China 2010 08 07 Daofu to Danba
Description:
Day 14 Aug 7th, 2010 Travel from Daofu to Danba
It was a 7:00 am call for photo on the roof of the Yala Hotel, the 8:30am breakfast and check out at 9:30am. I skipped the photo shoot and but had a light breakfast. Prior to breakfast I shopped at the army surplus store next door. Found two great pocket knives for 27 yan. I should have purchased a few more as they were great for the price, about $6.00 Can.
We left Daofu and but had to divert our plans as the road to the Bamei Stone Forest was closed until 5:00pm. So we took a detour and arrived at a 300 year old Buddhist monastery. After a hour long tour and rest we continue our travels to Danba.
The first part of the drive was hard as they are in the process of widening the road. This is not an easy task as the mountain side goes straight up and the outside of the road drops straight down. So this part of the drive was very hard. Lots for car and trucks trying to get around the work men. There were no flag people. The traffic just had to figure it out for themselves.
We notice a Stupa that was recently decorated. There were lots of people camping and just having fun. As it turns out, the living Buda was going to come here and bless the new Stupa, Again, the people were great and the children just wanted their pictures taken.
We arrived in Danba around 7:00pm check into the hotel and had a nice dinner around 8:00pm in the hotel. After dinner Mary and I went for a walk do a small market street. I purchased some more beads and two Tibetan prayer flags.
During the whole day I tried to photograph the children. The have such great eyes.
Up early tomorrow with a 7:00pm breakfast call.
Steve Oliver
Aug 7th, 2010
Paradise Bamei, China 世外桃源 壩美
Bamei is a village in Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China.
Bamei, known as paradise is located in a mountain surrounded by the dam (basin), inaccessible by road. Traffic with the outside world will go through two about 1 km long dark limestone water cave, to the village of Farley.
壩美是中華人民共和國雲南省文山壯族苗族自治州廣南縣的一個村莊，居民為壯族。
壩美位於一個群山環抱的壩子（盆地）中，不通公路，與外界的交通必經兩個約1公里長的幽暗的石灰岩水溶洞，到達法利村。村民保持傳統的生活方式，被稱為世外桃源。
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歌曲: 微甜的回憶
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八美鎮此處風光以高原草原風光為主,如果把新都橋稱為“攝影者的天堂”的話,那八美的風光有過之而無不及.八美土石林的絢麗景色,堪與華南著名的石灰岩喀斯特石林媲美,但它在地質成因,景觀特點,微地貌形態和自然環境方面又十分特殊,類似的糜棱岩土石林在國內外尚未見報導.
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China 2010 08 08 Danba to Yaan
Description:
Day 15 Aug 8th, 2010 Travel from Danba to Yaan
The Gubo Hotel in Danba was OK. A few problems with the bath room but there was hot water and standard toilet kind-of worked. I had a great rest and was up with the group for a 8:30am breakfast and a 9:30am check out and travel to Yaan. The big learning here is that the remote parts of China have standards for sanitation are not like our in North America standards. I basically took the whole experience as if I was camping.
Prior to the departure, I returned to the Tibetan shop with Donna and purchased a few more items, prayer flags and a Buddha poster. Then back to the cars for a 200+ Km trip south to Yaan. We were thinking we could do a few extra stops as the trip was so short.
Not to be true. The route south to Yaan was part of massive road and hydro dam construction projects. The were road closures, traffic jams, delays that some times took about 1½ hours. The whole trip to Yaan (including a few stops and lunch) took about 10 hours. Our altitude went form about 2,000 meters in Danba to less than 500 meters in Yaan. Did I mention that Yaan is like a tropical experience? Palm, Bamboo and Cacti grow with an abundance of other tree that make the environment look like we are in Thailand. Yes, the temperature was very hot. The bottom line is the drive was long, hot, rough, dusty and demanding.
The drivers were great. You really do need a 4x4 vehicles and a good understanding of the roads as there were very few signs. One last comment on the driving. In the north with speeds of 30 – 40 Km/hr, the random driving, passing, animals roaming, people shopping and difficult roads were some what workable. At 60 – 80km/hr on faster roads in southern Sichuan, the situation was very dangerous. People conducted their day to day activities as same however with unsafe traffic speeds. Only the future with tell what all these changes will create in China and to the northern parts of Sichuan.
As we approached Yaan, a rather large city, I could notice the smog and large city sights, sounds and smells. The people were no longer mainly Tibetan, but appeared to be more traditional Chinese in appearance. There were no more Sobas and traditional Tibetan prayer flags on the houses and road side.
We checked into the beautiful Hongzhu Hotel around 7:30pm and I took a long bath followed by a light vegetarian dinner. Tomorrow is the last day of the formal tour. We have a 2:00pm flight form Haan to Beijing tomorrow then Lauren and I will have three more days in Beijing to relax and sight see. Then back to Halifax on the 13th or August.
Steve Oliver
Aug 8th, 2010
Bamei Yalamountain Yala - China, Amdo en Kham
Vakantie 2009 naar China. Geweldige ontvangst in Bamei...aanrader!!! uit de serie De Irenes op reis
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Description
Thousand Stone Castle Kingdom, Danba | Tibet, China
Thousand Stone Castle Kingdom, Danba | Tibet, China
The county of Danba is located in Tibetan Plateau in western Sichuan, China. Damba means “Rock City”, but it sounds better to call it as the “kingdom of the thousand castles of stone.” This area of Tibetan-speaking hamlets perched stunningly on 8,000-foot-high mountainsides that loom over the town of Danba, has long been a way station on a circuit through the country's southwest, which is home to some of China's most exotic travel destinations. The groups of castles are scattered around strategic positions in the valley or near villages. Towers and citadels were built hundreds of years ago, for defensive purposes and passing messages between different villages. The height of these stone-built military structures is often above 30 meters, while the tallest tower measures 60 meters in height. Looking from afar, the scene of groups of towers and castles standing in the gorgeous Danba valley is breathtaking.
Danba or Rongzhag, is famous for Thousand stone castle kingdom, with many kinds of old stone castles like watchtower, Qionglong in ancient, scattered over the county, built as early as 1700BC. The watch tower in Shuopo village is very varities. There used to be 5,000 watchtowers in Danba, but only 343 that mostly date back 200 to 1,000 years remain. Local inhabitants have a custom of adding one storey to a watchtower to mark each year of a boy's growth until he reaches 18 years old. Usually 30 meters high, Dongba's highest watchtower stands at 60 meters, with four, five, eight or thirteen corners. During Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) wars in the area that lasted for 30 years these watchtowers were a vital aspect of military defense as they could provide human sanctuary for 15 days. The height of watch tower from 16-35meters, they stand on hillsides or the top of hills. The materials for the watch tower as stone slabs for the walls, stone blocks for the foundations. Usually designed as ploygonal shapes, such as square, pentagon, hexagon, and octagon, and the best watch tower is 13-sides watchtower as a pearl in Damba area (only about 3 13-sides watchtowers in Gyarong Tibetan area). 4kinds of Watchtower are protected very well in Rongzhag: Strategic Paas, Bezcon-Fire, Village and Dwelling as its different usage.
The county varies greatly in altitude, from peaks that are as high as 5,820 meters to river valleys as low as 1,700 meters. The Big Jinchuan and small Jinchuan Rivers meet here, marking the beginning of the Dadu River. The green mountains and waters, birds and flowers, is the most brilliant pearl of Kantse. The Tibetan-Gyarong style buildings and watchtowers are surrounded by fields and orchards.
The green mountains and waters, birds and flowers, is the most brilliant pearl of Kantse. The Tibetan-Gyarong style buildings and watchtowers are surrounded by fields and orchards. Danba men are strong and the women are pretty, special in Badi for the Beauty Valley. Stone castles as Thousands Watchtowers of Kingdom with it's various Gyarong folk residence as Jiaju for it famous. The Molto Holy mountains with it's unique Gyarong culture play important roles in Danba county.
The Tibetan-Gyarong style buildings and watchtowers are surrounded by fields and orchards. Danba men are strong and the women are pretty, special in Badi for the Beauty Valley. Stone castles as Thousands Watchtowers of Kingdom with it's various Gyarong folk residence as Jiaju for it famous. The Molto Holy mountains with it's unique Gyarong culture play important roles in Danba county.
Out of Danba. Our first of many stops to take pictures along the way. The scenery over the next 6 hours is simply stunning, as will be the bumpiness of the road.
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Ancient Village in Yunnan - Wengding Wa
Wengding Wa Ancient Village in Yunnan