Our hotel in Lijiang, the Merry Inn, surprised us with a breakfast. So far on this trip there was only one included. All the more was I happy to sample a Chinese breakfast again. It consisted of a rice noodle soup, quite spicy, with a bit of meat and vegetables, an egg and peanuts on the side. All washed down with black tea, which is actually called red tea in China.
breakfast at the Merry Inn @ Lijiang
The program for the day was a walk to the Black Dragon Pool, which lies in the Jade Spring Park. On good days you can see the White Mountain and as a mirror image in the lake. We were lucky because there was a lake, sometimes there is not enough water for a lake, but there was no White Mountain to see. It was just overcast and with the permanent threat of rain in the air. The Chinese as ever entrepreneurial were taking pictures of you with the photoshopped mountain included. Even the mountain has a price.
masses of roses in the Jade Spring Park @Lijiang
Black Dragon Pool in the Jade Spring Park @Lijiang
Black Dragon Pool in the Jade Spring Park @Lijiang
After walking around the lake we visited the Naxi museum on the north side of it. It was very interesting to read about their culture and especially their written language which consisted of pictograms (and Joseph Francis Rock researched it).
After getting back to the old town of Lijiang we found per chance a Naxi family home and arrived just in time for a performance. The dances and the music were amazing, so much better and interesting than the music from the night before. I’m sorry to say, I was only impressed with the old musicians but the rest was not for me. This here was so much better. If you want to see one of the songs performed by the Naxi minority, please click here.
Naxi performance in Lijiang
We tried some candied fruits and had a crabapple drink and after that said goodbye to the very friendly Naxi family (maybe because we also shopped a bit).
One last round through the old town and then it was time to say goodbye to Babsi as well who was already going home to Beijing while I would stay for another day in Lijiang. The first thing I did was go to the nearest place, sat down and ordered a pizza. What a great feeling!
best pizza I had since forever, or maybe just since two weeks @Lijiang
I decided to visit the Lion Hill and with it the Wanggu Lou Building, all part of the old town of Lijiang. From the top I had an amazing view over the city, only it was still cloudy and grey. Just when I was getting down the sun would get out and shine a little over the city.
the Lion Hill @Lijiang
view over Lijiang from the Lion Hill
But once I was back at the hotel it was raining again and kept on doing so for hours. I had a nap, it was vacation after all and only left late for a cozy dinner at a quaint restaurant near from my hotel. I ordered fish, always an error since it is full of bones and absolutely horrible to eat. It was better than my first choice though, it would have been dog. Always difficult to just order from a picture.
The fish was covered in chicken skin and some kind of pork offal. Not really sure if I would eat that back home but here I was picking atmy fish. To top it all the fish tasted faintly of mud. Funnily enough there was a private party going on at this restaurant, still not sure why they even let me stay. But when it turned out to be a birthday, I joined everyone else and sang along. And for that I got the first piece of cake. What more does a girl want? On this high note my vacation in China ended. I left the next afternoon for Kunming and a day later for Vienna. It was a great trip again. Yours, Pollybert
