shangri-la, china

today’s photos will probably explain why shangri-la is so called. taken during our days out at the pudacuo/ potatso national park, as well as at the ganden sumtseling/ songzanlin monastery, the view makes for fantastic snapping.

I’ll leave you to it.

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these are so cute. like fat little fingers growing out a tree.

when we got to the monastery – long drive and then a dedicated coach bus up – it was to a rather impressive view of monasteries perched high up on the hills, and a more everyday sight of old men perched on benches gossiping outside.

you’ve got to appreciate the normalness of living spaces.

the place is pretty much amazing. the use of bright colours, epic murals and awe-some drawings, and the sheer prevalence of decoration all over doors and houses. it makes you realize how much pride and effort the people put into both their worship and daily lives in the past, and it’s such an exuberant celebration of life as would be uncomfortable/ unusual in our modern environs.

I don’t have the language skills to do justice to it all.

we also got to meet the resident watch-cat – or shall we say pampered pet of it all?

sigh.

it almost makes up for the food.

we finished the visits with a meal at dico’s, which is china’s answer to kentucky and macdonalds and all your fast food giants in one. it’s.. alright. I don’t eat much fast food in any case, but I would probably still prefer macdonalds.

HELP ME FIND ENTHUSIASM AMIDST WEAK FOOD.

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just in case:

1. the pudacuo national park, also known as the potatso national park: 普达措国家公园
2. the ganden sumtseling monastery, also known as the songzanlin monastery: 松赞林寺
3. dico’s: 德克士, which you will want to pronounce as the-ker-shi if you would like the locals to know what you’re saying

more in this series of series-es:

1. kunming city, china
2. kunming outskirts, china
3. kunming to dali, china
4. lijiang sights, china
5. lijiang eats, china
6. lijiang to shangri-la, china
7. shangri-la, china (you’re here!)
8. kunming eats, china

p.s. I’ll be adding details to the trip posts as I remember them – so check back if you’re planning your own!