Glaciers, Yak, Misty mountains, and 2 KG of fats

I returned from Yun Nan. More specifically Kun Ming, Lijiang, and ShangriLa (Xiang Ge Li La). It was more of an ethnic, cultural experience than a sight seeing one. Even lesser element of shopping and eating (food is yucks).

Kun Ming is almost ran by the common Chinese. Those driving the economic engine with rigorous energy for wealth and a kinship built with concrete. Construction is everywhere and drivers and hawkers is sharp with the appearance of tourists. Most of the tourists are internal, from the richer cities like Shanghai. But people of inland areas should take most opportunity while they are here. To get a pie of the richness generated at the coastal.

Lijiang is a fushion. There are more minorities. But I am surprised that the town is ran by tourists like myself. Its a tourist town, a shopping mall, built on the foundation of well thought of city planning when it was built 700 years ago. One main river of Yangtse split into 3, then 9, then 27, then numerous smaller streams supply the whole town. The streams, however, is now somewhat polluted with tourists junks. Locals quickly pick them up as soon as they see them. But you can see that they have to do it quite frequently to keep the town clean.

At ShangriLa, we heard from the tour guide that they are not so fortunate to receive millions of dollars of grant from the government to build a tourist attraction, as such much of what they used to have remains. Nonetheless, I have the most of the good time there. We went on a local tour which lasted four days for 500 rmb, about 100 sgd. Pretty good. Most of the trails are mountainous, so its was quite a tedious journey. Nonetheless, the sceneries are fantastic, and mountains look endless. Almost about 50-100m is a turn as the mini bus drove through the winding road.

I do not appreciate the old towns. These are money generating machines sucking tourist dollars. Away in the Tibetan temples are quieter and more like ShangriLa. We also went to stay at Fei Lai Si ('Fly to Come' Temple). It has the most direct view of the Mei Li Snow Mountain. Its has 13 peaks above 6000m. Clouds covered most of the peaks for the day. Yet, as night falls, clouds, mountains, with a back drop of blue sky makes the window view look almost like art.

We went to climb Mei Li Snow Mountain on the next day, from 2500m to 3500m. The trail is 8km long rising almost 1km. It was tough. I rarely pant like that. Nonetheless, after 2..5 hours, we made it to the glacier. It was the lowest glacier in the mountain, and it was the height of the trip. And it costs me two kg of body fat.

The glacier is huge, wider than any river I have yet seen. Ice get locked like rocks for a long time. It was summer, but the ice do not seem like giving way. Its tightly stubborn to show its magnificent. The glacier display right below our viewing platform to the top of the mountain, right above the clouds.