We started with our tour of Shangri-La already in the afternoon. Part of the old town of Shangri-La burned down in 2014 and reconstruction is still ongoing wherever you go. Even if there is no reconstruction on the street you are walking there is the dust from the next one.
dusty streets in Shangri-La
typical houses @Shangri-La
The town itself has not much to offer except the Guishan Temple but there you can also find the biggest prayer wheel in the world. The Zhuangjin Tong prayer wheel is 21 meters high and needs at least six people to turn it (to see it turning please click here). I quite like it that it needs a joint effort to start the prayer, it brings all kinds of people together.
steep stairs leading to Guishan Temple @Shangri-La
Guishan Temple @Shangri-La
Guishan Temple with Zhuangjin Tong prayer wheel @Shangri-La
view on Shangri-La from Guishan Temple
There was another monastery right next to the main square where a group of women was circling the temple (click here to see).
main square in Shangri-La @Yunnan
always a communistic monument next to a temple @Shangri-La
After a late breakfast at 8:45, I think the latest we had breakfast so far on this trip we started our tour with Asso (or some similar name). He was our Tibetan host and would show us the local sights. Getting in the car Babsi was not allowed to sit in front. Not sure if that is a cultural thing or if tourists are always banned in the back. If anyone has any experience with this, please clarify.
He took us first at the local market where we could get a good impression of all the fresh produce available. The many greens were astonishing, some of them I haven even seen before, even less name them. But not only vegetables were available also all other kinds of products and on-site made food.
these look like fiddleheads @Shangri-La
gorgeous cheese @Shangri-La
street food from the local market @Shangri-La
this looks like the ham at home @Shangri-La
Upon coming back from touring the area around Shangri-La (more on this later) we walked to our last sightseeing point of the day, the Baiji Si temple. It’s free and one has the best view on the city! Even better it was right behind our guesthouse, the Timeless Inn. Of course to get to this view, we had to walk up again. Nothing worthwhile is ever at the bottom. Funnily enough the name Baiji Si means the temple of the 100 chickens. Only there was not one chicken in sight when we were there, just one lonely pig.
view on Shangri-La from the Baiji Si temple
walking up to the Baiji Si temple @Shangri-La
the Baiji Si temple @Shangri-La
Baiji Si temple @Shangri-La
the Baiji Si temple @Shangri-La
Baiji Si temple @Shangri-La
view on Shangri-La from the Baiji Si temple
So much for sightseeing in Shangri-La. After all this walking today what I really craved was a massage. On our lookout for one we left the old city and passed a coffeehouse that looked inviting. Not only offered it excellent carrot cake and hot chocolate, there was also a waitress who was almost fluent in English and she pointed us to a massage place. My legs felt in heaven after a 50 minute massage. I think that’s one of the parts of traveling to reward myself after!
carrot cake from Compact coffeehouse @Shangri-La
I am very glad I ordered the cake since our dinner which we had at the LP recommened Kailash was a more miserable affair. This one has definitely seen better times. Yours, Pollybert
restaurant Kailash @Shangri-La
dinner at Kailash @Shangri-La
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