Planalto Cycles

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 donation box with a QR code for WeChat Pay…

“Built in 1679, the monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan. It was extensively damaged in the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) and subsequently rebuilt in 1983; at its peak, the monastery contained accommodation for 2,000 monks, it currently accommodates in its rebuilt structures 700 monks in 200 associated houses.” (Wikipedia, also with photos from inside)

You can see monks praying, some with tablets, some by heart, truly religious people mixed with tourists imitating prayer postures, a man restoring paintings, the rooms full of symbols, and a lot of money lying around, but seemingly draped in a symmetrical arrangement

We went on, had an early lunch, and took two more breaks at viewpoints like the Dragon Bridge. Finally, we reached a beautiful spot overlooking Meili Snow Mountain, again without pointing fingers at it, as it’s sacred. In fact, we saw only the highest part of the peak peeking out of the clouds.

We had dinner there, although many weren’t hungry at first, but the food was simply too good to resist.

On the way to the hotel, some bought a miracle cure for the symptoms of altitude sickness, and then we saw that there was a power outage in the street in front of the hotel. Checking in and finding a room were a bit awkward, but once that was over, the power came back on.

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, but we had enough time to stay sane.

After a picnic, we drove back in what was then three cars.

Car 1 was called “the quiet car,” and it was where people mostly slept. I was the neutral car; some slept, some talked, some laughed. Car 3 was the disco/dance car. The driver was funny and wanted to entertain his passenger with “T-Pop.” Ludo contributed his part with Italian songs, and then they decided to have a spontaneous stop to take part in a ten-minute dance lesson led by the driver in a wide meadow.

We only made a quick stop at the hotel to freshen up, as the thought of a visit to the massage parlor was so strong that it pushed another dinner together out of the question.

When we arrived as a mixed group of five foreigners and three Chinese, the owner called in masseurs from his other two studios to treat us all.

The others started with a fully clothed neck/shoulder treatment while we sat in a room designed for about 20 clients, and I got a back massage with oil, in a private room. Now I’m more familiar with my tensions than ever before, even those hidden somewhere on the side of my back and until now undiscovered.
I hoped the treatment was only booked for 30 minutes, because after a while, my muscles told me it was more comfortable to live with a few tensions than to be so thoroughly kneaded.

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 in Shangri-La’s old town. No one was injured.”

Fiona and her husband collect trash in the mountains this way. We did the same on this hike. Later, at higher altitudes, it was important to maintain balanced breathing. Even bending down and standing up again left me out of breath for a while.

We split into an active hiking group with Fiona (Michi, Ludo, and me) and a relaxed group (the others). The active group set off at 7 a.m. for Tiger Leap Gorge, which meant a 90-minute drive to the start of the 11-km trail. I don’t think I’ve ever hiked so long at an elevation of 3,300 meters, but it was okay. We had great weather, great views, and a secluded start, but it gradually became more crowded.

We met up with the relaxed group at the end of our hike and together set off for Shangri-La. The landscape changed, and so did the houses, many with large glass extensions designed for large family gatherings.

The evening brought another dinner highlight, and later, Efan helped me buy a fleece jacket and Fiona had brought her husband’s weatherproof jacket, and with these two items of clothing, I was well prepared for the following days of quite low temperatures!

Many group members took beautiful photos and uploaded them to a Google album. I’ve used some of them on the blog if they show something I didn’t photograph. In other cases, I simply envy their skills and share the link upon request.

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 and other treats, clothing (including traditional clothing for rent, of course), and items you should call souvenirs.

Towards evening, it took minutes to move 10 meters in the crowded alleys.

Not only did the shopkeepers speak much better English than elsewhere, but we also saw enough Westerners to explain why. Michi found a new part-time job at a fruit tea shop, where he took over advertising with sample sales.

For dinner, there was new food again, but at least combined with some familiar dishes. We went downtown, and the shops were now bars, and no bar without a band or dancing girls. All I’m saying is, their dance style and moves had little to do with ancient Chinese culture, at least not with the official culture…

Some bars were busy, while in other bars, you could only see the bands playing for themselves.

Suddenly, someone called out, “Leo, Leo!”, which didn’t surprise Leo at first, as it reminded Leo of various Chinese words with similar sound, but Fiona had found him.

We celebrated the expansion of our group at a bar, and there it was decided that we should start a band because 10 years earlier, Leo had played drums, Mari had sung in a band in high school, and since I’m still in high school, I should become the guitarist. Without rehearsing, we played “Yellow” (Coldplay) and later “Lemon Tree” with Danny.

It was a wonderful experience!

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 nature, and one of them sat down with us to chat with Michi about his expertise. He had a Hasselblad, but he was also friendly with people from the lower category 😊

The other photographers were looking for people who needed beautiful portraits. They had bouquets of flowers and tablets connected to their camera equipment to show their results. They had different styles of arranging their victims on a rock in front of the water, with trees in the water and the failed sunrise, and gave them instructions on how to look this way or that, and how to hold their hands.

Later, our whole group visited various shops to find costumes for photo shoots. Compared to before, the area in front of the lake was ten times more crowded; many were already in costume and almost in an 1:1 ratio mixed with photographers offering their services.

Our costumes, combined with our European appearance of some, led to even more photo sessions than usual, as some other tourists and photographers wanted to integrate us.

We took a lunch break on the grass in our costumes. Tony had rented a bike and was our private delivery service, as it took him three rounds to deliver all the gear for ten people.

As we changed back into our everyday clothes, we felt a certain loss of borrowed dignity—”Clothes make the man!”

We were running late to visit a temple complex that stretched uphill. Every time you thought you’d reached the highest building, you’d find something beyond it, even higher.

Eventually, we gave up, partly due to time constraints, and I should mention that we were distracted by two cute foxes playing a game of tag and some squirrels.

As always, dinner was to be the final highlight of the day. This time, it was a mushroom-focussed hot pot, and we had no leftovers, not only because everything was delicious, but also because we were already well advanced in solving the supply-demand problem – the eyes are often bigger than the stomach.

Eating or even touching the mushroom stew was not permitted until the alarm was raised. Video surveillance was in place to ensure this. Some of the mushrooms are extremely poisonous, and the restaurant is responsible for the health of its guests and doesn’t want to take any risks.

On the way back from the touristy old town, the rain slowly but steadily got heavier, and most of us were unprepared for it. Eventually, it wasn’t so much fun anymore, but to cut a long story short, everyone got home and was able to warm up again.

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 at the other gate. Along the way, there was a market that looked like it wasn’t just geared towards tourists, and we had breakfast there.

It was a shame we’d only explored the upper part at first, and when we had to head back to the meeting point, we saw that the lower part was even more diverse. Finally, we set off, at least for a few minutes, as one of the drivers took us to his parents’ jewellery store. The problem wasn’t that the items weren’t beautiful and worth the price, but nobody wanted to spend €500 or more at that moment.

So, we continued, again for a few minutes, again for jewellery. I thought this would go on until we finally buy something, but I don’t know for sure, because Danny actually bought a ring at a reasonable price.

And then we really started a four-hour drive with a lunch break, again with unknown food on a round, rotating table. Interesting detail for Europeans:
It’s customary to eat together and help yourself from all the common plates, but you’re supposed to have a separate plate for bones (the main course was a bony chicken).

The hotel was again a nice place, but apparently, I have to accept the trend toward acoustic and visual transparency in bathrooms. I don’t remember if that was the case in 2019, because as a solo traveler, it didn’t matter to me. But this time I’m paying attention, because it’s important to me. There are situations in which I do not want to be exposed like a fish in an aquarium, and I wonder when this nice Roman habit of finding relief in groups was lost on the way to my acculturation.

The hotel is near Er Hai Lake, but 4 km from Dali’s old town. So, we went there to explore the very touristy area and have dinner. It was a barbecue place where you could choose what to fry from a display case. Unfortunately, the guy was too quick and seasoned my tofu, but Tony showed me how to make it edible by soaking it in a cup of hot water. Now it was a bit too bland, but still better for my digestion. We had such a good selection that everything was eaten, especially the mushrooms, which were a huge success. One variety is called “See You Tomorrow,” and I wonder why they are eaten if this has so little effect on them.

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 just quote:
“Beihai Wetland (also called North Sea Marsh) is a national wetland reserve, located 10 kilometers to the north of Tengchong County, Yunnan Province. It is listed on “China National Wetland Conservation List” in 1994 and is one of the 33 key conservation wetlands of China.
Surrounded by beautiful mountains, Beihai wetland is a marsh wetland filled with many rare plants. The reserve features a “floating blanket style” marsh. Numerous lush water plants are interwoven and are continuously thriving. Day after day, year after year, old plants decompose and new plants sprout, finally becoming 1-2-meter thick meadows, like small grass islands floating above the water.”

Many of us, as with the hike through the gorge the day before, again noticed that the accessible parts of the protected areas are well organized and well-maintained.

Before returning to the cars, we treated ourselves to some fruit and juices. For the non-Chinese, as another surprise there were “polished” coconuts.

Our drivers (who were expressing requests for the first time) wanted lunch, and some joined them. Others, still full from those fruit, just wanted to buy small snacks and went into a supermarket. We almost couldn’t find the entrance, but behind it was a huge store that offered everything. I preferred to smash a glass with my backpack as further evidence of clumsiness or bad luck. When I tried to pay, Alipay, after a successful start in the first few days, didn’t work for the third time in a row. But I was able to get rid of some small change, as the cashier helped me find the right amount.

On the way back, I wanted to buy a large cake for the whole group and tried to explain to the saleswoman that I absolutely wanted the whole piece, but it didn’t help, so I gave up and ended up getting at least half of the cake (delicious, as we discovered late at night at the hotel). Before we could continue, we were caught in a tropical rainstorm, too heavy to walk even 10 meters to the car.

Then it was off to the pottery workshop.

First, we learned that clay is mixed with volcanic ash. As a result, the fired pottery never looks the same and has an unpredictable mix of colors. The 20th-generation master showed us what a master can do with a lump of clay in just a few minutes, forming a perfect vase. There was no sign of effort or useless hand movements. Then the group tried the same…

However, after a while and some clay succumbed to centrifugal force or being too wet or whatever else can happen you could see how talented some were!

On the way home, we enjoyed the hot springs, a beautiful place with small pools of varying temperatures (37–40°C, which makes more of a difference than I thought!).

Back home, we had some time to sit together, less tired this time. Michi and Tony went out for a late dinner, Leo hosted another tea ceremony, Efan made calls and other things to organize everything, Danny sliced ​​some mangoes for us, and as reasonable grown-ups we went to bed around 11 p.m.

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 of my jacket. But I was able to grab an umbrella from the hotel, which I didn’t need it, as we were given raincoats later. After the light morning rain, we ended up with perfect hiking weather and only encountered a heavy rain shower in the final minutes before reaching the car.

But first, we had breakfast at a restaurant where you had to wait in line because it’s so popular. We were able to confirm that it was justified. Perhaps I should mention, for those who only know beef and chicken soups besides vegetable soups, that this one was made with pork. Tony had just overheard me talking to Reini about skipping the meat topping and immediately told the man making the soup to give me one without meat.

The ten of us had the same drivers as yesterday, and it was a long and winding road. The scenery was beautiful from the start, so I wondered if we were driving so far “just” to hike. Later, I knew!

We met two men and a woman who were accompanying us. We grabbed the those rain jackets, bamboo walking poles, water, and a lunch box, and set off. It only took a few minutes before we were in a forest near a stream or small river, and the landscape transformed into a gorge.

What can I say?

We had only walked 5 km, but with all the necessary photoshoots, it took a few hours until we reached a rest area where we emptied our lunch boxes. We descended, and to our surprise, it was another gorge, and I had forgotten to count all those beautiful waterfalls.

Then the aforementioned rain caught up with us, but before we got really wet, we got into the cars and were driven to a place where we were greeted with skewers of meat.

They were roasted over an open fire, and before you’d even finished the first one, you’d be given another, and it was hard to resist, firstly because of the taste and secondly because of the friendly insistence. When we thought we were finished, we were led to the actual dining table to receive the actual dinner.

For the sake of simplicity, I’ll call part of it a hot pot version (with charcoal heating), surrounded by vegetables and a new specialty: steamed egg, an egg scrambled with twice the amount of water in a special bowl (similar to a Bundt pan).
We still had some time to enjoy a warm spring bath (up to our knees) before heading home, stopping at a combination supermarket, billiards hall, and other entertainment venues. Four guys spontaneously decided to stay a while longer (with a driver), while the rest went home, some straight to their rooms after this full day.
Michi was the last man standing, conducting botanical research with drawings, razor blades and magnifying glasses.

The hotel lay in silence…

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 against flying and told me we’d have a flight.
First of all, I made it clear that if I participated, I’d accept the full package, because organizing a trip like this not just for one person but for a large group is hard work anyway, and if there are too many extras to consider, it’s no longer fun.

Yesterday I tried to figure out why a flight would be necessary when, for example, Michi could go from Beijing to Kunming in just 12 hours by train, and we were only traveling in Yunnan Province (okay, the size of Germany + the Netherlands). And then I only found a bus, and it would take more than 10 hours to get to Tengchong.
That meant losing a whole day out of these two weeks.
Now you may ask:
If it’s so difficult to get there without flying, would that mean not going there or saying that flying is unavoidable?

Just yesterday, I read something that would provide a clear answer for some (at least Europeans!), but one that may still be difficult to grasp:
The AMOC flow that balances the climate in Europe and Central America is, as we know, threatening to collapse.  What’s new is that there’s strong evidence that CO2 emissions over the next two decades will determine a tipping point, but the collapse won’t begin until much later. No adult alive today will be alive then.
Climate change will worsen gradually, partly accelerated by various tipping points, but the impending AMOC collapse would mean a much faster and more dramatic reversal in parts of the world.
For me, the answer is:
After this trip, there can be no more flights for me.
And the things I lost on day 14 and day 16, which made me decide not to travel, only reinforce that decision.

Everything, including the transfer to our accommodation, was perfectly organized by you know who, and we had an entire area, not just our rooms—a courtyard, a living room, a large kitchen, etc.

We had to pay at the entrance checkpoint, and for the first time in my life, I received a senior citizen discount. (And I must enjoy the privilege of being the oldest in our group, which means I always sit in the front seat in the car. So, I have to crane my old, worn-out neck, and my old, less-able ears only catch a fraction of what the young people in the back are talking about.)

But first, we took a walk through the old town, which is a mix of well-preserved or renovated, most likely authentic, buildings and replicas built for commercial tourism purposes.

After a few photoshoots, we stopped at a nice snack bar and once again discovered new flavors and variations of what you can make even with (now to us) familiar ingredients. Of course, it was a bit too much, but being full didn’t mean it hurt, and on the way home, I already felt normal again.

We sat together for a while, Tony made green tea, and Efan was busy adjusting the schedule according to the weather forecast and booking more tour elements. Danny, her friend from her Hong Kong days, whom I met in Sydney in 2019 and who had joined the group today, helped her with this.

Then I thought it would be a good time to give Efan and Leo the churchula. I wanted them to guess what it could be, but the riddle turned into a nasty surprise because it was moldy.

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 very cautious run. I had noticed earlier that a few stairs might leave me out of breath, but I thought it was because I became unfit, spent too much time on trains, and am 60. But then I also learned that we’re at an altitude of about 2000 meters.
Anyway reasonable to be careful.

There were several runners out in the calm, fresh morning air. As I ran, again I got a sense of the size of the campus.
I found my rhythm and pace, but when I stopped because of a bird sitting motionless on the road, I was briefly out of breath again. Later, I thought that skiing in the Austrian mountains is also a matter of similar altitudes, and I’ve never heard of anyone having problems with that. And in Armenia and Iran, I cycled at similar altitudes, only to experience the expected exhaustion. Whatever it is now, I’ll try to respect it when we go hiking at 3000-4000m!

Tony and I went to the canteen, and the choice was a little easier since some shops were still closed. He helped me get a delicious soup, but this time I was sure I hadn’t simply overlooked the milliseconds needed to pay—there weren’t any. Tony explained that they’d already seen me on Friday, and it was some kind of freebie. (Unfortunately, we didn’t come back there on this trip).

He took several dumplings and ordered soy milk for both of us. I’m not sure if describing this now will avoid the topic of plastic bags later, otherwise there will be repetition:
So everything goes into individual plastic bags, and those plastic bags go into a larger plastic bag so you can take them to a table five meters away.
Tony is a very nice and attentive guy, and he saw that I’d told the clerk that I could have the drink without a bag and straw, and we chatted a bit about it. Then he brought the large bag, which was still as good as new after the 5-meter journey, back to the seller.

In the afternoon, Ludo, Leo’s brother, the Austrians Kathi, Reini, and Michi, as well as Mari from Finland, arrived.

First, we experienced a very interesting tea ceremony with many explanations translated by Efan. We dressed up and learned about the history, culture, and variations of the tea ceremony, but then the difficult part began:

Basically, it involves stirring ground tea leaves with water and then creating a white foam that you can write on.

Some in the group were not only skilled at stirring, but also creatively used foam writing, as if they had always done it.
Just FYI:
I was in the other subgroup, which consisted of only one person. 😉
Efan put it like this: there is the greatest growth potential…

For dinner, we went to a beautiful place and met Efan’s mother, her aunt, another cousin, and his girlfriend. We had a nice introduction, and Efan’s mother remembered a lot about each of us.

There was a wide selection of delicious food, from delicious tofu and a sturgeon (the highlight) to insects.

Along with a delicious lemonade, we also had a creamy walnut and peanut drink, and just one glass of it was as nutritious as a full dinner.
Everyone seemed to regret not being able to take more and having some leftovers.

As befits a professional tour, Efan had also organized transportation for the entire group from the dormitory to the places visited and back.
I don’t think anything can compare to this tour.

Efan did not only connect us to a circle of friends, but was also eager to show us things we might not otherwise see. She, Tony, and Zhouzhou easily handled things that are challenging for people who don’t speak Chinese (not to mention reading!). Furthermore, Leo is a calm and relaxed supporter.
A stay in Kunming alone would have been enjoyable given these positive aspects, but that was just the beginning of the adventure!