Category Archives: diary

First, we visited the Songzanlin Monastery, which climbs 143 steps and consists of three adjacent main temples and several other buildings. Inside, it’s important not to point, wear sunglasses or hats, and, of course, no photos. However, there is a … Continue reading →

We reached the lake, called “bottomless lake”, on a long and winding road. https://maps.app.goo.gl/mUjN8P3vCt5zzDaLA (maps hardly find it) We took a slow lap for acclimatization and altitude adaptation. Everyone was feeling the altitude, some experiencing symptoms like dizziness or headaches, … Continue reading →

Wikipedia (shortened):“The Dêqên Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is located in the northwest of Yunnan and belongs to the Tibetan cultural region of Kham. Dukezong is the historical center of Shangri-La. 2014, a fire destroyed 242 of the 1084 predominantly wooden houses … Continue reading →

Lijiang is even more touristy than any other cities with old town we’ve visited until then. The old town is a maze of mostly narrow or very narrow streets with endless rows of shops selling beautifully presented fruit, colorful pastries … Continue reading →

Michi and I headed to the lake early. A crowd was already waiting for the sunrise (spoiler alert: only clouds, no sun), and a group of professional photographers were out and about. Some wanted to take beautiful morning photos of … Continue reading →

The group split 8-2, as Efan, Mari, and all our luggage went to thank the lady who had helped her organize our extra adventures. Meanwhile, we others walked through the old town one last time to meet up with them … Continue reading →

We had breakfast with dumplings filled with various ingredients (I loved shiitake mushrooms and red beans filling) and arrived at the wetlands. They resemble a lake but are mostly covered with aquatic plants ranging from floating grass to lotus. I … Continue reading →

That night was my first restful night’s sleep on the trip! The weather didn’t start as planned (the forecast for the next day was even worse, though), and I thought it would be a good opportunity to lament the loss … Continue reading →

I couldn’t avoid flying, and I’m still not sure I can justify it with this incredible travel experience, because everyone who flies and is aware of the problems has excuses to that effect. Now I have some, too.Efan knows I’m … Continue reading →

Sometimes I wish I could sleep better, but I hope my body takes what it needs, because I don’t try to sleep short and badly and wake up early. This morning, I used some of the “gained” time for a … Continue reading →