Sichuan experience
Back in Chengdu after a stinking hot bus ride from Kangding yesterday. Highlight of the bustrip was visiting a toilet that was right next to a piggery and didn't have any closed doors.... leave it to your imagination. No really it wasn't that bad. We fly to Xining, Qinghai Province tomorrow morning. Going to a Sichuan Opera tonight with Marg while Jamie has some quality time looking at his navel (hahaha). Probably will check out a few temples and tea houses.
Kangding was pretty special. It had a white water river flowing right through the middle of the town. The first night we stayed at the Black Tent Hostel, which was run by a bunch of friendly Tibetan people. We made the mistake of having a Tibetan meal there, which consisted of dried yak meat, yak butter tea and rice with nonexistent vegetables. The Tibetans are not known for their delicious cuisine. The yak butter tea was probably the foulest tea I've ever drunk. Guess not many vegetables grow at 4000m altitude.
On Sunday (2 days ago) we took a minibus with a french girl, a british guy and norwegian guy up to a subalpine lake at 3700m. The lake is part of a national park. It was the first pristine environment I've seen in China. Very beautiful with many rhododendrons and conifers. There were a bunch of tibetan men in the process of building a boardwalk all along the shoreline of one side of the lake. Once we got to the end of the boardwalk Marg decide to go back to the carpark while we walked around the whole lake in about 4 hours. Marg had an english conversation with the Tibetan workmen who replied to her in Chinese - a very elucidating conversation, but one that was lots of fun. At midday two Tibetan ladies turned up carrying their conical baskets on their backs with a hot lunch inside for the workmen. They must have walked for hours to get there! Marg scored a free lunch!
There were heaps of dead fish around the shore as well?? We thought they must have spawned and were now dying? Quite strange. The slopes of the land around the lake was just covered in all types of wildflowers - purples, pinks, yellows, whites, everything! Anyway it was really nice except for the minivan trip which took 1 1/2 hrs on gravel roads where the driver periodically stuck his head out the window to check the wheels just as we are going past a 200m drop?! He was also in love with his horn (the vans one incase you misconstrue!) and he would send out a huge blast even when we couldn't see a vehicle, person, pig, corner, tibetan yeti nearby.
Yesterday we checked out a really beautiful Tibetan Lamasery (monastery) in Kangding. The artwork is very beautiful and colourful and intricate. We were invited into the temple to watch the monks have their midday meal, which I declined but Jamie and Marg went in, which apparently was quite amazing inside. It was a very quiet affair..... until Marg accidentally hit the big brass gong in the temple with her backpack! As a woman you aren't allowed to touch the monks because you are considered unclean.
Well thats all from the Foxley trio for now...See yous later.
Kangding was pretty special. It had a white water river flowing right through the middle of the town. The first night we stayed at the Black Tent Hostel, which was run by a bunch of friendly Tibetan people. We made the mistake of having a Tibetan meal there, which consisted of dried yak meat, yak butter tea and rice with nonexistent vegetables. The Tibetans are not known for their delicious cuisine. The yak butter tea was probably the foulest tea I've ever drunk. Guess not many vegetables grow at 4000m altitude.
On Sunday (2 days ago) we took a minibus with a french girl, a british guy and norwegian guy up to a subalpine lake at 3700m. The lake is part of a national park. It was the first pristine environment I've seen in China. Very beautiful with many rhododendrons and conifers. There were a bunch of tibetan men in the process of building a boardwalk all along the shoreline of one side of the lake. Once we got to the end of the boardwalk Marg decide to go back to the carpark while we walked around the whole lake in about 4 hours. Marg had an english conversation with the Tibetan workmen who replied to her in Chinese - a very elucidating conversation, but one that was lots of fun. At midday two Tibetan ladies turned up carrying their conical baskets on their backs with a hot lunch inside for the workmen. They must have walked for hours to get there! Marg scored a free lunch!
There were heaps of dead fish around the shore as well?? We thought they must have spawned and were now dying? Quite strange. The slopes of the land around the lake was just covered in all types of wildflowers - purples, pinks, yellows, whites, everything! Anyway it was really nice except for the minivan trip which took 1 1/2 hrs on gravel roads where the driver periodically stuck his head out the window to check the wheels just as we are going past a 200m drop?! He was also in love with his horn (the vans one incase you misconstrue!) and he would send out a huge blast even when we couldn't see a vehicle, person, pig, corner, tibetan yeti nearby.
Yesterday we checked out a really beautiful Tibetan Lamasery (monastery) in Kangding. The artwork is very beautiful and colourful and intricate. We were invited into the temple to watch the monks have their midday meal, which I declined but Jamie and Marg went in, which apparently was quite amazing inside. It was a very quiet affair..... until Marg accidentally hit the big brass gong in the temple with her backpack! As a woman you aren't allowed to touch the monks because you are considered unclean.
Well thats all from the Foxley trio for now...See yous later.
posted by Jamie and Katie at 4:03 am
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