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Lijiang and Tiger Leaping Gorge.
Another short flight (thank goodness) and I'm drinking yunnan coffee,smoking a cigarette, looking out of the first floor window of the Prague cafe in the old town of Lijiang, the sun is shining and the tree lined streets are busy with people and the sound of a nearby singer.....well I was when we ( Catherine has not started smoking yet) started this...but we have had so little free time.
The last two weeks have been quite physical, ending last night as we returned from a two day hike up Leaping Tiger Gorge, 26kms and about 1600m total up and down. We are still discussing which was hardest, the up or the down, but feel as though we achieved something....and survived. There is no H&S as you can see from the pictures and the goat track in some places was only wide enough for one person ...or one donkey. Apparently I'm too heavy for the donkey!! Or maybe that was Leon's way of getting me to walk.....
And a real shocker for all those who know my reluctance to use a push bike, Catherine persuaded me to join her on a cycle tour. Whilst my posterior is still paying the price...I would not have missed it for the world, a good laugh with the group and great sights the best of which was watching and for some a chance to participate in silk embroidery. The picture which can take six months to produce looked as good as a photo if not better....unfortunately the price tag reflected the work involved or it would be in my bag.
Everywhere, even in the country, building work on a grand scale is being carried out. I imagine that in a few years the landscape will have changed to be unrecognisable. They are in the process of a massive change both in structure, facilities and culture. It's amazing to see literally thousands of miles of agricultural land split into allotment size patches and cultivated almost entirely by hand. All the food we have eaten is so fresh. I still don't recognise half of it....but that is not a problem and in some cases may be the best option. The guides do most of the ordering and try to explain the contents.
Everything is up for barter, including transport, which is difficult for us and there are rules but everyone (the locals) ignore them..it's more like guidelines, very loose ones at that.....you only have to look at the traffic system, but it feels very relaxed and apart from Beijing not a policeman in sight anywhere. You only have to find a no fishing sign to see a line of fishermen along the banks....
Looking back now it's strange to think we have been two months with no TV, no cutlery, just chopsticks and squat to go to the toilet....as if you needed to know that. The constant movement ( no pun intended) is hard work but we are both feeling a bit thinner....no scales to confirm so it may be wishful thinking...and fitter. And we do tend to get to bed earlier...maybe something to do with getting up when the cockerel (literally). This can be a bit arbitrary, and the one that started at 5am is, by common consensus, destined for the pot. At least the monks drum and bells to call them to prayer was a regular 5.45.
Every day is a new experience, new sights, sounds, tastes and smells and at this stage there is the danger of overload and a few days rest would not be amiss. Also we need to do some clothes washing.....
There is a potential issue of the typhoon just hitting Vietnam and Hong Kong and the aftermath but we'll just have to rely on the local guides to decide what needs to be done. Next stop Dali....
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