China (Beijing, Yunnan and Sanya), Lijiang, 12 April 2010

This was one of the most photogenic days on this trip – we put more than 100 photos from this day in the album for this part of the trip. I shall pepper this piece with a fair smattering of them.

Years earlier, Janie and I had been transfixed by a documentary series, Beyond The Clouds, about this town, Lijiang. It was broadcast in 1994, soon after our return from our first trip to China. Much had changed in 16+ years of course, but the fascinating grapple between traditional and emerging China was much evident still in 2010.

Both rose early and looked at rest of photos.

Touring started with Zhong Yi vegetable market (and meat etc – everyday local market).

Then walk to the historic old town (including Disneyfied part) which was mostly delightful but [Disneyfied].

Then through part of new town (seeking a chain for Daisy) and on to black dragon pool park – walked all around there and on to museum of Naxi Dongba culture. Then home.

Played tennis in the afternoon (perhaps a bit too early) washed and soon off for early evening of dinner in local restaurant Jiu Qi…

…and then a concert of the Naxi Ancient Music Concert Hall (see ticket/program) were local tourists in front of us. Tried to match the 30+ piece Naxi orchestra’s decibel level.

Gave up on bar crawl idea – crashed early.

There is a placeholder and links piece for this trip, with links to all the photographs, the full itinerary and stuff – click here for that.

China (Beijing, Yunnan and Sanya), From Shaxi To Lijiang, 11 April 2010

Early rise – Ged strolls town.

Take breakfast at charming inn [Laomedian Lodge], then go to visit Templeton small museum.

See grand old family house from outside but sadly no one is at home.

Return the car to find one and porter in a state – one has locked his keys inside the car.

Within 45 minutes several experts have helped and half the town has watched a series of dextrous manoeuvers with screwdrivers and wires – success!

2 1/2 hour drive to Lijiang – meet new guide Wang Kuan (Alvin) and say goodbye to Zuay.

Then to Banyan Tree Lijiang. Frustration with the suite meant we didn’t get to properly settled until four-ish.

Then played tennis, checked out restaurants and shops, showered, changed, dined (Japanese eel, pork belly, lamb shank) and checked out the net.

Daisy crashed early, while Ged read. Then both looked at photos for a while.

There is a placeholder and links piece for this trip, with links to all the photographs, the full itinerary and stuff – click here for that.

China (Beijing, Yunnan and Sanya), From Dali To Shaxi Via Weishan, 10 April 2010

This was one of the most photogenic days of this holiday. If you really want to luxuriate in this day, it is worth looking at the first 70+ photos in the second Flickr album for this trip:

036 Weishan Scenes P1000335

Again quite early start including check out (8:30).

South to Weishan – brand new road means this is only just over an hour from Dali.

Lovely well preserved old market town (really just the main strip preserved) – rarely visited by tourists, although the new road might well change all that. We were more watched than watching!

Back to Dali for light lunch at Kaiyi’s Kitchen (still great veg, sticky chicken and sweet) then on north to Shaxi – long drive.

Daisy took snaps of Sha Ping from a distance and zillions of snaps along the way. Ged slept mostly.

Time for an early evening stroll around this charming little town. We are staying in a guesthouse which is one of the old wooden courtyard houses on the main square – charming.

We shower and take a simple meal with pumpkin soup and Taiwan/Fujian style noodles and veg and local wine.

Then to bed with Sweet Tooth cookies!

There is a placeholder and links piece for this trip, with links to all the photographs, the full itinerary and stuff – click here for that.

China (Beijing, Yunnan and Sanya), Xizhou, Zhouchen & Dali, 9 April 2010

Again aimed for early start (Ged is not feeling too terrific)

Light breakfast.

Went to Xizhou, a small Bai market town (everyday market). Bought some hemp seeds and took loads of photos there in market.

Also walked through town – visited a couple of old houses (now small apartment complexes).

Then on to Zhouchen village, an even smaller town with every day markets, two banyan trees and a stage. Bought tub for seeds.

Then onto three pagodas – lovely gardens and close look at pagodas – then onto marble factory (shop) for several gift is. Then home.

Brief pitstop then into town for a beer, soup (chicken and mushroom/ham and veg), internet access to tell folks we’re phoneless!

Draw dosh and look at some more shirts and wallets (bought chopsticks and last night’s shirts). Then to Sweet Tooth for coffee and cookies served by deaf but efficient staff.

Back for some R&R and went through copious photos from today before packing a bit, going to Café de Jack where the staff weren’t deaf but sure were dumb! Still charming and sweet.

Ate veg, lasagna, local beer (me), wine (Daisy) and strolled to supermarket before returning home.

There is a placeholder and links piece for this trip, with links to all the photographs, the full itinerary and stuff – click here for that.

China (Beijing, Yunnan and Sanya), In & Around Dali, 8 April 2010

Set off at 8:30 in direction of Cangshan Mountains.

Took new cable car (southern end, Austrian bubble)uup the mountain, climb steps for 10 to 15 minutes and then walked 11 km trail through beautiful hills and valleys.

Then took open air cable car from northern end down (old US car).

Returned to Kaiyi’s Kitchen restaurant (sat on upstairs balcony this time) to try local cheese (fried), ham (with shredded veg) and tomato and beef soup (runny Bolognese).

Then off and direction of Lake – no time for marble factory today but we get to boat early enough to get earlier boat.

Rocky ride out! Island okay to explore – basically a Bai fishing village (no pagoda!!)

Then back (felt less rocky – asleep some of the time) and rescue Janie from French with big cameras!

Short rest (mainly spent reviewing photos) then out for the evening – strolled town a bit – admired but didn’t buy shirts.

Went to Bad Monkey, ate Chinese vegetables, sausage, chops and mash! Some beer and wine – bought some wallets etc on stroll around and then home.

There is a placeholder and links piece for this trip, with links to all the photographs, the full itinerary and stuff – click here for that.

China (Beijing, Yunnan and Sanya), From Kunming To Dali, 7 April 2010

Rose early for long drive to Dali. Struggled (failed) to get ready “on time” but eventually checked out and headed for Dali.

Bye bye Kunming

Said goodbye to Martin and said hello to May Chan (Zzway Caarn – not tribal) who seems more laid-back.

Settled in [hotel] room briefly then out for compulsory lunch and a stroll around Dali.

Lunch was beef, chicken, spring roll and special request veg soup – a lot of the highlight.

Oh boy, do I go with the furnishings!

Strolled small town Dali – bought CD, saw city walls…

…went to teahouse the full works bought lots of tea.

Organised local meal, then back to base for rest.

Evening in Dali was fun. Meal of papaya chicken, local carp in local source, water convolvulus and rose omelette.

Strolled town, bought map and then relaxed with half bottle of wine (after struggle to open!) in room.

There is a placeholder and links piece for this trip, with links to all the photographs, the full itinerary and stuff – click here for that.

China (Beijing, Yunnan and Sanya), Touring In & Around Kunming, 6 April 2010

Ged rose early and wrote up.

Fine breakfast early – then off to flower market on outskirts of town– Cheung Gong.

Next on to the Stone Forest – took a lengthy stroll.

The alleged likenesses of stones to the Queen, Darth Vader, Homer Simpson etc were a little strained, but it was a lovely site – especially the quieter more distant bits of the forest (see headline picture and below) where the large Chinese tour groups don’t go!

…no-one ever had a brother like Martin…

Then a pit stop (mostly for the driver and increasingly excitable guide Martin).

Then on to a Yi village – Chi Shing – Martin is Yi whereas driver Guan is Bai.

Next on to the Yunnan National Arts Museum – more an antique shop than museum but very interesting on tribal cultures.

Home for some rest, watch the video, then out for a local meal at Derein’s Restaurant in a grand old house. Eel (Yunnan style), duck, oil veg and mushroom rice and local Shaoxing rice wine.

Martin left with some persuasion, still doing business on his mobile.

Enjoyed our evening together and stroll home around like et cetera passing clubs & bars on the way – decided on quiet evening in with cookies and veg.

There is a placeholder and links piece for this trip, with links to all the photographs, the full itinerary and stuff – click here for that.

China (Beijing, Yunnan and Sanya), Touring In Beijing Then On To Kunming, 5 April 2010

Both slept well.

Packed and took breakfast at DuGe – quirky & good in parts. Peppery sausages were nice.

Sophie met us and took us off to see the Olympic stadium (birds nest) and then on to Chinese medicine centre.

We met lecturer Doctor Hu (you couldn’t make it up) who told us all about it and insisted that Ged must be Shakespeare reincarnated.

Uncanny resemblance.

Dr Hu also arranged for some trainees to massage our feet and for an aged professor to tell us what ails us & sell us some very expensive Chinese medicine cocktails, which we politely declined.

Hardly able to walk now (okay I made up that last bit) we wandered to back to the car and headed off to 798 district – art complex formally factories.

Some very interesting some not so interesting but all a great atmosphere.

Took some refreshments at an outdoor café, then off to the airport.

First class flight Kunming – service excellent, food terrible.

Met by Martin “Mr Fixit” who insists I look like a movie star he cannot name – Lucien from Underworld – that’s Michael Sheen.

Kind words, Martin – in my dreams I look like him – click the picture to see the fandom wiki

Took us to surprisingly splendid Green Lake Hotel and even hung around to help us order our dinner.

Ate some local style pork and Cantonese chicken, gai lan and rice washed down with a very palatable Montepulciano.

There is a placeholder and links piece for this trip, with links to all the photographs, the full itinerary and stuff – click here for that.

China (Beijing, Yunnan and Sanya), A First Class Journey & Arrival In Beijing, 3 & 4 April 2010

We were very keen to see a rural and scenic part of China; Yunnan Province seemed to fit the bill. We’d also seen little of Beijing on our first visit to China, which in any case had been so long ago.

Squeezing A Heck Of A Lot Into One Day In Beijing – Including Making The Holiday Inn Beijing Go Pop, 17 November 1993

The journey was a bit of a contrast too.

Got ready at leisure – the cab wasn’t due until 1400 in any case. But the cab didn’t show – blind panic!

Arranged a local cab and we set off 25 minutes later than intended – good job there was no traffic.

Got through procedures pretty quickly – fast track and all – went to Dixons where Ged splashed the cash on a new camera and accessories.

Then to club lounge where we learnt that we have been upgraded to 1st class. Snacked at smaller “club lounge” by gate. Then boarded.

Plane slightly delayed at this point but with three staff attending to the three first class passengers the journey passed remarkably quickly.

Ged watched Sex & Drugs & Rock’n’Roll. Daisy same plus several other movies.

Toni Friend, who worked for BA, had helped us to get a good price on Club Class tickets. She then went the extra distance for us and got us upgraded to first class – our only ever experience of flying first class. Extremely luxurious and pampering it was; quite unsettlingly so in fact. But a super kind treat and it is nice to have done it once.

Arrived in Beijing on time – huge airport. Much changed in 16/17 years.

Met by guide Sophie and taken to DuGe Courtyard Hotel [a beautiful Hutong]– very nice.

Go through mandatory room change/upgrade procedures followed by room safe failure procedures too. In the midst of all this go for a stroll around the Hutong district, in particular walk Nanluogu Xiang a few times, partly in vain search of recommended restaurant.

Return to enjoy new room (suite) and a beer on our stoop which looks out onto the lovely courtyard.

Slept plenty in the afternoon, then fiddle around with camera and water system. Bath and get recommendation from hotel for a local restaurant.

End up at home your roast duck restaurant. Unprepossessing to look at but superb meal for a tenner plus unexpected tip – certainly a local place! Very tired on return.

There is a placeholder and links piece for this trip, with links to all the photographs, the full itinerary and stuff – click here for that.

Dinner With John White At Bam Bou, 29 March 2010

No wonder I sounded a bit stressy in communications earlier that month – not only was I running some gargantuan projects at that time I was also up against The Price of Fish draft deadline ahead of sloping off to China.

Earlier on the afternoon we were due to meet…John to me:

I have booked Bam Bou a Vietnamese restaurant for 7 through top table – and am still awaiting confirmation.  When and if I do I will confirm to you.

Me to John:

 

John

Thanks.  Been there several times.  It is excellent.

Assuming that is confirmed can we please meet there – I am up against deadlines this week as you might well imagine, not least the book to finish today and tomorrow!!

Best

Ian

John to me:

Booked for 7 pm.  See you there.  Bring the book!

I’m not sure I did that, but I might have taken a small chunk or two with me.

Bam Bou was an excellent restaurant then and I recall having a fine meal with John on that occasion.

John might remember what we ate.

Sadly, departed. Bam Bou I mean. Not John. Nor the book, The Price of Fish – that is still available at Amazon and all good book outlets: