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Exploring China |
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Beijing -
Xi'an -
Chengdu -
Songpan -
Yangshuo -
Back in Beijing
Songpan
Songpan is a charming small Tibetan countryside town in the northern reaches of Sichuan, lying at the foot of the Minshan Mountains, on altitude of about 2.900 meters. High altitude shows, especially for the first day, the simplest effort leaves you out of breath. The population, a mixed variety of ethnic groups, predominantly Qiang and Tibetans, live primarily on agriculture, raising livestock, and lately tourism. It is especially known for the horse trekking, which is what we were planning to do in the next three days. Songpan is about eight hours drive on the local bus line from Chengdu, travelling there pretty much takes the whole day. It's a quite an interesting ride though, and not one for the fainthearted - if you have seen Chinese drive, imagine them on a busy, narrow, curvy mountain road...
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Early in the morning on the Chengdu's bus station, leaving for Songpan | Making several quick stops on the nearby stations and markets, picking up people |
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We are passing through many small towns and villages on the way |
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A 10 minutes stop to stretch our legs |
Tourists posing on yaks |
The road gets more corners and turns uphill |
Obviously we are in the countryside now |
Arriving to the destination, Songpan |
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A view on southern part of Songpan |
The main traffic road is routed around city walls |
The ancient gates to the city center... |
...leading to the main shopping street |
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There is very little motorized traffic within the city walls | The Mingjiang River is flowing through the city |
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The main city street is full of shops and small business, everybody is pitching in to help the business running |
If you are into ethnic clothes shopping, you will love it here |
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Children in vivid colors are sparky, and just ask to be photographed |
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If you step around the corner from the main road, local streets are immediately more like to what you would expect in a countryside |
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Some houses stretch high up the hills, with a temple on the top |
A bit different map of the World |
Horse trekking is why most visitors come to Songpan. We have opted for a three-day trek, spending two nights
camping in tents, which is just about right not to get too demanding. We spent some three to four hours in the saddle
each day, with additional hour or two walking, the rest was devoted to camping, or taking on hiking trips on our own.
There is no need to be an experienced horse rider to enjoy this trip, horses know better what are they doing and where
are they going than we do.
Most horses do have an attitude problem. Not to us, but to other horses. They will furiously defend
their position in the line, biting around or springing in gallop on the steepest and narrowest slope to
cut the intruder off, should some other horse try to overtake. Apart from low branches, that's the most
likely reason to end up on the ground if you are not holding on tight.
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The weather next morning is perfect, with clear blue skies, and our guides and horses are waiting | Our backpacks are tied to horses... |
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...then we are sat on... |
...and off we go | The trail leads us to a valley behind the town, and then uphill |
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Open scenery near Songpan, with snow peaked mountains in behind | Me and my horse |
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Downhill we go on foot, as it's easier on fully loaded horses, and we need to stretch our legs anyway |
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There is a road going through the valley below... |
...and the last few kilometers we ride on the asphalt |
Around midday, we get to the first camp site |
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Praying flags | Further uphill, the water situation improved considerably, and we enjoyed the walk |
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Up on the top is a hot spring this park is known for, water is bubbling with slightly smelly gases |
Some were eager to jump in; others, not so much... |
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Having a dinner by the fire, before turning in for a very uncomfortable and cold night |
It is quite chilly in the morning, tents are still wet and frozen as the camp gets packed up |
We start up the valley |
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The trail leads through bushes and a forest |
Terrain is steep and muddy, horses are stopping for a sip from the stream |
The view opens up as we near to the top of the hill |
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Up on the summit, horses get a 20 minutes break before proceeding further, and we enjoy the scenery |
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The hot spring we visited yesterday is visible way down below |
On the move again, the trail is much easier, staying close to the top of hills |
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We are quite high at this point, on altitude of about 3.700 meters |
Riding for one more hour, on a well maintained, easy going trail... |
...until we dismount for a walk down to the valley |
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On the way we stop at a forest lake... | ...and walk the rest of the way down the valley | Coming to the second camp site |
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Guides are preparing the camp... |
...and we do what we do best... |
...even some yoga | In the afternoon, our local friends gather the wood for the night, and we go sightseeing |
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We take a walk to a nearby lake, a beautiful one, although a bit empty at this time of a year |
Waterfalls a bit away upstream |
A tricky crossing |
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In the morning, we have some breakfast... | ...while the guides pack up the camp |
My horse is waiting rather nervously |
Starting up through the woods |
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As usual, we walk downhill behind the horses |
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Horses seem to be well motivated, they know they are going home today |
Around the corner, the first signs of civilization |
Just crossing this small scree... |
...and we enter a small village |
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Riding by stone-made houses | We stop for the first beer in several days |
Local boys are playing cards... |
...a small girl is washing her hair by the road... |
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...and the rest of the kids just find us interesting and don't hesitate to show us their skills |
We need to press on. There is just one last hill to go over, and we are climbing again over the village |
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The last climb of the trek |
We leave the village behind... |
...as we reach the top | Our goal is in sight, Songpan behind the hill |
The guide of our two horses is posing for us |
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Horses enjoy the green grass for a change |
We descend on foot down the last hill... | ...and then ride the final few miles to the town |
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After three days, the town of Songpan welcomes us back, hot showers awaiting |
We enter the buildings via back streets... |
...and ride triumphally through Songpan in the middle of the main road |
Showers were in high demand that afternoon, before we ventured out on individual shopping trips in the town.
Some of us have treated ourselves with Tibetan massage and foot massage before meeting for dinner in the most
popular hangout for foreigners in Songpan, Emma's Kitchen. Emma speaks excellent English, offers as western
food as you can find in China, and can help with everything you could possibly need.
The next morning, we have embarked on the same local bus line back to Chengdu, for another exhausting whole
day of driving.
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Mountain road drops with sharp turns |
Cooling bus brakes after a long descend |
Delicious beef noodles in a small diner by the road |
China is destroying their environment |
Back in Chengdu
Some nine hours later, the bus finally stopped in Chengdu with our gratitude, and we have traded cold, clean,
high-altitude air for a multi-million city polluted and foggy one. We settled back at Holly's and retrieved the
excess luggage left there for safekeeping before going on horse trekking.
In the evening, we visited the Chengdu Bookworm. Partly because it is an unique blend of an English
language library, a bar, a Western restaurant, and a location of regular cultural events; and partly because
Velma, a fellow Slovenian now living in Chengdu, is a manager there, and we went to say "hi".
The next morning was free for last shopping in Chengdu, as early in the afternoon we are flying on to Guilin. Three of us have woken up earlier than necessary, in order to catch the morning activities in one of Chengdu's public parks.
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It's too early for Chengdu people, streets are nearly deserted at 7 a.m. Two hours later, this will be crowded. |
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A small market at park's gates is much more alive |
Park entry | An otherwise nicely maintained park is in the morning full of people of all ages... |
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...running, exercising, ballroom dancing, practicing tai chi, or just relaxing in a teahouse by a morning cup of green tea |
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Someone brings a tape player, and they dance in a group |
Some are true martial arts masters |
The park itself is relaxing and gives you energy for a new day |
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A bird at the teahouse |
On the way back, city streets of Chengdu are packed already in a true Chinese fashion |
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At the Chengdu airport, waiting for a plane to Guilin |
Next page: Yangshuo