Early morning view of the mountains
from the hotel complex
Rocky and Frances mounted and ready
to ride
After breakfast in our villa, we headed off in a minibus for the day. Our first stop was a small village beside a lake where we were all assigned small ponies and headed off into the hills.
Communication was not great, so we had no idea where were were going, or for how long.
The small horses are the traditional form of transport from here to Mongolia, and there are renowned for their strength and sure-footedness rather than speed. This was useful as I have not really lost any weight (too much food to taste) and the narrow paths were steep and rocky. Fortunately the saddles were relatively comfortable (Frances received some bruising) and the ride was fun.
Buying local produce along
the trail
Frances and Charlotte at
the waterfall. It was cold!
We stopped at a couple of points to buy food from local vendors along the path and visit a shrine near a small waterfall and pond. All very picturesque. Although a little touristy, at least this type of tour provides locals with some economic benefits.
Following the ride we embarked in small metal boats which the boatman poled (not rowed) along the lake. It was very peaceful, with only the sound of birds, ducks, water lapping… and Chinese tourists yelling loudly to each other from boat to boat.
I may not have mentioned that the Chinese people here are quite loud, but they have no reticence about talking to each other loudly anywhere, and especially from one end of a bus to the other, across the street, and so on.
One of the many painted
posts beside the lake
Poleing out on the lake
On the 3 hour bus ride from Hangzhou to Yongkang later in the week, we had the dubious pleasure of hearing the audio from an action film broadcast on mini TV screens simultaneously with music through the PA, and people talking loudly on their mobile phones all the way. I was really glad when we finally arrived.
Back to the lake, and one of the interesting features was that along the bank were a series of flat wooden posts that had really intriguing images hand-painted on them. I saw them again later being used in a performance but don’t really know the significance.
Lunch stop
Pickled grass bulbs
So, after a short toilet break, and opportunity to buy some roasted corn or sweet potato, it was back on the bus for a short drive to our lunch destination.
The restaurant was a bit different to what we had become accustomed to. Instead of a round table with a lazy-susan it was a low timber table with even lower seats – felt like a kindergarten setting. The food was similar to what I was used to, but there were some interesting variations, particularly a dish of pickled grass bulbs.
Naxi relief mural. Our guide and bus far right.
After a fairly hasty lunch, it was another hour or so drive to Leaping Tiger Gorge, a contender for the world’s deepest river canyon.
On the road to Shangri La, with the
dry brown colours of autumn
The bus steadily climbed up the winding mountain roads until we arrived at a huge carpark on the side of a mountain which featured a massive Naxi relief mural .
Warning to the old and elder tourists
As we wound along the twisting mountain roads, there was some pretty impressive scenery, but the valley view when we arrived was amazing.
The sides were very steep, a mixture of bare rock and vegetation.
The pictures don’t really capture the scale of the valley nor the roar of the water, but video below gives an impression.
There were numerous warning signs about making the descent down to the river below, and you could hire locals to carry you down and back up in a wooden chair.
Dujinimi Hotel in Shangri La
From there it was on to Xianggelila (Shangri La) where we would stay the night.
Xianggelila is one of the claimants to be the inspiration for the fictional place described in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by British author James Hilton.
We arrived at twilight in a small city, on a plain between the mountains and were glad to warm up, eat and get to bed.
