A little bit of sunshine and party town

To paraphrase the foreign minister of Vietnam during the war in his conversation with Robert McNamara years later...

We were not pawns of the Chinese, we have been fighting them for a thousand years. We were fighting for our independence

If you wake up and find yourself living just outside a great expansive empire, be sure not to blink, or you'll quickly find yourself a part of it. China has officially 56 minorities with most living on the outskirts of the current incarnation. For these people, their unfortunate location has lead to a history full of conflict, whether fighting an aggressor or being in the middle of two enormous warring states. Maintaining their unique culture, customs, heritage, personality, and identity identity is a task not sneezed at.



The Naxi, centered around Lijang in the Yunnan province, are a quiet and pleasant people, for which, you wonder whether is a product of their beautiful and peaceful surrounds or in deference to the majority. With the persecution of the cultural revolution thankfully over, they find themselves in a strange new world, where tourists actually pay to see their culture and custom, albeit in that sickly sweet touristy way. Their clothing is both beautiful and intricate, albeit somewhat over utilised for the Han held cameras. The magnificent of the three pagoda's and their seemingly never ending array of temples is only matched by the enormity of the ticket price. The idyllic surrounds have seen many an expat setup shop or life to take advantage of the heavenly location. Although our time was short in both Dali and Lijang, it is clear that this is a must see place, but only in off season. The hordes of tourist is almost overbearing in Lijang and would become torturous in the height of summer.


Lounging about in the awesome hump hostel in Kunming, you quickly understand why this is (young) backpacker heaven. Great whether, good diversity of food, plenty of ex pats and backpackers fresh from Vietnam and Laos, and a night scene that encourages the excesses of the western backpacker produce many weary souls. For us, we unwound and of course had a few drinks whilst we arrange our onward tickets.

Go the underdog and one giant bhudda.

You save the things you love, and you love the things you understand

When the sun shines on you in China, life is almost perfect. Take the endemic Giant panda as an example, almost hunted to extinction before it captured the adoring attention of the world, thus changing it's fortune for ever. From all the available information, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a seriously world class facility, where previously captive animals live in a well maintained and humane environment, and with any luck, get down to the business of saving the species. Of course, this being China, money talks, and their facility and probably survival is predicated on every bus load of han, korean, and Japanese tourists and the wealth it creates. Sure, some of the treatment in lieu of capturing a ooh and aah from a gushing tourist is midly questionable, and yes, count me as one of them, but compared to others, the Panda's have it made. And what makes me really happy after seeing these big fur balls of fun, is the underdog of underdogs, the forgotten red pandas who are riding the coat tails of their richer cousins to survival.




The province of Sichuan, home of the Sichuan beef you'll pick up at your local Chinese takeaway, has some seriously good and spicy grub. Their famous hotpot, a steamboat with a potent mix of chilli (and lots of it), soy, water and a variety of sauces to cook a variety of meats and vegetables is outstanding.

Chendgu, like any major city in China is seriously polluted, but like all Chinese cities visited thus far, the serenity and peace of a temple, garden, former palace are generally only a short distance away. Strolling the grounds of the Wuhou temple, infact a serious of temples mixed with gardens, ponds, and monuments is welcome escape from the noise, concrete, and neon of the bustling city that is Chengdu. It is almost otherworldly as you pass from one bueatiful scene to the next and the only noises are from the rustling of the leaves, birds, and the movement of water through ponds and moats.

It what is a centuries old pastime, we sat for an afternoon drinking tea and playing cards in the grounds of the Wuhou temple with the local denziens discussing business and gossiping over a bowl of nuts or a game of cards or majong.

Visiting leshan one our way back from Emei Shan, we checked out the impressive Leshan Giant Buddha, the the worlds largest at a lofty 71 metres. The ensuing journey home was memorable for its varied and timely transportation, taking 8 hours from emei shan to home, via a cable car, 5 busses, and two taxi's.

Emei Shan and marrauding macaques

Only being two hours south of Chengdu, Emei Shan, one of China's four holiest bhudist mountains and a world heritage unesco site, was a hiking opportunity not to be missed. Lodging at the foot of the mountain, albeit conned into staying at the wrong hotel, we enjoyed the manufactured, but tasteful serenity of the small tourist town of Baguo. I imagine years of experience with propaganda has made construction of these usualy dreary places quite easy? It must be noted, that with sizable bhudist populations in China, Korea, and Japan, these bhudist sites are often full, if not saturated with snap happy tourists who somehow don't see the irony in catching busses and cable cars instead of undertaking the time honoured pilgrammage and hiking up the mountain.

With an early start, we catch a mini bus up the mountain and begin our hike at 7:40, bypassing the first cable car, utilsed by all bar a few dedicated locals. It becomes quickly apparent that this park has been indentified as a tourism goldmine and a troupe of dedicated, albeit relaxed staff duitifully maintain the park and path leading up the mountain. The ascent, all 2000 metres of it, features dozens of monastaries and temples and is well served by a proper stair case　numerous snack stops and the odd restaurant, all seemingly in danger of falling of the mountain.

After 7 hours of hiking, we estimate 18000 stairs, and sacrificing my water bottle to a marraunding macaque, we reach the last monastary and the cable car to ascend the last 300 metres. Let me you, the misery was palpable, drizzle, wind, snow slush over the paths and not even enough degrees C to fill up one hand. Our tired, tired, tired legs wear screaming "Tomorrow, tomorrow". Our new found friends on the other hand, a bunch of 20 something university students, not carrying 10 kilo packs, were not. Seemingly dragged onto the cable car, we drearily pass through the misery and clouds to reach.... blue skies and sunshine?!?!?! It must be 20 degrees and the view, the bluest of skies over white dreamy clounds. UN - BE - LEIVE - ABLE!!!!! This is not what we were expecting, our guidebook is preaching an average maximum of 2 degrees and the view requiring nothing more than devine intervention. We quickly explore the snow covered mountain top and discover sculptured elephant statues leading us up the staircase to a 50 odd metre golden budha and a number of ancient temples. , oh and did I mention the view?

Our legs silenced, we marvel upon our fortune and start to wonder, what poor bastards a) lifted all this up the mountain and b) built these fantastic structures hundreds of years ago.

Splurging on possibly the greatest $80 room on the planet, we forgo the pleasure of bunking in a uninsulated monastary, for hot showers, central heating, and warm noodles. The next day and another 5:45 am wakeup call, we set out for the sunrise, which is apparently even better, but are hampered by visibility of less 100 metres. It must be said, after the previous day, we are certainly not dissapointed as we have truly witnessed something special and even spare a moment to pity the snap happy tourists who bus all but 2 kilomtetres (and complain) and miss this view.

Plagued by timing problems, we skip the downward hike and travel 8 hours by 6 busses, 1 cable car, and 1 taxi back to Chengdu.