and the Rocky Road Ahead

8/8/2011

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The power or travel is actually incredible.  One person can make or break another's idea of a people and/or an entire country, and this phenomenon actually happens quite frequently.  One of the most exciting reasons I enjoy travel, is obliterating stereotypes people hold.  For many poor and unsuspecting souls, I REPRESENT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.  I am the living, breathing, sniffing, gargling, mumbling image of what they have seen in such movies as American Pie, and thus, their tangible source of information and target for many questions.  A very special gentleman I met during my travels thus far was one of my first victims on this trip.  Claiming he had never met an American before, he of course had many questions, and was very surprised by the stark contrast between my personality and actions, and those he had previously associated with American Citizens.  "I thought Americans were very quiet and did not like to talk much" he said.  Well, clearly he picked the wrong person to meet.  By no means do I claim to be an ordinary human being, but I don't believe that most Americans are not talkative either - to each their own really.  Actually, if anything I have heard such stereotypes as we are quite uninformed about world events and those pertaining to our own country, we have a severe case of ignorance, and we are the utmost of lacking in manners.  Regardless, I enjoy showing others that you CANNOT put all people from a certain religion, race, or region into a box, although the desire to create this box is human nature; this box will be trampled and destroyed when you are exposed to real life.

On a completely separate issue, I will be heading to Chengdu (in the Sichuan province) this Wednesday to pet Pandas, visit the World's largest Buddha, and perhaps climb more mountains.  The journey will be the longest of my entire life thus far, and will surely hold some interesting experiences.  Just under 39 hours on a train with only a hard seat should prove to be a true test of endurance, hopefully including sleep!  The roads beyond this get narrow and windy, as tourists need a permit to enter Tibet and also need to lay down an exorbitant amount of Benjamin Franklins - not happening.  Instead I plan to travel in the Western Sichuan region to get an equally, if not more authentic experience of Tibetan Buddhism.  The details on this will follow once I establish a home base in Chengdu.  I can't bore you with too much to read at once can I?  Well, I sort of did that with my last post...sorry about that :)

Random Observations:  The Chinese do not wait to let the people off of the subway before getting on.  They find it more useful to mindlessly plow through the masses...why I am still trying to figure this out.
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Through the Clouds and Into the Heavens

8/5/2011

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