hiking – Page 4 – HurricaneMaine

Erhai lake in Dali, Yunnan

Early morning run

It was due to rain all day but as it did not rain at night I was hopeful to get a run in. It started raining when I wanted to begin but tapered off enough to run 7k. I came close to the lake we were visiting today.

We had breakfast and then rented a car to take us to the lake and be at our disposal. For 300 rmb ($42.50), we could go anywhere and he would pick us up for 8 hours. That is for four of us. He drove us to the other side of the lake which is 72 miles (116 km) around it. The west side had many flower and vegetable farms but the east side is where there are villages and better photos.

Shangluang ancient town

We had coffee and cheesecake at a little cafe.

Denied Nanzhou Island tour to foreigners

Bai families live here on this island. We went to buy tickets but they would not sell to foreigners claiming that it wasn’t open fully. I used my translator to inform them that I would be sure to tell tour groups that they were not welcome here in Dali. He looked surprised and I was pretty upset about the interchange as so many others were glad to see us due to lack of tourist money.

Instead we started walking a section around the lake to see other villages. Along the way we were met by police who were obviously looking for the foreigners on the road. They asked us many questions and wanted to see the health code that is standard for moving between places. We cobbled together enough Chinese to answer their questions.

Little Putuo Island 小普陀岛 Xiao Putuo Dao

We called the driver to come get us and we drove to the next island we could visit. Here they sold us tickets as it is manned by locals. On this smallest island in the lake, there is Little Putuo Temple, which was built in the 15^th century, and originally devoted to Bodhisattva Kwanyin (the female Chinese Bodhisattva of compassion, Guanyin).

They use a rope to pull the boat to the other shore.

We drove to another island we could visit that is a fishing village. We decided not to go on it and instead walked along the road to try to take a photo of Dali old town from across the lake.

Dali old town is just across the water and slightly hidden from view of the island.

We had the driver pick us up and take us to Dali city. There we were dropped off on the lake front and what looked like a Thai restaurant was there. It wasn’t Thai. We were not sure what cuisine it was but it was more Thai than anything. The food was delicious.

Sticky rice, peanuts, whole fish, some other meat, pickled fish, and lots of vegetables.

The view right before sundown was gorgeous as well.

A very tiring day but beautiful and… Without rain!

Dragonback, second day

It was a wonderful night of sleep in the village. Quiet and peaceful. Of course we were up late with rice wine and games but it was still a good sleep. Lots of roosters around so most people were not as happy that they were getting up a little earlier. We had time to relax before breakfast.

The Yau minority women stop cutting their hair at the age of 18. If sections do need cut they keep the lengths to make a larger hairpiece as a bun at the top of their head. The shine and health of the hair is amazing. They use the water that they soak the rice in as a rinse.

After breakfast we started our trek back through the terraces, this time going in another direction to see another village and the terraces from a different perspective. We walked through jungle on clay and rock paths winding up mountains and back down the other side. My hiking pole purchase was a great idea. The hike also took us through the terraces where we walked on the paths that Villagers use.

This different dog kept us company the whole hike. He seemed to know the way.

The irrigation and care of the terraces is amazing. There are a lot of rushing streams and waterfalls throughout.

We would still stumble upon random crypts of Villagers who are buried in the terraces.

At the Dazai village we wandered around.

If you enlarge the picture this man is carrying a huge snake!

At the top of the viewing platform. More stairs up and then more stairs back down!

On the way down we stopped to have tea with a friendly villager. I bought two kinds of dried mushroom and also a tea I’ve never had before. This is made from the inside of a mature fruit and it makes a naturally sweet tea. It is called Luo Han Guo.

Another hike and we were at Danzai village where we ate lunch then walked to the parking lot at the base of the cable cars (there is an easier way to see the terraces!)

After a two hour plus bus ride and then a similar length high speed train ride we were home. It only rained once we were on the bus. It was perfect weather considering we are in South East Asia and it is the wet season. At the train station we took over a row of massage chairs!

On a last note, we had to register our names, passport, copy of negative covid-19 test, date arrived back in China, quarantine dates, etc. The police had our itinerary and followed up at every stop requesting those people collect and submit our information again. By the end of the trip we were pretty tired of the scrutiny and the fact that many people have our personal information. Good thing a consulate person was with us as this will be addressed at a higher level. On the train we were asked to show our passport arrival stamp when we came back to China. Myself and a few others refused. Traveling as foreigners is still contentious.

Dragonback rice terraces in Guanxi

After an early morning run and a full breakfast we made it way to the train station to meet everyone that on the tour.

We took a 2 hour bus ride to Longji terrace. This guy hooked a ride on the bus the whole way.

We hiked to the restaurant in PingAn village. They make their own rice wine here.

Longji Rice Terraces, which means Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces, was given its name because the rice terraces resemble a dragon’s scales and the mountain range looks like the backbone of a dragon. It is noted as one of the most beautiful rice terraces in the world and has taken 600 years to build.

We visited the “Seven Stars Accompany the Moon”, which is made of seven small piles of rocks left on purpose by people when they dig up the terraces and a
moon-shaped terrace in the middle.

We also went to another platform
called “Nine Dragons and Five Tigers”. The nine ridges
spread from the main vein of Dragon’s Backbone, which look
like nine dragons bending over to drink water from the Jinsha river.

We then hiked to Zhongliu village. We had to go up and over larger hills and walked around the rice Terraces. Throughout the jungle were other rice Terraces and crypts or vaults built into the terraces were found for those who died.

There are many ethnic groups dwelling in that area and they
account for more than one third of local total population. Our night was a homestay with a family from the local Yao minority. Their one street dog followed us the whole way. I learned to speak Chinese to ask if I could give him the leftover pork. There Chinese lessons are paying off.

Mt. Danxia

I took a trip with Pacha Mama over the weekend. They always find great hiking trips. This trip was to a geopark in the province that is made of red sandstone. With erosion over the centuries, it has created a variety of landforms.

Mount Danxia is about 1 hour high speed train to Shaoguan and another hour or so drive from Guangzhou. That drive takes you to a very different place in China. It is one of the two UNESCO heritage sites in Guangdong province. The draw of this place for the Chinese is the two rock formations that resemble male and female anatomy.

Mount Danxia was beautiful with s variety of trails all with amazing views. There were narrow paths along steep cliffs.

After traveling there and eating a yummy lunch we took a boat ride through the park.

The hike was pretty spectacular with steep, wet stairs. This was to be a sunset hike but impending rain changed our plans.

This is the rocks we need to climb. A series of steep stairs wind around and up this. Our destination is the pagoda at the top.

This rock resembles a male organ. Yangyuanshi is known as the male stone.

Morgana and I. The whole thing is pretty ridiculous, right?

If you look closely you can see the pathway we had to climb.

After making our way up the stairs along the cliff, we were now at the top.

The next morning were supposed to have a sunrise hike but they had closed the opening of the park until 8 due to rain. It didn’t rain though.

I found this guy at the entrance to the cable cars which we used to get to the top and then go down the other side. We were originally to climb the mountain but lost time when that hike was cancelled.

Grotto temple built during the Ming Dynasty. It was abandoned when China became PRC.

A few more stairs again to the pavilion at the top.

Then we had to go back down the stairs that were very narrow and steep.

Biechuan Temple

Walking back towards the entrance.

Xianglonghu lake means flying dragon. It refers to the shadows of the lake when flying overhead as it resembles a dragon. Here we saw children feeding the fish.

The female rock is called Yinyuanshi.

We stayed at a quaint little hotel in the base of the park. Our was a great weekend with people from all over the world.