Old town Lijiang

It’s nice to be back in civilization. I was able to sleep in, then buy a ticket to one of the hourly (not daily) busses to Lijiang. It was effortless.

My first reaction upon arriving in Lijiang’s new town was horror at the terrible, ugly mess. But once I got to the old town I was charmed. It’s a delightful maze of cobbled streets, canals, and traditional houses. It’s especially beautiful at night, with Chinese lanterns everywhere.

I arrived just after the Golden Week holiday, and was able to get a great deal on an en suite room with a Western toilet, only the second time I’ve had this luxury in China! There aren’t that many people here, but there are still plenty of Chinese tourists with huge cameras everywhere, spoiling my shots.

I’ve left Tibetan territory, and have entered Naxi territory. The Naxi are actually descended from Tibetan tribes, but are now distinct from them, with different costumes, language, and religion.